British rapper Kano has teamed up with The Duppy Share to create a a white rum. Dubbed Duppy White Rum, the new release is the brand’s first Jamaican expression.
Created in partnership with The Duppy Share founder George Frost, Kano took inspiration from his childhood memories of visiting his family’s home in Brownstown, Jamaica. The rum is five years in the making and “born from the memories, smells and flavors that reflect his Jamaican roots and the profound impact of Jamaican culture on London and the world,” says the brand. “From the fashion, to the food, to the dancehall, to the Empire Windrush and to the countless ways Jamaican culture has influenced us all; this is Kano and the Duppy Share’s big up to real Jamaica, real London and the marriage that has meant so much to music, people and society.”
On the nose, the rum features bright, zesty tropical fruits with hints of lemongrass, pineapple and white pepper, alongside an unmistakable, yet subtle, note of Jamaican pot still rum. The palate delivers a rich caramel sweetness and full texture, with notes of fresh cut sugarcane grass, mango, and a subtle peppery heat. The finish offers lingering sweetness and a clean pot still note that shows itself in ripe bananas and a hint of pimento berry.
The brand recommends sipping the rum neat or consuming it as a shot.
“For me, whatever I do has to be the real deal,” Kano said. “This drink comes from me. This is my life, my family’s story inside this bottle, and wrapped around this bottle. This is something I believe in and genuinely love as a product. That was a major thing for me, creating something that I would like to buy myself, drink myself. I’ve been going out of my way to test it with family members and friends to see if they feel the same. People really, really enjoy it. Some people that don’t even drink rum, or it’s not their thing, they drink it and they’re a fan. It’s been a fun experience getting friends and family and peers to taste it.”
“Making rum is all about creating a great tasting liquid and standing out from the crowd,” said Frost. “Working with Kano felt like a natural and authentic fit for the Duppy Share and his genuine enthusiasm for the brand made it really exciting to create something from scratch together. With his dedication, authenticity, talent, storytelling ability and respect for the Caribbean – if Duppy Share could be embodied by one person, it would be him.
“As a life-long resident of Notting Hill, I have grown up aware of the influence of Jamaican culture in London and it was important for us to create a rum that reflected that and that was 100% Jamaican.”
Bottled at 40% ABV, Duppy White is available to purchase from the Duppy Share website, and Tesco stores throughout the UK, priced at £19.75 ($27 USD). The rum sits at 40% ABV.
Last month, Mercury Prize-nominated, MOBO Award-winning drummer Moses Boyd teamed up with Appleton Estate to create a rum and jazz vinyl subscription service. “Jamaica has had a huge influence on me and my music, and in my opinion forms an integral part of the DNA and culture of UK music,” explained Boyd about the partnership. “The musical community I come from is indebted to sound system culture, its roots and its proponents. Beyond the sonics, we owe a lot to the innovative ways Jamaica has distributed, marketed and presented music. And, for many of us, it’s the backbone of how we operate, from communal events to remixes.
