Barbados 2007

The history of Mount Gay plantation and the distillery premises dates back to the mid-17th century and the plantations were originally named Mount Gilboa. The estate spreads on the northern part of the island in the Saint Lucy area from which the distillery took its name. A notarised record dated 20th February 1703 proves the spirit production on this property and that makes it the oldest running rum distillery in the world. However, not that long ago, new records were discovered suggesting that the production was running there already in 1654. In 1747, the original owner William Sandiford sold the plantations to John Sober who hired Sir John Gay Alleyne for the management of the company and who did so until his death in 1801. To honor his legacy, the plantation was renamed to Mount Gay.

In 1856, there were 158 distilleries in Barbados. But due to the introduction of a rum tax, a license on distillation stills and a ban on direct sales of the rum to the customers led to the closing down. And just in 32 years (in 1888) there were only 23 operating distilleries. Mount Gay prospered during these harsh times mostly thanks to its product quality. Time records show that towards the end of the 19th century, the distillery produced almost half of the total rum production on the island and remained the only one operating till these days. In 1989, Rémy Martin group (now Rémy Cointreau) gained a majority share of the Mount Gay brand and in 2014 they also gained a majority in St. Lucy distillery. After they acquired full control over Mount Gay company, Rémy Cointreau focused on gaining back the original plantations around the distillery, where they now ecologically grow sugar cane for their products.

One of the essential ingredients of the Mount Gay rum’s success is calcium-rich water. For centuries they use water from the artesian well that was dug in 1703 and its limestone formations create a unique environment. The fermentation differs depending on the type of distillation. For column distillation is used closed fermentation with the addition of their own patented yeast strain. While for the pot still distillation is used fermentation in open-air vats in which the mixture of molasses and water is exposed to the natural microorganisms, that start the fermentation process and produce a unique aromatic profile naturally created by the local terroir.

Rum is distilled in four copper double-retort pot stills, and also in Coffey type copper column still which was renovated and put again in process in 2018 (originally used from the 1940s to 1976). In 2022, Mount Gay put into operation a sugar mill to process the cane from their plantations. The vast majority of the rum is aged in American ex-whiskey oak casks. But casks after cognac, sherry, bourbon, and Scotch whisky are also used. In four large warehouses age over 46.000 casks filled with delicious rum.

Each remarkable story begins with a statement of place and time. For Mount Gay the place is a Caribbean island Barbados, and year 1703. We are very proud of our bottling of this single cask from the oldest rum distillery in the world. Thanks to this primacy Mount Gay was granted with the title “The rum that invented rum”.