Mount Gay has been producing rum since 1703, making it the oldest rum producer in the world. The Mount Gay distillery is located in St. Lucy, Barbados. The company produces a variety of rums, including Mount Gay Eclipse, Mount Gay Extra Old, Mount Gay XO, and Mount Gay Black Barrel.
Mount Gay rum has won numerous awards over the years, including the prestigious Grand Prix d'Honneur at the International Rum Conference.
The Mount Gay Rum Estate sits atop a ridge to the north of Barbados. During the first few years of the 18th century, the locality was acquired by William Sandford who continued to use it as a sugar plantation. He named his purchase Mount Gilboa.
The Mount Gay estate was inherited in 1747 by his son, the ironically named, James Sober. During the latter part of the 18th century, both James and his son, Cumberbatch, spent a good deal of time in England, thus they were unable to properly regulate their property. Accordingly, Cumberbatch appointed his friend, Sir John Gay Alleyne, to control the estate. Sir John died in 1801 and Cumberbatch named the estate, Mount Gay, in his memory. The plantation remained with the Sober family until 1860. The Mount Gay plantation was acquired by the businessman Aubrey Ward in the early part of the 20th century. He expanded the company and marketed the product with his business partner, John Hutson.
Darnely DaCosta Ward, Aubrey’s son, continued the business until his death in 1989, at which point Rémy Cointreau bought up the majority interest. Under the new French ownership, Mount Gay enjoyed a wide distribution network and, consequently, became rapidly popular.