KINGSTON, Jamaica— Jamaica’s most storied spirits house uncorked its 200th-anniversary festivities on Wednesday evening, turning 23 Dominica Drive into a living timeline of national pride.
Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness, keynote guest at the launch, placed the milestone in broader perspective. “Tonight we’re honouring more than a company,” he told an invite-only crowd of business leaders and media. “We’re honouring an institution that has distilled Jamaican ingenuity, resilience, and excellence for two centuries.”
Founded in 1825 when John Wray opened the Shakespeare Tavern, the enterprise gained its now-famous suffix when nephew Charles Ward joined the venture 35 years later. What began as a Kingston tavern has since matured into a global ambassador for Jamaican culture—one sip at a time.
Managing Director Daniel Caron used the occasion to underscore the firm’s social footprint. “Our legacy isn’t measured solely in awards,” he said. “It’s etched into scholarships, community projects, and the next generation of Jamaican leaders we’re helping to shape.” Caron announced that a portion of upcoming consumer promotions will underwrite upgrades to learning and community centres island-wide through the J Wray & Nephew Foundation.
Opposition Spokesman on Industry, Commerce and Global Logistics Anthony Hylton offered bipartisan congratulations, while master blender Dr Joy Spence—the palate behind many of the brand’s award-winning rums—reflected on the company’s evolution from pot-still days to modern maturation science.
Veteran broadcaster Fae Ellington emceed with her trademark flair, and the ASHE Ensemble electrified the gathering with a musical medley that spanned mento to dancehall—an audible reminder of the cultural arc J Wray & Nephew has witnessed since the 1800s.
The bicentenary calendar, revealed last night, is set to run the full year: pop-up heritage exhibits, limited-edition releases, and island-wide community initiatives are all on the docket. Each activation, organisers say, will “toast the people behind the proof”—generations of employees, farmers, bartenders, and consumers who have carried the brand’s banner for 200 years.
If Wednesday’s launch was any indication, the celebrations ahead will be less about nostalgia and more about charting the next century of Jamaican excellence—one bottle, one community, and one story at a time.
