Planteray Xaymaca Special Dry Rum
Planteray Xaymaca Special Dry Rum is a 43% ABV (86-proof), 750mL 100% pot still Jamaican rum from Maison Ferrand's Planteray range — a bold, funky, completely unsweetened (0 g/L dosage) expression built from rums distilled in the vintage John Dore pot still at Long Pond and the Vendôme pot still at Clarendon. Molasses is fermented for one to three weeks, and the high-ester spirit (156 g/hL) ages 1–3 years in bourbon casks in the Jamaican tropics, then a year in Cognac-seasoned French oak in France, with a measure of 17-year-old Jamaican "bonifactor" rum in the blend. Xaymaca — "land of wood and water," Jamaica's original name — is the tribute in the bottle. Order online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 43% (86 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Age: 1–3 years tropical (bourbon casks) + 1 year continental (Ferrand Cognac casks); includes 17YO Jamaican bonifactor rum
- Origin: Long Pond & Clarendon distilleries, Jamaica; finished in France by Maison Ferrand
- Production: 100% pot still, molasses, 1–3 week fermentation, 156 g/hL esters, 0 g/L dosage
Jamaican Funk, Bottled Dry
This is the bottle that converted a generation of bartenders to high-ester Jamaican rum. Planteray — the rebranded name of the range long sold as Plantation — had owner Alexandre Gabriel chasing a dream: to revive the authentic, pot-still "rum of yesteryear" using distilleries Ferrand has a real stake in. The result drinks like a dry whisky in rum form: smoky, meaty, floral, and fruity all at once, with zero sugar to round the edges. Among rums, Xaymaca Special Dry is the funk-forward reference point — the bottle other dry Jamaican rums get measured against.
Tasting Notes
Complex and pungent: smoky, meaty notes with buttery pastry, vanilla, cooked banana, bitter orange peel, and ripe pineapple on the nose. The palate is full-bodied and dry — rose water, soursop, pear, white grape, coconut milk, allspice, and nuts — with pot-still spice and a faint smokiness lingering in the long finish.
How to Enjoy
Neat like a fine dry whisky, or on a large cube with a splash of water to reveal the smoky aromas. Signature serve: the Xaymaca Collins — 5 parts rum, 2 parts simple syrup, 2 parts lime juice over ice, topped with soda. Also superb in a Kingston Negroni or a Mai Tai.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "Xaymaca" mean?
It is Jamaica's original name, meaning "land of wood and water" — the bottle is a tribute to the island's rum-making heritage.
Is Xaymaca Special Dry sweet?
No — it is bottled at 0 g/L dosage with no added sugar. The "Special Dry" name is literal; the fruit and funk come from esters, not sweetness.
What is Jamaican "funk"?
The high-ester, fruity, slightly wild character of traditional Jamaican pot still rum — overripe banana, tropical fruit, spice, and a savory edge.
Where can I buy Planteray Xaymaca Special Dry online?
The 750mL bottle is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, shipping from San Diego, CA.
Funky, dry, and utterly Jamaican — grab Xaymaca Special Dry at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.