Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum

Lately I've been really into drinking spirits on the rocks, a time-honored delivery system that doesn't seem to get the respect it deserves among spirits nerds. Mount Gay's master blender, Allen Smith, seems to have created this new blend with this in mind. Aged pot- and column-distilled rums are married together and given an extra period of maturation in heavily charred ex-bourbon casks for an extra dose of wood spice and gripping tannins. The result combines the vanilla-laden richness of a bourbon (my favorite spirit to drink iced) with a playful, fruity vibrancy and grassiness that can only come from a top-quality sugar cane spirit. While I love it on ice, it's also exceptionally balanced consumed neat, and we found that it also made a lovely daiquiri. Try it in your favorite cocktails or however you like.