Mount Gay Single Estate Series Release 24 | 02 | Vt18d2 2018

This is a 2018 vintage from Mount Gay's Single Estate Series, drawn entirely from the St Lucy distillery's pot still rather than the usual pot-and-column blend. Mount Gay is the heritage name of Barbados, its deed dated to 1703, and an unblended pot still release like this sits apart from the rounder Eclipse and XO bottlings, aimed at drinkers who want to see one side of the house on its own.

Matured in ex-bourbon oak and bottled without added sugar, it keeps the integrity that Mount Gay stands behind. The nose is woody and fruity with vanilla and citrus, the palate brings spice, vanilla and praline over a herbal, earthy core, and the finish turns floral and woody with dried fruit and a wisp of smoke. The character leans toward dark fruit and an almost whisky-adjacent dryness, a deliberate side-step from the classic banana and toffee Bajan profile that holds together well at six years and 55%.