How funny then that a gin guzzling gay boy, finds himself at a place called Mount Gay drinking rums! Please don't tell the good folk at Hendricks. I felt as though I was cheating!
I will admit going into this trip, gin would take a backseat. If you get to Barbados and get the chance, I highly recommend this tour. It was very much like Auntie Mame and Vera Charles, when the bar tend asked if I could be persuaded to stay and enjoy a drink, to which I replied, "Well, maybe just a... tiny tripple."
Three hours later and we were still there! The place is historic, and the good folk of the distillery take you through the fully operational rum making headquarters. Steeped in over 300 years of heritage and expertise, the experience are tales to be told forever in this rum lover's paradise. I was very impressed. The place got its name from the Mount Gilboa plantation that was managed by Sir John Gay Alleyne, a prominent Barbadian politician. After his passing the place was renamed in his honor Mount Gay, which has gone on to the oldest produced rum across the world where it started in 1703. First off, we were even offered to be picked up at out hotel, which with Warbucks and myself was probably a good thing. Once arrived, your met by the most stunning bar and library area, where you meet the rummal tour guide, and an absolute tasty rum punch. The tour then starts at the water spring that goes into the rum, all the way through the creation and storing process. The guide also told us of the amazing social and environmental work the company does on the island. After a very in-depth tour of the plantation, factory and museum, and a great film, the tour ends up in the gorgeous bar area, where your able to take part in classes, tasting flights, or full-on ordering of drinks. Wanting to immerse ourselves, we took part in all three, of course! It was interesting to see the different colors of the rum as it ages. We also went through the tasting notes of two of their rums. A little shopping and more drinking and it was a lovely, if not blurry afternoon.
Now I could kick myself in the ass for not doing this tour and visit!!!!! I can SMELL the rum!
ReplyDeleteDo you remember leaving the place???
I am not a rum fan at all, but that tasting room and tour and such looks wonderful, so I'd have had my share of the stuff.
ReplyDeleteI haven't been a rum drinker since I was in my late teens early 20s when I first started going to bars. And of course it was only rum and coke which was far too sweet. But I admit the rum cocktails they made were lovely.
DeleteReminds me it is time to make my fruitcakes. Well aged rum, will compete with a good single barrel bourbon or single malt scotch. The unaged silver is only for cocktails in my experience.
ReplyDeleteSome of their rums have been aged more than 30 years
DeleteNice, but I don't drink rum.
ReplyDeleteI don't either but still found the whole process and the place very interesting. I will admit that their cocktails they made with rum were very good.
DeleteYour commute to Barbados might have proved problematic if you'd taken up the job!
ReplyDeleteI'll have to look for a beach hut.
DeleteNow that place looks like a lot of fun!
ReplyDeleteI have the feeling you'd LOVE Barbados!
DeleteOh, so Mount Gay didn't mean mount A ...
ReplyDeleteRum is a bit sweet for my taste, were there less sugary ones?
The darker the stronger i thought. Im not a huge rum drinker anymore...but when I did drink rum, I liked the dark rums better.
DeleteMaybe I should give it a try. I'm pretty much a whiskey guy.
DeleteUne «rhum-run», quel plaisir de s'amuser à la Barbade :) Le rhum Mount Gay est célèbre. Ils font aussi des gâteaux au rhum, mais pas aussi célèbres qu'à Tortuga. Toi et Daddy Warbucks vous êtes certainement amusés Maîtresse.
ReplyDelete-Beau Mec à Deauville
Great name and goes well with the hot pink hard hats. Oh how gorgeous. Tina, too.
ReplyDeleteAs the saying goes: "Rum, bum and concertina!" You can keep the concertina. Jx
ReplyDeleteYou have been hanging around sailors on the docks again haven't you?
DeleteFriggin' in the riggin'... Jx
DeleteFickle, thy name is Maddie! I think I just heard Hendricks' share price drop...
ReplyDeleteWouldn't surprise me....I was gone 18 days.......
DeleteI think Rum is a better mixer than Gin.
ReplyDeleteDon't @ me!
And this is fantastic. In an island seeped in history, this is a good reminder of how it came to be. I would have loved to see the face of that bartender three hours later!! LOL
XOXO
Rum is a better mixer.....but gin goes better with the legendary old school nice and neat cocktails. When I first started going to clubs....I was a rummy.
DeleteDon't drink rum, but I'd take the tour anyway.
ReplyDeleteDistillery tour with tasting… what a really great tour. I bet it was interesting to see how rum is made from beginning to end and the tasting of the product at the end was brilliant.
ReplyDeleteMy hope is one day, and it is on my bucket list to see the Hendrick's Gin Palace. Heaven's knows I may never return from that trip.
DeleteExcellent post and pictures! Being a rummy, Mount Gay rum is one of my favorites. The tasting room and library is indeed stunning.
ReplyDeleteBefore the trip, my only delight and enjoying Mount gay rum was in little chocolate shaped liquor bottles
DeleteBottoms up! Um... well... oh just roll with it.
ReplyDeleteI love the tasting room of the place. You always do a vacation right, with the amount of sight seeing and relaxing. And as a rum lover, I'd loved Mount Gay and touring it.
ReplyDeleteFascinating and after reading this post I feel like have been there.
ReplyDelete