Reviews for Mount Gay Rums

[Arctic Wolf]

Rum Review: Mount Gay 1703 Old cask Selection

The Mount Gay 1703 Rum is a premium blend which features aged rum stocks from selected barrels of the Mount Gay treasured reserve. These barrels have been aged 10 to 30 years and feature the best that Mount Gay has to offer in the areas of Craftsmanship and Quality.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

…The rum has a bright coppery colour with black stains. It looks very rich and lively in the glass almost like a shiny new penny. A swirl of the glass shows a nice sheen of oil on the sides with small legs tricking back into the rum. Dark molasses and baking spices rise to my nostrils followed by a smokey leather. Perhaps it is the colour of the rum fooling me, but I catch a scent of copper pennies in the air as well…

Here is a link to the full review:

Rum Review: Mount Gay 1703 Old Cask Selection (http://www.ministryofrum.com/rumdetails.php?r=942)

As well you may enjoy my Cocktail Suggestion… Romantic Traffic

[RonJames]

Good review Arctic, I remember at the last NYC MOR event they had this rum, and when the top came off the pleasant smell over powered everything with in 10ft of it! Magnificent.

[Arctic Wolf]

It really is one of the nicest noses I have encountered in a rum bottle.

[Arctic Wolf]

Recently the distributors for Mount Gay Rum (Select Wines) arranged for me to receive a few samples of the Mount Gay range for the purpose of reviewing them on my website. The first of these reviews is for the Mount Gay Eclipse Silver Rum, a Bajan rum from the Mount Gay Plantation on the Island of Barbados.

Mount Gay Rum has been produced on the Isle of Barbados since the beginning of the eighteenth century, making Mount Gay one of the oldest, (if not the oldest) rum brand in the World. Evidence exists of stills in use at the Mount Gay Plantation site as early as 1667, and we have confirmation (with the first written records) of rum produced on the site in 1703.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“…It is unusual in my experience for a white rum to display such an inviting aroma in the glass. The scents and smells of light butterscotch were evident as was a firm presence of banana, a mild citrus zest, and a light minty aroma….”

You may read the full review by clicking the link below:

Review: Mount Gay Eclipse Silver Rum (http://www.ministryofrum.com/rumdetailsmember.php?r=225&u=3568)

As well please enjoy my cocktail suggestions which follow the review.

[Tabuzak]

Another terrific review. Thank you!

I thought to myself, Gee I think I have that rum. Maybe I should give it a retaste.

But I was wrong. I have the Mount Gay Special Reserve, another white rum. I did not find this on the Ministry's list of current rums produced by Mount Gay.

Any relationship to the Silver Eclipse?

I will probably pick up a bottle of the silver and try it in a daiquiri.

Thanks,

Jack

[Jwilly019]

Another terrific review. Thank you!

I thought to myself, Gee I think I have that rum. Maybe I should give it a retaste.

But I was wrong. I have the Mount Gay Special Reserve, another white rum. I did not find this on the Ministry's list of current rums produced by Mount Gay.

Any relationship to the Silver Eclipse?

I will probably pick up a bottle of the silver and try it in a daiquiri.

Thanks,

Jack

I believe Special Reserve was replaced by Silver Eclipse.

[Arctic Wolf]

Another terrific review. Thank you!

I thought to myself, Gee I think I have that rum. Maybe I should give it a retaste.

But I was wrong. I have the Mount Gay Special Reserve, another white rum. I did not find this on the Ministry's list of current rums produced by Mount Gay.

Any relationship to the Silver Eclipse?

I will probably pick up a bottle of the silver and try it in a daiquiri.

Thanks,

Jack

Thanks Jack!

As JWilly said the Mount Gay Eclipse Silver has replaced the Special Reserve. I am not sure if there were any differences between the blends. I should point out though that the Mount Gay Eclipse Silver which is sold in Canada has been aged for at least one year (as per Canadian Law) and then filtered clear. I am not sure if the blend sold in the US has undergone the same amount of aging. I suspect it has but I may be incorrect.

cheers.gif

[Tabuzak]

Heh! Well, that gives me an excuse to do a taste comparison, doesn't it?

Thanks for the info!

[Tabuzak]

I did a comparison between the Mount Gay Eclipse Silver and the Special Reserve. They are not the same rum at all.

First off, the Special Reserve actually has a subtle bit of color to it, a soft amber. The Silver is about as clear as you can get.

The Silver is more viscous and less flavorful than the reserve.

With two different names, I suppose that should be no surprise at all.

-Jack

[Arctic Wolf]

As mentioned two weeks ago, the distributors for Mount Gay (Select Wines) have arranged for me to receive a few samples of their Mount Gay Rum for the purpose of reviewing them on my website. This is the second review in this series and today I am sharing my experiences with the Mount Gay Eclipse Rum.

It was in 1910 that the appearance of Haley’s comet coincided with a total solar eclipse, and this event is said to have inspired Mount Gay Rum to create the Eclipse Rum. The Eclipse is a traditional double distilled rum produced from copper pot stills and aged in white Kentucky oak barrels which were previously used to age bourbon. I found that when I was patient with the spirit, I could catch glimpses of the Kentucky Bourbon in both the aroma and flavour.

Here is an Excerpt from my Review:

“…The initial aroma from the glass is laced with caramel and orange peel. Allowing the glass to decant reveals the scents of deep brown sugar and toffee spices. Interestingly I also catch nice wiffs of a nice woody apricot brandy, a ribbon of bourbon and vanilla, and more subtle smoky aromas of dried fruit, tobacco and oak tannin…”

You may link to the full review here:

Review: Mount Gay Eclipse (Gold) (http://www.ministryofrum.com/rumdetailsmember.php?r=223&u=3568)

[Jwilly019]

First time I've seen a picture of the new Eclipse bottle. For those of us who enjoy Eclipse, do you expect a price increase to accompany the new bottle? I know the same thing happened to MGXO, just curious if I should grab a couple of extra bottles.

[Arctic Wolf]

One of my very early rum reviews was for Mount Gay Extra Old Rum (MGXO). In fact, this was one of the ten original reviews that I published to open my site back in October 2009. Since that time, when the occasion has presented itself for me to revisit these early reviews, I have done so. This is because I acknowledge that my earliest reviews were perhaps a little fragmentary, and that my experience since these earlier reviews has grown with my understanding rum and whisky.

In the interests of fairness, I have left my older review at the bottom of the review page such that this evolution will be obvious to my readers.

Here is a snippet from my review:

“…As the glass decants, the aroma sweetens and I can smell a sweeter brown sugar within the molasses as well as luxurious baking spices. As I continue to allow the nose to develop, I get additional scents of roasted marshmallows, oak spices, ripe fruit, and scattered tea leaves. Hints of faint copper-like scents, unsweetened cocoa and an indistinct cigar-like aroma are drifting in and out of the breezes. This is deep and complex…”

You may read the full review by clicking the link below:

Review MGXO (http://www.ministryofrum.com/rumdetailsmember.php?r=224&u=3568)

[Edward Hamilton]

First time I've seen a picture of the new Eclipse bottle. For those of us who enjoy Eclipse, do you expect a price increase to accompany the new bottle? I know the same thing happened to MGXO, just curious if I should grab a couple of extra bottles.

If you like the Refined Eclipse I'd stock up. The worst thing that will happen is that you'll have a few extra bottles around. Or, the old bottles may go on sale before the new bottle is introduced in your market.

I found some great deals on MGXO in California last year before the new bottle was introduced.

[Jwilly019]

If you like the Refined Eclipse I'd stock up. The worst thing that will happen is that you'll have a few extra bottles around. Or, the old bottles may go on sale before the new bottle is introduced in your market.

I found some great deals on MGXO in California last year before the new bottle was introduced.

I plan to, especially when I find a giftset left over from the holidays.

[Arctic Wolf]

I just received a bottle of Mount Gay Black from Remy Martin. A selection of 7 year old rums blended from different oak types, I was told. I am looking forward to this one.

(Incidentally, Remy Martin and Hennessy have asked me to begin to review Cognac on my website as well. Life is good for the Rumhowler!

[Jamie76]

I just received a bottle of Mount Gay Black from Remy Martin. A selection of 7 year old rums blended from different oak types, I was told. I am looking forward to this one.

(Incidentally, Remy Martin and Hennessy have asked me to begin to review Cognac on my website as well. Life is good for the Rumhowler!

I wasn't aware that MG Black was being distributed by Remy Martin. Interesting.

[Arctic Wolf]

I wasn't aware that MG Black was being distributed by Remy Martin. Interesting.

Remy Martin Acquired Mount Gay Rum in 1989.

[Jamie76]

Remy Martin Acquired Mount Gay Rum in 1989.

Goes to show how much I know.

Mt. Gay rums are good, I wouldn't suspect a subpar cognac producer would keep the quality.

[Arctic Wolf]

I guess we disagree on the merits of the cognacs of Remy Martin.

[Mikeycanuk]

We tried some on our visit to Mt Gay last month. For being a 50% product the Black went down a lot smoother than it should have. I quite liked it but I suspect that the Eclipse and XO samples just before got the palette ready.

[Jamie76]

I guess we disagree on the merits of the cognacs of Remy Martin.

Well, their cognacs are for the mass markets. Definitely nothing special. Yes, I know Remy Martin has their "famous" Louis XIII cognac. Unfortunately, you are paying more for the Baccarat crystal then for the cognac.

I prefer smaller cognac houses that outperform most of what Remy Martin or Hennessy has, by quite a lot.

Note from the Wolf: We shall agree to disagree on this one. Smaller is not always better, just as bigger is not always better. IMO Remy Martin makes good Cognac

[Arctic Wolf]

Like all Mount Gay Rums, the Mount Gay Eclipse Black is produced from two types of stills, the traditional pot still and the column still. According to the information provided to me, the Black features a higher percentage of rum from the pot still than the other Eclipse Rums. As well, the rum is blended from well aged stocks of several different barrel types. The combination of these two factors is said yield a bolder, richer, more robust and flavorful rum. Finally, it has also been bottled at 50 % alcohol by volume, higher than the Eclipse Gold or Mount Gay XO, which helps to bring this robust flavour forward even more.

I notice that the Black is not yet in the MOR Data base so I will provide a link directly to my review:

Review: Mount Gay Eclipse Black (http://therumhowlerblog.wordpress.com/2011/10/16/review-mount-gay-eclipse-black/)

[djmont]

I saw that this is on sale this month at the stores nearby and thought I'd pick some up if I make it over there in time. Glad to hear that you liked it.