Heritage Booklet 2021

SIR JOHN GAY ALLEYNE, THE VISIONARY

In 1773, Sir John Gay Alleyne was enlisted to manage the plantation and distillery. He used his expertise to refine the distillation process and produce a far superior rum. Focusing solely on quality, he implemented ingenious farming, sugar production and distillation methods to create a fine rum that would become famous the world over. Today, we know that each stage in developing our rums plays a key role in achieving the unique, rich and aromatic character Mount Gay is known for.

WATER AND SUGAR

Since 1703, the distillery uses only pure water from its artesian well. It contains minerals essential to the natural indigenous yeasts at the time of fermentation. Mount Gay hand-selects only the finest Barbadian and Caribbean sugarcane molasses for each of its blends. The local Barbadian molasses tend to have a high sugar content and slight acidity, while the Caribbean ones have a more pronounced minerality. The combination of the two strikes a perfect balance between sugar levels and minerality, with a good length on the palate.

Fermentation begins when molasses and filtered Barbados water are combined with yeast. Two separate techniques are used: closed fermentation in stainless steel tanks, used for column distillation; and open-air fermentation in oak vats, used for pot still distillation. In both cases, fermentation lasts at least 72 hours (compared to an average of 24 hours in the rum industry), allowing complex aromas to develop.

DISTILLATION, AGEING AND BLENDING

The distinctive character of Mount Gay rums comes from using rums distilled both in traditional column and copper pot stills. We use four different types of stills, each one providing different organoleptic qualities: strength, fruity notes, herbaceous notes, and floral notes. We then age all our rums separately, in a variety of casks that have been used to age whisky, bourbon or cognac. All our rums are aged on our estate and benefit from the tropical climate, which accelerates the concentration of aromas and flavours. The final stage is blending. At Mount Gay, it is elevated to the level of an art: a complex alchemy between expert intuition and controlled savoir-faire. Our Master Blender Trudiann Branker holds the secret. She composes each blend by subtly combining dozens of different rums.