The finest spirits come from the most unusual places. Not just the weirdest or most obscure, but the most unique. The most complex. The most rare. The most unusual.
And then there are the most exquisite spirits that come from places that you never expected to find. Places that you never knew existed, but suddenly you can’t get enough of them.
In the case of the world’s most exquisite rum, that place is Mount Gay Distillery in Barbados.
Founded in 1783, Mount Gay Distillery has been at the forefront of the rum industry for over 250 years. Small-batch, barrel-aged, unaged and blended rums, each bottle of Mount Gay is made from a mind-boggling array of different rums, from rum from all over the world.
The Birth of a Rum
The only thing you might know about Mount Gay rum is that it started as a molasses distillery. But, really, that’s just the very beginning.
Mount Gay Rum was originally named “Havana Rum” because, at the time, it was all rum coming out of the Cuban distillates like Havana and Matanzas. Over time, however, the company started to use rum from other places as well, like Barbados, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and others.
The company is still owned and operated by the same family today; and their fascinating story of how they got started and how they’ve evolved over the years is one that is worthy of your time.
The Different Styles of Mount Gay Rum
Mount Gay rum comes in quite a few different styles, with the different options based on what type of rum you’re looking for.
The most common option is the Mount Gay Rum’s “Original Blend”, which is a blend of rums from many different places.
There are also several other Mount Gay rum styles, each with its own distinct flavor profiles and narratives.
Mount Gay Rum’s Double Black Diamond
For the ultimate Mount Gay rum experience, don’t miss out on the opportunity to try their Double Black Diamond.
This rum is aged in the finest French and American Oak barrels from only the finest-quality barrels. And then it’s aged for an additional two years in a combination of both bourbon and cognac barrels.
You will find no other rum like it. Double Black Diamond is a rum that you will want to experience.
The World’s Finest Unaged Rum: The White Overproof
Although it doesn’t have an official style, the World’s Finest Unaged Rum is widely considered to be Mount Gay’s finest unaged rum.
This is a rum that is aged for just four months in a small warehouse before it’s bottled. So, you’re getting a rum that has been aged for less time than most other rums are aged for!
What’s more, this rum is double-distilled: To capture more of the natural flavors of the rum, it’s double-distilled so that it captures the unique aromas and flavors of the first rum made from the sugarcane.
This is an incredible tasting rum, with a pronounced toasted sugarcane character that is quite different from the sweetness of the unaged white rum.
Mount Gay Rum’s Finest Blended Rum: Antigua and Barbados
Mount Gay rum is made in several different styles with no two rums the same. One of the most common styles they produce is the blend of rum from Antigua and Barbados.
This rum is a blend of rum from the two islands that are known for their rums – both Antigua and Barbados. And, for those who are really curious about the different styles of rums, this is the perfect way to explore the differences between the Antigua and Barbados rums.
With a blend of these two very different rums, you are guaranteed to find a rum that is perfect for you.
The Art of Aging Mount Gay Aged Rum: Black Totale
The most exciting thing about the Mount Gay rum collection is that every single bottle of rum has been aged for a different amount of time.
And the most exciting thing about the amount of time that each bottle has been aging for is that you will never know ahead of time how long it will be aging!
This is because each bottle is unique, even within a style of rum. This means that every bottle is going to be a whole new experience, as you can never be sure how long you’re going to get with a bottle.
The Black Totale is a rum that has been aging for a whopping 20 years! And, as you might imagine, it has developed quite a complex flavor profile.
You will find a lot of vanilla in this rum, but it’s not the cloying, sickly sweetness that you might expect in an aged rum; instead, it has a rich, creamy character that is absolutely delicious.
The Finest Single-Aged Mount Gay Rum: Pot Still
The Pot Still is another exclusive rum from Mount Gay. This rum is, in fact, the official single-aged Mount Gay rum, as there is no Pot Still in the blends.
And, because of the limited nature of the Pot Still rum, this rum will only ever be available in a single-bottle format.
With Pot Still rum, you are guaranteed to find a rum that is complex and full of depth.
The Finest Single-Aged Mount Gay Rum: Gold Overproof
The Gold Overproof is an incredibly rare rum. Because of the high quality of the pot still rum that is used, the Black Totale and Double Black Diamond rums that are used to blend in the Pot Still, and the aging process that takes place in the warehouse, no two bottles of Gold Overproof rum are ever going to be the same.
This is a rum that is aged for a full three years in a combination of the best barrels that Mount Gay has to offer: bourbon, cognac, and sherry.
The result is a rum that has a delicious caramel and toffee flavor profile, a subtle floral note, and just a hint of spice from the barrels.
The Finest Single-Aged Mount Gay Rum: Double Black Diamond
Yet another exclusive: The Double Black Diamond is another rum that is aged for an incredible amount of time.
This is a rum that has been aged for twice as long as the Pot Still rum, even though it is a blend of the two.
And, as you might expect, the Double Black Diamond has an amazing depth.
You will find hints of tropical fruit, spices, and a very subtle smokiness in this rum.
Conclusion
The Mount Gay rum collection is one that you won’t want to miss out on.
With a diverse and incredible range of rum styles, each bottle is truly a unique experience.
Sometimes it might be a little confusing as to what style of rum you are drinking.
But no matter what, you are going to find a rum that is absolutely delicious.
In fact, you might find yourself coming back over and over again to try out a new style of rum from the collection.