Mount Gay Master Blender Collection The Cognac Cask Expression 2021

Part of Mount Gay's Master Blender Collection, this 2021 expression takes column still Barbados rum and finishes it in cognac casks, the grape influence reshaping the heritage distillery's usual banana-and-toffee signature into something lighter and more floral. At four years it is young, yet bottled at full 58% and unsweetened, which keeps the spirit lively and honest.

The nose is woody and floral with orange and a clear note of grapes; the palate carries woody, roasted and orange tones lifted by vanilla, then dries out into spice, banana and grape on the finish. The cognac cask comes through plainly without burying the rum, and the strength gives it a maturity that belies its age. A drier Barbadian sipper for drinkers who enjoy Foursquare-style integrity but want a recognisable cognac twist.