Rum - more bad news

[CorvallisCracker]

For a long time, Mt. Gay has produced two white rums, the two-year-old, slightly tinted "Special Reserve", and the clear "Premium White".

The former is nationally distributed and better known. It's something of an acquired taste, with smokey/oaky aromas and taste from having spent time in (mostly) ex-bourbon barrels.

The more selectively marketed "Premium White" was a nice mixer, smooth, little burn, similar in style to Appleton white.

Both are being replaced with a new bottling, "Eclipse Silver", which is "aged up to two years in used whisky and bourbon barrels." (italics mine)(also, I thought bourbon is whisky).

So far I've seen only one review: http://www.nypost.com/seven/03022008/entertainment/food/proof_positive__mount_gay_eclipse_silver_100039.htm

"the whiff of pure ethanol was so strong I thought my girlfriend was doing her nails again." Yikes!

Stangely, the Mt. Gay website seems slightly out-of-date. They no longer show the Special Reserve, but still show the Premium White. They do not show the Eclipse Silver.

Price on a bottle of Special Reserve is about $16 (here in Oregon). Back in Florida, a liter of the Premium White was about $15.

The NY Post article quotes a price for the Eclipse Silver of $16.

So, yet again, it seems we've another case of making it younger (than the SR) and charging more (than the PW).

[dcb]

hm, when it comes to rum, I usually only drink the Haitian Barbancourt 8 year. haven't done a lot of exploring of the rums on the shelf, but this one is usually about $16 and is nice to have when I'm in the mood for rum, which isn't too often. I have another bottle of white rum, can't remember the name, but it's pretty rough compared to the aged dark rum.

[Martian]

Someone recently reported that the excellent Cruzan estate white and estate dark rums has reduced the barrel aging from 2 yrs. to 14 mos. The Cruzan estate white, estate dark, and single barrel all won silver medals at 2007 San Francisco World Spirits competition. Cruzan is made on St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.

[CorvallisCracker]

Someone recently reported that the excellent Cruzan estate white and estate dark rums has reduced the barrel aging from 2 yrs. to 14 mos. The Cruzan estate white, estate dark, and single barrel all won silver medals at 2007 San Francisco World Spirits competition. Cruzan is made on St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.

That was me, and it's just the white that's gone to 14mo, as far as I know. The dark still has the big 2 on the label.

Not a great rum, but a good one at a good price.