A double from Mount Gay
The world’s oldest rum distillery, Mount Gay in Barbados, has released two new expressions in its highly collectible Single Estate Series: 25_03_Vt24CF and 25_04_Vt19dp.
With a focus on terroir and vintage, the rums have been crafted from harvests at the same sugar cane estate in St Lucy but in different years.
‘These two new additions to our Single Estate Series are a masterclass in contrast and complementarity,’ said Master Blender Trudiann Branker. ‘25_03 is the first unaged rum of the series, while 25_04 is matured for five years in American oak ex-bourbon barrels. Moreover, 25_03 is a 100% Coffey still distilled rum, while 25_04 is a 100% double pot distilled rum.’
The code names are easy to decipher: 25 represents the release year and 03 and 04 are the release numbers in the series. Vt24 and Vt19 refer to the vintage year, while CF stands for Coffey and dp for double pot.
Mount Gay Single Estate Series 25_03_Vt24CF (Alcohol 48%, £80/70cl The Whisky Exchange) is a clear rum with notes of Cox’s Pippin apple and ripe pear, vibrant yellow citrus, green herbaceousness and fresh cut grass, with liquorice and black pepper spice (1,920 bottles).
Mount Gay Single Estate Series 25_04_Vt19dp (Alc 55%, £290/70cl The Whisky Exchange) is a warm golden brown, with fresh ginger, grass, caramel, cherry, delicate smokiness and plenty of spicy oak that lingers on the long finish, backed by an earthy base note, fresh hay, green apple bite, a slight saltiness and toffee sweetness (2,754 bottles).
Spirited words: ‘A man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry’ – Ecclesiastes 8:15
What to drink now: Hot Chocolate
Bar Les Ambassadeurs, Hôtel de Crillon, Paris, France
Part of the new seasonal menu created by the Bar Les Ambassadeurs team, this decadent dessert cocktail is a perfect Christmas tipple. ‘The Hot Chocolate cocktail is a multi-layered indulgence,’ says Pierre Legentil, the bar’s assistant manager (pictured below). ‘Flor de Caña 12 Years Old provides depth and structure, rich chocolate adds body and a blend of carefully balanced spices brings aromatic complexity. The cream liqueur lends a luxurious mouthfeel, while a hint of chipotle introduces a subtle smoky finish.’ To create the spiced rum infusion, add four cinnamon sticks, six cloves and 10g of green cardamom to the bottle of rum. Infuse for two hours and strain before use. To create the infused chocolate liqueur, wrap 1g of chipotle spice powder in a cloth bag and leave it to infuse in the liqueur bottle for one hour.
Ingredients: 40ml spice-infused Flor de Caña 12 Years Old Rum, 30ml chipotle-infused Mozart Dark Chocolate Liqueur, 7.5ml Chambord liqueur, 20ml hot chocolate, 3 dashes saline solution
Glass: Coupette
Garnish: None
Method: Mix the hot chocolate with the chocolate liqueur. Pour them into a cocktail shaker, add the other ingredients and ice, then shake until your hands are cold. Strain into a coupette.
Pierre Legentil
