Mount Gay has unveiled the First Edition in its Single Estate Series. The new annual release celebrates Barbados–which the brand has called home since 1703–and embodies the terroir of the birthplace of rum.
In 2015, Mount Gay acquired 324 acres of the old Mount Gay Estate and, for the first time in centuries, the distillery was a fully vertically integrated operation from cane to bottle. Since then, the team has harvested Estate sugar cane each year, and transformed them into molasses, before fermenting, distilling and aging in St Lucy at the distillery.
“The Single Estate Series is as Barbadian as rum could be. Growing Barbadian sugar cane to make Barbadian molasses and bringing every element of the rum production together at our home in St Lucy, the birthplace of rum, was a unique journey,” commented Master Blender Trudiann Branker. “This release is a first for us, the first estate rum we’ll launch at Mount Gay. Like any first, it has been a huge adventure for the whole team. We learned to farm sugar cane, we learned to mill sugar cane. We created Barbadian molasses that, for the first time, was not a byproduct of making sugar, it was the product focus. The Single Estate Series rum speaks to this quality of molasses, and of Barbados rum making.”
The First Edition of the Mount Gay Single Estate Series, 23_01, is a blend of the 2016 and 2017 harvests. It is 100% copper pot still and aged in ex-bourbon casks, allowing the flavor of the rum and its terroir to shine.
The bottle is eco-designed to be a singular vessel for the liquid inside. It is lightweight and made with 70% recycled glass. The gift box is mono-material and uses as little packaging and ink to ensure that it is 100% recyclable.
Mount Gay Single Estate Series First Edition is best enjoyed neat. It has light golden hues, and the nose is full of pear, plum, fresh cut flowers, dried fruits, nutmeg, and lemon. The palate brings pineapple, sea salt, leather, ripe yellow banana, and star anise. The rum opens up over time offering complexity and layers of flavor.
Bottled at 55% ABV, Mount Gay Single Estate Series 23_01 is non-chill filtered in order to preserve the rum’s rich aromas and natural color. The expression will be limited to 1,200 bottles available in the US, launching November 2023 in 700 ml sizes for $400 per bottle. For more information about this release, head over to the brand’s official website.
Earlier this year, Mount Gay unveiled the latest addition to its Master Blender Collection, The PX Sherry Cask Expression. The limited-edition rum series debuted in 2018 and celebrates Mount Gay’s heritage and expertise in rum making.