Mount Gay 1703 Rum

The 1703 old cask selection commemorates the date where first evidence of distilling took place at the Mount Gay distillery. Master blender Allen Smith, has utilized aged rums ranging from 10 to 30 years matured in former bourbon casks giving the rum a cognac-like appeal. The super-premium 1703 Old Cask Selection is an unparalleled expression of craftsmanship. This deliciously complex nectar has a deep bouquet of oak, caramel and leather, entwined with mellow ripe banana, stewed fruit and soft spices which melts into a smooth, lingering finish.

The Mount Gay Rum Estate lies on a ridge in the northernmost parish of Barbados (St. Lucy). In the 1600's this spot was known as Mount Gilboa and was divided into several small, separately owned sugar plantations. They were named after their respective owners: Tyrell, Jemmott, Jones, Pickering and Grey. Then, in the early 18th century, William Sandiford bought most of the land, consolidating it into a 280 acre plantation he renamed Mount Gilboa. It was passed on to his son, who sold it in 1747 to John Sober. Sober and his son Cumberbatch were both absentee landlords, spending most of their time in England. By 1787, Cumberbatch needed someone to manage the affairs of the flourishing Mount Gilboa estate. He chose his good friend, Sir John Gay Alleyne. In 1801, after Sir John's death, Cumberbatch honoured his friend by renaming the plantation Mount Gay Rum (a Mount Alleyne already existed at the time). The Sober family continued to run the property until 1860. Black Barrel has a higher proportion of double distillates and, after selection by master blender Allen Smith, produced from sugar cane molasses and water filtered through the coral heart of the island, Mount Gay Black Barrel boasts double pot distillation and a second maturation in bourbon oak barrels.