Skip to main content

The Connoisseur’s Rum: Mount Gay Black Barrel

We’ve been discussing whiskey an awful lot lately, so let’s switch gears for a moment…and talk about rum.

Now that the summer is quickly approaching we are thinking about mojitos and pina coladas, and just because you aren’t on a beach right now doesn’t mean you can’t whip up some tropical beverages.

Recommended Videos

But Mount Gay Black Barrel makes us rethink rum. It’s not just for mojitos and pina coladas anymore. This small batch, handcrafted rum is for the modern connoisseur.

While we don’t usually think about drinking rum in a rocks glass like one would with whiskey, you certainly can with Mount Gay Black Barrel. Each batch is finished in charred bourbon oak barrels and has a higher proportion of double distillates for an intense balance of flavors which include: wood, pepper, and spice. Notes of oaky vanilla and sweet caramel shine through as well.

Master blender Allen Smith has been overseeing the brand’s blending and maturation facilities for over two decades. Here is some background on how this special rum is produced:

Mount Gay selects the finest sugar cane crop they can get their hands on between the months of February and June. After 12 – 18 months the canes are crushed when they’ve reached their peak. The molasses is collected and rests in oak casks. Water from Barbados is filtered naturally through the island’s coral layers, filtered again, then blended with yeast and sugar cane molasses. Then the fermentation begins. Once this process is complete, Mount Gay distills the mixture. Their unique single and double copper pot distillates create complex rum with spicy, bold flavors. The rum is then finished in charred bourbon oak barrels for a smooth flavor.

While we recommend enjoying this rum neat or, even better, topped of with some ginger ale, here are some cool recipes you can try at home.

Black and Stormy

1 ¼ Mount Gay Black Barrel

Ginger Beer

Fill glass with ice, add rum and fill with ginger beer. Add lime wedge to garnish

Classic Manhattan

2 oz of Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum

½ oz sweet vermouth

3 dashes of Angostura bitters

1 maraschino cherry

Pour ingredients into mixing glass with ice cubes, stir well and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry.

For more information on Mount Gay Rum click here

Stefan Doyno
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Stefan Doyno is a two-time Emmy-winning television producer who has worked for various shows at ABC News, including Good…
Starbucks Barista-favorite Guatemala Casi Cielo is back
Starbucks Guatemala Casi Cielo

No one knows great coffee better than Starbucks baristas, who have voted the Guatemala Casi Cielo whole bean coffee as one of their favorite roasts. Each week, Starbucks partners (employees) can select a bag of whole bean coffee for free, and last year, Starbucks partners used this benefit on Guatemala Casi Cielo more than any other seasonal whole-bean coffee offered by the brand. This partner and customer-favorite has been popular for nearly two decades, featuring elegant floral aromatics and notes of citrus and dark cocoa.

Beginnings of the Guatemala Casi Cielo Roast

Read more
Stone Brewing drops a big beer for a big anniversary
Stone Brewing 29th Anniversary Double IPA.

It's official, you can now get Stone Brewing's 29th Anniversary Double IPA. The big beer celebrates nearly three decades in the craft beer sector. The west coast brewery, founded in California, has long been known for its high-octane brews.

The beer comes in at 8.5% ABV and is made with a slew of New Zealand Hops. The full-bodied beer shows dank elements, red berries, and tropical fruit. The finish is lasting and there's a hit of bitterness to the tune of 55 IBUs.

Read more
Crisp days call for crisp beers — here are the best craft lagers for fall
Fall is a a great time for craft lagers
Zero Gravity

To say that the craft beer world in the U.S. has exploded in the last few decades is a bit of an understatement. Back in 1995, there were only around two hundred craft breweries in the entire country. Today, we’re nearing 10,000 breweries in the U.S. These breweries are producing hazy IPAs, barrel-aged stouts, and a surprising number of classic, crisp lagers.

The latter just might be the perfect style to bridge the gap between summer and fall. This is because the styles range from crushable, crispy boys perfect for unseasonably hot days to dark, malty lagers well-suited for unseasonably cool autumn evenings.

Read more