Mount Gay Rum Distilleries, the makers of the world's oldest rum, unveils the first edition of the Master Blender Collection with the launch of XO The Peat Smoke Expression, a unique and unconventional limited edition blend crafted by Mount Gay Master Blender Allen Smith. The expression is a complex blend marrying the aromas of ripe bananas and toasted notes of Mount Gay XO, with the salty and smoky notes coming from peated whisky casks.

For centuries, Mount Gay Rum has continuously explored the boundaries of the rum category through innovation. XO The Peat Smoke Expression embodies the meeting of two exceptional lands: the island of Barbados, the birthplace of rum, and the island of Islay, the homeland of peated whisky.

To produce this unique batch of only 6,120 bottles, Allen Smith carefully selected and combined column and pot still rums, matured for 8 to 15 years in American oak barrels. The blend is then finished in peated whisky casks from the Isle of Islay, Scotland, for an additional 6 months resulting in a complex array of salty and smoky notes.

"For this limited edition blend, I have worked to capture the perfect balance of elegant rum overtones and mellow, peated whisky undertones," says Mount Gay Master Blender, Allen Smith. "This one-of-a-kind blend is sure to please the most discerning of palates with its unconventional character, freshness, and aromatic complexity," he explains.

Each bottle features vintage-style labels and is individually numbered, adding to the rarity of this valuable collection. This edition is bottled at cask strength, 57% alcohol by volume (ABV), to reveal its true intensity. Offered in 750 ml, 1,200 bottles XO Peat Smoke Expression will be available in the United States from select premium retailers and e-commerce merchants for a suggested retail price of $250.

Tasting Notes:

Appearance: Crystal clear, brilliant coppery hue. Slow running lanky legs develop when swirled

Aroma: distinct old oak aroma, stewed fruit and sweet caramel interlaced with warm chocolate, bourbon vanilla, and smoke

Mouthfeel: Initially delicate on the palate with a velvety texture, followed with a powerful freshness that culminates in a long opulent finish

For more information, visit www.mountgayrum.com or follow us at @MountGayRum on Facebook and  @MountGayRumUS on Instagram.

About Mount Gay:

A legal deed dated from February 20, 1703, confirms the existence of a "pot still house" on Mount Gay's sugar cane Estate in Barbados, establishing Mount Gay as the world's oldest rum producer. Our distillery name honors the pioneering Sir John Gay who perfected the distinctive Mount Gay style. Still, today, only the finest sugar cane molasses and pure water filtered through the coral heart of the island are selected to create Mount Gay Rums. Perpetuating a long-standing Barbadian tradition for more than 315 years, Mount Gay rums are handcrafted from a blend of single column and double copper pot distillates and matured in toasted oak barrels, delivering aromatic, flavorful taste, body, and refined character.

Source: PRNewswire

Image Source: PRNewswire