The Second Edition In the Mount Gay Single Estate Series is a 2018 vintage rum made from sugar cane grown on the distillery’s property in Barbados
Mount Gay has unveiled the second expression of its Single Estate Series, the 24_02_Vt18d2. The Barbados-based rum makers launched the first edition in the collection last fall.
Crafted by Master Blender Trudiann Branker, the second edition in the Single Estate Series expands the terroir-driven collection, with a blend of rums produced from the 2018 Mount Gay Estate sugar cane, making this liquid the first vintage release in this limited-edition series.
The series’ beginnings started back In 2015, when Mount Gay acquired 324 acres of the historical Mount Gay and Oxford Estates. With the new land, the distillery was able to become a vertically integrated operation, producing rum from cane to bottle. Since then, the team has harvested Estate sugar canes each year and transformed them into molasses, before fermenting, distilling and aging the distillates at the distillery.
The Single Estate Series is created using 100% molasses from sugar canes grown at the Mount Gay Estate in St Lucy, Barbados. The molasses is then fermented for 9 days, an unusually long fermentation period, that reveals distinct Barbadian flavors. Mount Gay Single Estate Series 24_02_Vt18d2 has been fully distilled in copper pot stills and matured in American oak (Quercus Alba) ex-bourbon barrels.
On the nose, the rum offers bold citrus and sweet fruit aromas. Hints of grapefruit, sweet plums and banana are balanced with spice, a hint of almonds, sea salt, and a slight milk chocolate note. The palate brings brown sugar, oak, grapefruit and floral notes, with a slightly salty smokiness.
“What makes 24_02 different and special is that it is the first vintage in the Single Estate Series, coming from just one year of harvest. 23_01 was a blend of two harvest years, 2016 & 2017,” says Branker. “24_02 showcases the unique character of Mount Gay’s Estate on a single year, made with 100% sugar cane grown on the Estate, in St Lucy, Barbados, illustrating further our connection to Mount Gay’s heritage and terroir, allowing consumers to discover the influence of a warm and sunny season until the harvest.
“This detail is reflected in the stunning blue label – ’24’ representing the release year and ’02’ for the release number in the series. As a new feature, ‘Vt18’ stands for ‘Vintage 18’, referring to the single-year sugar cane harvest used in this expression, and ‘d2’ stands for the fact that I blended together distillates from two distinct pot still distillations.”
The eco-designed packaging is made from 70% recycled glass bottles and features minimal ink on the label. The Caribbean blue coloring on the label is inspired by “the Bajan summer skies visible during the Summer 2018 harvest,” says a press reeleasee. Each bottle features a QR code that allows consumers to delve into the rum-making journey from start to finish.
The brand recommends enjoying the rum neat.
Bottled at 55% ABV, Mount Gay Single Estate Series 24_02_Vt18d2 is limited to just 5,418 bottles worldwide, with only 1,200 available in the US at select premium retailers. The rum is priced at $400 USD per 70cl bottle. For more information, head over to the brand’s official website.
