TGR StaffEstablished in 1703, Mount Gay is the world’s oldest running rum distillery. For 2020, Master Blender Trudiann Branker has decided revisited Mount Gay’s core blends whilst simultaneously considering the discerning palate of the high-end brown spirit enthusiasts and appreciating Mount Gay’s steadfast brand loyalty. As a result, Branker has created a new blend for Mount Gay Black Barrel and an enhanced blend for Mount Gay XO, both of which she is thrilled to debut to global markets this year.
Mount Gay Black Barrel benefits from an older selection of rums being used for the blend, moving to a blend of three to seven-year-old rums as opposed to the previous two to seven years, with a higher content of double distilled pot still rums. The finishing period, still taking place in deeply charred Bourbon casks, will be extended to six months, greatly lengthened from the previous four week finishing period. These changes better reflect Black Barrel’s bold and robust flavor.
In addition to the work that she has done on Black Barrel, Branker revisited Mount Gay XO where she enriched the blend. From April 2020, XO benefits from a broader palette of rums selected for the blend, individually aged in three different casks – American Whiskey, Bourbon and Cognac – for five to 17 years, rather than the previous eight to 15 years. Overall, her adjustments to the blend aim to enhance the liquid’s ultimate complexity.
Throughout the core range, each expression will be placed into new bottles with updated labels intentionally designed to give ultimate transparency to the rum inside showcasing further detail on casks used, style and tasting notes. Each change has been a conscious decision to appreciate the true value of Mount Gay and honor its significance on the spectrum of high-end rum.
From April 2020, Mount Gay’s new Black Barrel blend and its enriched XO blend will be on the shelf throughout all markets and global travel retail. Suggested retail pricing across the core range will be updated across all markets as 1703 Master Select ($199.99), XO ($64.99), Black Barrel ($44.99), and Eclipse ($21.99).
Trudiann Branker will continue to develop limited editions with a new release of 1703 Master Select and a new Master Blender collection due out before the end of 2020.
For more information, visit www.mountgayrum.com.
