Mount Gay 1703 Old Cask

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?

A nice looking bottle that comes in a cheap paperbox (picture).

When you first smell the rum you find it a bit sticky but when it rests for a few minutes you get a nice smell of fruit, honey and oak.

The taste is a bit sweet with vanilla, oak and spice. You also sense some oak and spice on the quite long aftertaste.

I think this rum nice but a bit overpriced.

Taste profile similar to Mount Gay XO but almost triple the price. Prefer Abuelo Centuria at this price point.

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

So I have bench marked this against plantation 20 year old XO. Not as smooth as if you are a lover of whisky. Has a slightly medical taste and not the smooth sweet molasses taste of a rum.

Among my absolute favorite Barbadian rum. Rumor has it that it's a blend of rum between 10 and 30 years. The nose is full and interesting with oak, leather, tobacco, coconut, subtle butterscotch and something slightly acidic and sweet, reminding me of juicy pears. Fantastic. The taste is exceptional and to me balanced perfectly. It's full bodied, initially with ripe pears and a subtle hint of butterscotch sweetness quickly fading into refined notes of vanilla stained oak and tobacco. The finish lingers for a long time. World class rum worth every penny. I simply feel that skillfully aged and unsweetened rum like this, offer a delicate taste profile, that non of the additive rums can hope to achieve. Beautiful and flirting with a 10.

This is a decent rum, but for my taste the bourbon barrel aging seems to overpower the rum flavor a little more than I like. Smells and tastes of bourbon, oak, caramel, with just a touch of vanilla. Pretty smooth, and if you like bourbon aging, you might enjoy this even more than I did.

This is more like it: Vanilla, spices, oak in a complex package that is also full of finesse. A proof that without essences and added sugars, one can bring forth a great product.

My first try in the Mount Gay and the 1703 Old Cask was clearly a good catch !
Dry but not to much , this MG is well bodied but still easy to sip with a large bunch of aromas like oak and caramel. Really a nice dicovery from last tasting !

My experience with this rum is different from most. I've had a bottle in my cabinet for several years, and the bottle is still almost full. Giving it another try tonight, I get strong alcohol on the nose, with some burnt caramel behind it. It's smooth, only a little heat. I can detect some roasted nuts with the oak and the caramel. But on the whole, it doesn't do much for me. Everyone's palate is different. Not a bad rum, it's just not for me.

For the price should have blown me away but not even close. Solid sipper but should have delivered more

I bought this rum because I liked the XO so much. The bottle and cork pledge premium but it somehow lacks the well balanced flavors that make the XO great.

Rum tasting with my buddy in Hamburg included Mount Gay 1703 Old Cask. Very nice high end bottle and label design. Golden color. Pure oakiness to the nose and palate when neat sipped. Harsh burn at the end. Maybe our bottle was heavy on the 10 year rum mixture and very light on the 30 year.

In mouth: Little dry and slightly sweet. If you let it breath for a couple of minutes you can taste less the alcohol and really enjoy the flavors (some fruit too). After taste is first rough/dry that quickly turns into a sweet and buttery taste that lasts long.
In nose: sweet (honey) and fruits
For the price I was expecting a product that really stands out; something not so rough but smoother. The sweetness is amazing (not too sweet).

Great blend of pot and column, between rum from 10 - 30 years.

Floral and toasty fresh baked biscotti. Sour cherry and half ripen peach.
I enjoy the acidity pretty much as it encourage me to sip without hesitating.

Dry with fruitiness of tropical fruits: dried coconut flesh, mango and unripe pineapple.
Follow with burned cigar ash.
Dried sensation compare with MGXO.

Earthy, dry finishing with mineral. Light touch of acidity of unripe pineapple juice and its on a very positive side.
Oakiness strike in as time goes by.

Could have rated it at 8 if it wasn't so costly.

I was really surprised when I drink this first.
Very smooth and full of flavor,.
The tasts of this rum like butter loasted banana, vanilla, coconuts and oak.

Is great at what it does, but not being an avid fan of the too smoky, I can only Enjoy it from time to time

This is an incredibly smooth rum with a beautiful finish. The longer aging really brings out the flavors of the casks with great hints of vanilla and fruit touching the pallet. One of my favorites but there are better rums for less money.

Bought this a year ago and tried it resently, a bit harsh for such a talked up rum

Not sugared. The sweet is is is the age. So the flavors are long lasting and the finish is fat. Others tasting notes describe the profile. I respect it like a fine wine, well made and worth taking time to enjoy. So far have had only neat with no ice. For me I will share only with my friends.

slight smell of apples and pear similar to Pyrat Cask 1623, but more harsh. The taste is not nearly as smooth or complex as I would have imagined for such a premium/expensive rum. In a side by side with ED 21, the 21 was easily better in all aspects. 80+?

Definitely a quality product and I am not upset that I bought it. But I am glad I caught my bottle on sale at half price. I mainly bought it due to the sale, I am a Bourbon/Rum drinker by trade and I thought the bottle looked cool. Honestly, its good as far as being smooth and very drinkable but no real wow factor in this one... it's just a solid, I asume unsweetened from the taste, rum and I can certainly appreciate the reserved sweetness of this rum. It may be too dry for the average rum drinker who looks for a more intense sweetness. I'll certainly finish my bottle and enjoy it but there a simply better options out there for my tastes. Glad I tried it but I never need another bottle and this has almost put me off blindly buying bottles (but I did blind buy Foursquare Triptych and that was a HOMERUN!!!). Ultimately, Mount Gay products simply never seem to meet my expectations... of course, to each their own. I find that some distillers just capture flavor profiles that are very appealing to me across their entire line. What I like may not be what you like so please give it a go!

You know, what are you drinking. Nice, smooth, easy, soft, not much of sweet taste. Old classic for me. I can highly recommend!

Le nez de ce rhum est très doux, très agréable, à la fois beurré et épicé, caramélisé et boisé. Tout est très équilibré, c’est la délicatesse qui règne ici, sans outrance mais sans timidité non plus. Le rhum déroule lentement ses arômes : de la coco bien grasse, un côté végétal un peu médicinal et résineux. Tout se fait par touches, sans brusquer, avec assurance et sérénité. Les épices sont douces, fondues, mais bien présentes cependant. Quelle maîtrise !
L’aération va aller chercher des arômes plus corsés. Comme après une averse, les odeurs de bois mouillé laissent place à d’autres plus musquées. Le rhum prend alors une autre tournure : voici du cuir frais, de poivre et du piment. Alors qu’il s’était montré soyeux jusqu’ici, il dévoile un caractère plus puissant mais toujours très juste, à l’image de fruits coque frais et finement moulus. Il manquait un versant végétal, c’est maintenant chose faite, et nous avons aussi un petit vernis qui se fait le messager d’un joli boisé. L’équilibre et la maîtrise de ce rhum sont vraiment saisissants.

L’entrée en bouche ne déçoit pas, nous avons une belle attaque, mesurée, avec du boisé et de la levure. Cette bouche est très savoureuse et équilibrée, tous les arômes s’entremêlent mais on distingue de la cire d’abeille et du thé, ainsi qu’une sensation briochée et une vraie notion de complexité. La texture est fondante et le boisé est classieux, c’est un très joli rhum.

La finale offre une consistance très juste, ni trop fine ni trop épaisse, elle rassemble toutes les saveurs rencontrées lors de la dégustation en une nouvelle saveur plutôt délicieuse.