#MoreThanARum

When: 19th May 2020
From 7.30 pm BST

For our next Twitter Tasting, we are sticking with Barbados and joining up with Miguel Smith, the Global Brand Ambassador at Mount Gay to explore the highly anticipated new blends of Black Barrel and XO as reformulated by Master Blender Trudiann Branker, and Trudiann's first release: Pot Still Rum release - a Rum that we are absolutely nuts about here at RumShackHQ. Trudiann has made quite an impact in the short time she had held the position of Master Blender and we are looking forward to getting to grips with both these new blends and future new releases such as 1703 Master Select.

Our Twitter Tastings follow a simple format. We feature a selection of Rums and pose questions to the producer about the processes that brought them to bottle, what makes them special, and in between that we'll delve into the key aspects that identify the brand and producers hallmarks. Anyone is free to join the conversation, and ask questions, but in order to taste along with us then you will need a special sample set*, the availability of which is restricted to the UK only (sorry to all those folks outside the UK).

*Unless of course, you’ve got some or all of the Rums, in which case we’d be pleased to have you join us anyway.

If you’d like to stand a chance of receiving a set then you must be UK based, of legal drinking age (i.e.; 18+ years old) and a frequent Twitter user. Please send us an email on thefloatingrumshack [at] Gmail [dot] com confirming your full name and Twitter account name to register interest and enter the draw. Please do not include personal details such as your postal address.

Please do include your Twitter account name if using any method other than Twitter to message us and when tweeting about the event - don’t forget to use the hashtag #MoreThanARum.

Obviously you need to follow us (@FloatingRumShac) and @MountGayRumUK on Twitter. All eligible entries will be added to the list for the draw.
Please don’t delay – check your diary – clear your diary and register your interest. Closing date for applications is midnight on Sunday, 10th May 2020.

Demand for sets tends to outstrip the ability to supply (and BTW we have a decent number of sets), and in the event you’ve not got one, we'd still love to have you join in the conversation - so hope you'd be tuning in on Twitter on the 19th May at 7.30 pm BST by searching out the hashtag #MoreThanARum.

All our normal terms and conditions apply.

If you'd like to 'bone up' on the new releases, you can check out the press release as follows:

Mount Gay, the world's oldest running rum distillery established in 1703, unveils a new chapter for the brand in 2020. 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. In doing so, Mount Gay 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.

With the introduction of Master Blender Trudiann Branker in April 2019, the distillery's and Barbados' first female master blender, Mount Gay began a new chapter for the distillery's rich history. In her new role, Branker revisited Mount Gay's core blends whilst simultaneously considering the discerning palate of the high-end brown spirit enthusiasts and appreciating Mount Gay's steadfast brand loyalty. As a result, Branker has created a new blend for Mount Gay Black Barrel and an enhanced blend for Mount Gay XO, both of which she is thrilled to debut to global markets this year.

Mount Gay Black Barrel benefits from an older selection of rums being used for the blend, moving to a blend of three to seven-year-old rums as opposed to the previous two to seven years, with a higher content of double distilled pot still rums. The finishing period, still taking place in deeply charred Bourbon casks, will be extended to six months, greatly lengthened from the previous four week finishing period. These changes better reflect Black Barrel's bold and robust flavour.

In addition to the work that she has done on Black Barrel, Branker revisited Mount Gay XO where she enriched the blend. From April 2020, XO benefits from a broader palette of rums selected for the blend, individually aged in three different casks – American Whiskey, Bourbon and Cognac – for five to 17 years, rather than the previous eight to 15 years. Overall, her adjustments to the blend aim to enhance the liquid's ultimate complexity.

Throughout the core range, each expression will be placed into 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 touchpoint 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.

"It is an honour to be at the forefront of the exciting changes that Mount Gay will see in 2020, and I'm proud not only to be the first female master blender in Barbados but to be part of the team that will take Mount Gay from strength to strength," said Trudiann Branker, Mount Gay Master Blender. "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."

"This is an important step-change for Mount Gay, 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," said Raphaël Grisoni, Mount Gay Managing Director.

"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 Trudiann and the entire team at the distillery to consider each change that we have made along the way is the right one."

From April 2020, Mount Gay's new Black Barrel blend and its enriched XO blend will be on the shelf throughout all markets and global travel retail.

Trudiann 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 2020.