Mount Gay, the world’s oldest rum distillery established in 1703, will unveil a fresh chapter next month with the global launch of a new blend for Mount Gay Black Barrel and an enhanced blend for Mount Gay XO.
Managing Director, Raphael Grisoni explained that harnessing over 300 years of experience, Mount Gay will reset the brand to pay homage to its rich heritage of passing down craft and expertise in Barbados, the birthplace of rum.
He said, “In doing so we will embrace more transparency, providing an in-depth look into the brand and its rum, and will look to the future ensuring continued innovation and growth honouring the genuine rum tradition of Barbados. This is an important step change for us, one that will see us explore and showcase our roots whilst embracing what is truly important to us – our people, our land and our heritage.
“We are confident that the changes we make now will cement Mount Gay’s position as a leading high-end rum brand for many years to come. It is with great honour that I have worked alongside Master Blender Trudiann Branker and the entire team at the distillery to consider each change that we have made along the way is the right one.”
Branker, the distillery’s and Barbados’ first female Master Blender, created the new blends after revisiting the company’s core products whilst simultaneously considering the discerning palate of the high-end, brown spirit enthusiasts and appreciating Mount Gay’s steadfast brand loyalty.
She said, “It is an honour to be at the forefront of the exciting changes that Mount Gay will see in 2020. I am proud not only to be the first female master blender in Barbados but to be a part of the team that will take Mount Gay from strength to strength.
“I am wholeheartedly committed to embracing the expertise that we have inherited for over 300 years and am passionate about looking ahead as we combine both science and craft to explore what makes Mount Gay more than a rum.”
Both Mount Gay XO and Black Barrel will now come in new bottles with updated labels intentionally designed to give ultimate transparency to the rum inside, showcasing further detail on casks used, style and tasting notes. Each change has been a conscious decision to appreciate the true value of Mount Gay and honour its significance on the spectrum of high-end rum.
Underpinning the packaging and liquid changes is a refreshed creative platform that promises to honour the genuine rum tradition and focus on what makes Mount Gay More than a rum through education, exploration and discovery. Each touch point of the platform pays homage to Mount Gay’s Barbadian heritage, the people who craft the rum and its unrivalled terroir carefully harnessed since 1703.
Throughout 2020 Branker will continue to develop limited editions with a new release of 1703 Master Select and a new Master Blender collection due out before the end of the year.
