The Real McCoy rum launches in UK

Following its successful launch throughout the US, The Real McCoy rum is to launch at Imbibe in London this week through Distillnation.

The Real McMcoy Rum is the brainchild of Bailey Pryor, a film maker who produced and directed a documentary about the life of Bill McCoy and his role in the establishing the ‘rum running’ trade, which defined the prohibition era. When Prohibition began, in January of 1920, McCoy was the first person to fill a boat full of rum in the Caribbean and sail it up to New York, anchoring three miles offshore and acting as a floating liquor store within sight of Manhattan. 

While making the documentary, due to be screened later this year on UK terrestrial TV, Pryor became intrigued by rum. This took him on a journey that ended at the Four Square Distillery in Barbados headed by Richard Seale. This was the beginning of The Real McCoy Rum. The collaboration between Pryor and Seale produced three rums: white aged 3 years (RRP £25), gold aged five years (RRP £30-£31.99) and gold aged 12 years (RRP £44-45).

Using only from top quality black strap molasses, proprietary yeast and a combination of column still and pot still distillate, Seal ages the rum in 53 gallon American oak bourbon casks from Kentucky.

“We don’t add anything to the rum… no artificial flavours, colours or perfumes. We don’t add prune juice, raisin juice, molasses or refined white sugar. With The Real McCoy, what you see is what you get… nothing but top quality rum that is hand-crafted, barrel aged and known around the world as The Real McCoy,” says Seale.

30 June 2014 - Felicity Murray The Drinks Report, editor