Instead of a cask finish, this rum was full matured in French oak Cognac barrels

Mount Gay has been distilling and ageing high-quality rum at its Barbados distillery for more than 300 years. The core lineup today is anchored by a series of rums aged in a combination of bourbon and Cognac barrels, along with a silver expression, but master blender Trudiann Branker has a few other tricks up her sleeve as well. The latest special release from the distillery is the new edition of the Master Blender Collection, and it’s a rum that was aged entirely in Cognac casks.

That maturation process separates this from other Master Blender Collection expressions, which are initially aged in bourbon barrels and then finished in sherry, madeira, port, or other types of barrels. This rum spent its entire four years aging in French oak Cognac casks, which was the result of a bit of synergy: The barrels came from Rémy Martin, and both that Cognac house and Mount Gay are owned by drinks company Rémy Cointreau.

“By aging rum completely in Cognac casks, we’ve allowed the interaction between the rum and the cask to bring forward a unique profile,” said Branker in a statement. “The French oak imparts notes of dried fruits, vanilla, and oak, while the tropical climate of Barbados enhances the fruit-forward character of the rum. This is an elegant and unique release that showcases the best of both traditions.”

At Mount Gay, rum is produced using both pot and column stills, each yielding a different style of distillate. For this edition of the Master Blender Collection, Branker selected column-distilled rum for what she deems its specific fruity character and bottled it at a high 58 per cent ABV (116 proof). We got to sample this new release, and that fruity character is indeed present, but it’s buttressed by notes of vanilla, dark chocolate, raisin, fig, brown sugar, and banana on the nose and palate. There’s a bit of heat present as well due to the higher ABV, so a little bit of water definitely tamps that down and opens up the palate if it’s too hot for you.

Mount Gay Master Blender Collection Cognac Cask Expression is available now (SRP $210) in a limited run of just 6,276 bottles globally, so check your local specialty liquor store for availability.

This story was first published on Robb Report USA. Featured photo by Mount Gay