Mount Gay launches 2021 Master Blender Collection rum

Mount Gay has unveiled its the 2021 release from its Master Blender Collection.

The Mount Gay Andean Oak Cask expression has been created from a single batch of twice-distilled pot still rums, aged for 14 years in ex-Bourbon casks, which were then finished for 11 months in virgin Andean oak casks.

It is the fourth limited-edition release in the annual Master Blender Collection series, which launched in 2018 with XO: The Peat Smoke Expression, created by former master blender Allen Smith.

During her tenure at Mount Gay, Trudiann Branker has added the Pot Still Rum and The Port Cask Expression to the Master Blender Collection.

In creating the Andean Oak Cask blend - the first time this native South African wood has been used by Mount Gay - Branker worked closely with the distillery's R&D team to combine the subtle vanilla aromas of American oak with the spicy, smoky notes of Andean oak.

Of the new release, Branker said: "I was inspired by the incredible feedback we had following my release of The Port Cask Expression and I wanted to push my boundaries further. 

"Using a totally new cask paired with a traditional pot still rum created something entirely new, bold and layered that I think rum enthusiasts around the world will thoroughly enjoy."

The Mount Gay Master Blender Collection Andean Oak Cask is bottled at 48% ABV and is non-chill filtered. It will be limited to 2,760 bottles and will be available at select retailers in the UK, including Harvey Nichols, priced at £145 for 70cl.

4 October 2021 - Bethany Whymark