Mount Gay Extra Old Rum

Score:	86/100
ABV:	43%
Region:	Barbados
Body:	Medium-full
Intensity:	Medium-high
Texture:	Medium-oily
Balance:	Heavenly
Best served:	Neat
Theme(s):	Rich dense oak, shortbread, tropical fruit, mulled spice wine
In a nutshell:	An aged rum with great balance and not overly sweet
Likes:	Density, complexity and elegance that unleashes luscious complexity
Dislikes:	A little too “heavy” at times
Price:	$50-$60

Mount Gay Extra Old Rum is from Barbados, and matured in Kentucky oak barrels for 12 to 17 years. Mount Gay has been producing rum since 1703, making it oldest brand of rum in the world. The box reads that it has been “expertly fashioned from rich sugar cane and with the pristine, coral filtered water native to the island”. Nice, eh? 

Flag of Barbados

Old rum is rare and hard to find. You are probably thinking: “12 to 17 years is not extra old! How can it be rare if lots of 30, 40 and even 50 year old whisky and cognac flood the market?”. Well, most of the world’s rum is produced in the very warm Caribbean and this means that a lot of rum evaporates from within the barrel over 12 to 17 years. One website says that the “evaporation rate can be as high as 10% a year in the tropical Caribbean, while it can be as little as 2% for Cognac or whisky producers in colder climates”.  This means that, after 12 to 17 years, not much Caribbean rum would be left in a barrel! Imagine 10% of a liquid in a barrel being lost to evaporation each year, it would deplete very quickly. This is why old rum from warmer climates is so very special (I do note the Appleton Estate 50 Year Old). 

Now, let’s smell, taste and review this rum!