Skip to main content

Review: Double The Fun with Mount Gay Rum

Mount Gay Rum
Image used with permission by copyright holder
When it comes to rum, no one has done it as consistently or as long as Mount Gay Rum. Hailing from Barbados, the spirit has been made there since 1703, making it the oldest rum in the world. The Origin Series was created by Master Blender Allen Smith to help consumers gain a deeper understanding of Mount Gay rums by offering a side-by-side comparison in one boxed set. Origin Series Volume One offered consumers virgin and charred casks varieties while this release showcases copper pot and copper column still rums.

The rums are 100% identical in ingredients, fermentation, and aging. The only thing that distinguishes the two—and what makes this release so interesting—is the distillation method. One uses 100% copper pot distillation while the other uses, as you might guess, 100% copper column distillation. Usually, these two are blended together to produce their other rums, such as Eclipse, but for this series, Smith wanted to pair them side by side to see how each still imparts its own flavors into the product.

Related: 5 Classic Rum Cocktails You Need to Know

Column Still

Nose: Like many rums, heavy notes of banana and caramel sweetness that are bolstered by a slight hint of almonds.

Palate: A very light-bodied rum that tastes of almond and banana. There is a little bit of toasted oak on the palate as well. These flavors fade into sweetness with very little burn.

Finish: A very short and crisp finish. Fruity flavors that are backed by honey.

Pot Still 

Nose: Chocolatey and predominated by almond. A darker, deeper nose than the column still.

Palate: The pot still is a little heavier on the tongue, but not by much. It still retains a mostly light-bodied character that is pleasant, considering the chocolate flavors that come through the nose. Coconut is also present, giving a nice, tropical feel to the rum.

Finish: Another short finish. A little fruitiness that is complemented by a little oak spice. Some caramel as the rum fades.

Final Thoughts: Paired together, these two rums really do showcase the differences between the two different types of stills. While the column still rum is lighter, neither presents an overwhelming sipping experience, which is how these rums should be consumed. Sipping the column still reminds me of my own time studying in Barbados and makes me want to be sitting on Crane Beach as the sun goes down, listening to some far-off Soca music, and contemplating where to get a plate of flying fish from.

 

The Origin Series Volume 2 set will be available starting in November and will retail for around $95.

Editors' Recommendations

Sam Slaughter
Sam Slaughter was the Food and Drink Editor for The Manual. Born and raised in New Jersey, he’s called the South home for…
10 smoky scotch whisky options to make those fall campfires magical
Our favorite smoky scotch whisky brands for late-summer drinking
Campfire whisky

The end of summer is barreling toward us like a pumpkin spice-fueled locomotive. Depending on where you live, you’re likely already seeing some signs of fall. The leaves are beginning to change color, the days are getting shorter, and Halloween candy is already on grocery store shelves. Fear not, even with the eventuality that is the end of summer, we still have until September 23 to enjoy all that the season has to offer. For us, it means as many backyard campfires as possible before the weather grows colder. It also means we only have weeks left to pair our fires with a glass of warming Scotch whisky.

Nobody will blame you for complimenting the smoky fire by drinking a complex, non-peated single malt Scotch whisky. For those confused about the spelling, most of the world omits the 'e' when referring to whisky. You also might be wondering the difference between Scotch and whiskey. Well, in the simplest terms, Scotch is a kind of whisky (Americans and the Irish still use the 'e'). So that should put an end to the Scotch vs. whiskey debate once and for all.

Read more
Berries going bad too fast? Try this amazing viral TikTok hack that actually works
This viral TikTok hack shows you how to keep your berries fresh for up to 10 days
Mixed berries

Berries are a fan favorite in the produce section. These juicy little delights are a vitamin-packed fruit that's great for baking, snacking, making fruity cocktails like sangria, and even brightening up your weekend charcuterie boards. If you're someone who loves berries, you know how frustrating it can be when they start going bad too quickly.
But worry not! A viral TikTok hack has been making waves online, promising to keep your berries in tip-top shape for longer. We'll walk you through how to keep berries fresh using this amazing hack that actually works.
Say goodbye to wasting money on spoiled fruit, and hello to spoiling yourself with fresh, juicy berries whenever you want!

How to keep berries fresh with water and vinegar
Berries tend to spoil quickly due to their high water content, delicate texture, and the growth of mold and bacteria between them in their store-bought produce cartons. Exposure to moisture, heat, and air can also accelerate the ripening (or spoiling) process.

Read more
Take a break from pumpkin beer: The best Oktoberfest beers to drink this fall
These delicious drinks are perfect for crisp fall days
Pint of beer

There are at least a handful of holidays (especially drinking centered holidays) that many drinkers don’t really know the true origins of. We know these are special days in which we drink tequila and Mexican beer (Cinco de Mayo), Irish whiskey or dry Irish stouts (St. Patrick’s Day), and giant pints of malty, refreshing German beer (Oktoberfest). And while we’ll get into the other two when the time comes, it’s Oktoberfest’s time in the spotlight.

Oktoberfest is more than simply a day to wear your grandfather’s lederhosen, drink Marzen, eat schnitzel, and listen to oom-pah music. It’s a two-week festival (the actual party is in Munich) that’s celebrated each fall to remember the wedding of Prince Ludwig of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen on October 12, 1810.

Read more