The majestically named Chesterfield Brown is a man evidently happy with his lot in life. In his role as Global Brand Ambassador for Mount Gay Rum, Chester travels the world extolling the virtues of his beloved Mount Gay Rum and his island home of Barbados.
I caught Chester at Tuesday night’s tasting in Auckland. Mount Gay’s history can be traced back until at least 1703 and thus can lay claim to being the world’s oldest Rum. It was named after Sir John Gay Aleyn an early English settler on Barbados and thus predates any modern gay associations! As Chester points out Mount Gay was gay before gay and in any event can be enjoyed straight! Barbados known as the ‘Jewel of the Carribean’ is an island composed of coral and limestone unlike it’s volcanic neighbours, this provides the all essential naturally filtrated water.
We sampled all the expressions of Mount Gay Rum starting with the Silver which is a white rum made from pot and column still distillates, aged for two years in oak and then charcoal filtered to remove any colour. This production process creates a rum with delicious vanilla and banana notes.
The golden rum Eclipse is named after the 1910 solar eclipse which coincided with the passage of Haleys Comet. It is a blend of rums aged between 2 to 7 years. It get’s its colour from the American Oak Bourbon barrels in which it is matured and has floral and smoky flavours.
Mout Gay’s premium offerings are Extra Old and 1703. These are a blend of 8 – 15 yro and 10 – 30yro respectively. They display to varying degrees elements of banana, moka, toffee and vanilla, to quote Chester’s grandmother they are ‘moreish’ and as delicious to sip as any fine Congnac or Single Malt.
Chester regaled us with some tales of Island life and extolled the virtues of the humble Bajan Rum Shop, where the real people of Barbados are to be found. A good night and Barbados has been added to the holiday wishlist.
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