Mount Gay 1703 Old Cask

After touring Barbados, the discovery of Mount Gay was enlightening. This rum was so smooth, it had me hooked. Other rums have a strong or over bearing flavor. I guess being in business for 300 years has something to do with it.

This older rum has a whiskey bite but is very enjoyable mixed with cola or on the rocks straight.

Just a beautiful rum to sip and enjoy slowly. The flavours just develop in your pallet

The smoothest rum ever. Gorgeous flavours and a sweet aftertaste. Tastes of chocolate, caramel and fruit.

Chewy molasses, rich butterscotch, fragrant toffee, a light touch of vanilla and cocoa - this rum has it all. I read an interview with RL Seale, (the Foursquare guy), who said that most rum drinkers think they like sweet rum but what they really like is sweetened rum. No doubt he'd add that if drinkers gave a pure, un-sugared rum like this one (and his own superb Foursquare rums) a chance they'd appreciate the immense pleasure from all that they have to offer. They are naturally sweet, and so much more.

I found a bottle for US $85, a steal after shelling out $160 for Flor de Cana 25. Both are mighty tasty, but the 1703 is a treasure. Straight up, right?

None of the syrupy sweetness to be found in many other "premium aged rums", this is the real thing. All character in this rum is achieved by careful distillation and aging, not by adding sugar.

Robust, leathery, fruity, oakey - but all so well integrated into a complex whole that none seems to jump out, like the voices in an outstanding barbershop quartet.

If you find yourself tiring of the costant parade of rum old fashioneds masquerading as "premium rums", this is one you will want to try. If you don't want to spend the ~$100 or so it will set you back, Mt Gay extra old is not a bad runner up.

Now the golden color gets more dark (compared to the lower grade Mount Gay rums). While nosing the smoky flavor is nicely smooth and elegant, a bit of citruses (oranges) is also present. In the mouth it is absolutely great and the afterburn is just so pleasant with a slightly bitter tone (thus different from the sweetened rums).

This one also has no sugar, its just pure aging to achieve such a delicious rum, that is why I give 10!

Just for sipping and relax...

This has lovely aromas and another great surprise, it's decent rum on the rocks with little added suger ... A delight to drink that could come from a pirate's rum cask ...

Ce rhum viril affiche 43°, pourtant il n’agresse pas vos sens.
Le nez est délicat et subtil. En bouche, on a tout de suite une sensation agréable, avec une belle rondeur. Des notes boisées, épicées, des fruits secs, un quelque chose de réglisse... et tout ça sans excès de sucre, sans caramel prédominant.
Il est complexe, délicat, équilibré. Et au final un peu de gras lui apporte une très belle persistance.
Et comme je ne lui trouve pas de concurrents pour moins de 80€, je lui accorde la note maximum !

More richness, leather and wood than Extra Old, but pricy. For slow sipping.