Mount Gay Black Barrel

A couple of weeks ago I attended ‘A Storied Supper’ evening hosted by Mount Gay Rum at The Anthologist Bar and Kitchen. A brand synonymous with sailing, sun and fun, Mount Gay Rum had its origins in Barbados in 1703, making it the oldest rum in the world. The idea behind the Storied Supper evening was to pair a variety of different rum cocktails with a three-course menu to showcase its versatility when eaten with food. And along with each cocktail, there was a ‘story’ shared by the ambassadors from Mount Gay Rum about the origins of the cocktail for some added joie de vivre, the very essence of what Mount Gay is meant to represent.

The first course was a the “Fire & Ceviche” – sushi grade tuna with coconut milk and a lime citrus sauce topped with shaved red onion, chilli, coriander and toasted coconut. The tuna was fresh and the coconut added a lovely crunch to the fish. However more coriander and chilli would have made the dish more aromatic and the tuna could have done with slightly more seasoning.

Tuna ceviche

The ceviche was paired with an Oistins Sazerac made with Mount Gay Black Barrel and an Absinthe rinse. We got to try all the rums neat first, which was a special treat especially as the Black Barrel is not available for sale in the UK. It had a lovely long, smooth finish with complex banana, caramel and peppery notes. The drink was well paired with the citrus and coconut-y tones of the ceviche. Oistins is a coastal town in Barbados famous for its Friday night fish fry social where locals and tourist drink, eat and dance the night away. The Oistins Sazerac ‘story’ is that this drink embodies the Oistins Friday night merriment.

Oistins Sazerac

A churrasco fillet char-grilled with a chimichurri marinade and served with beetroot and a wild rocket and caramelised fig salad was wonderfully tender. The beef could have done with a touch more salt however, and the beetroot proved bland. The salad was also a little too acidic.

Char-grilled churrasco fillet

The matching drink was a St James Manhattan made with the Mount Gay Extra Old (double and single distilled), served with candied orange to the side and a lovely chocolate and orange atomizer spray. The Extra Old had a masculine, long fish with hints of tobacco and coffee, and it made for a warm accompaniment to the steak.

St James Manhattan

A trio of yummy desserts included a toffee apple crème brulee with fudge and candied apple crisps, a chocolate brownie with fresh raspberries and some salted caramel ice-cream.

Dessert was paired with a Holetown Old Fashioned Mount Gay 1703 with orange bitters, sugar and ice. Aged between 8 and 15 years, the Old Fashioned Mount Gay 1703 is the granddaddy of all Mount Gays and has a rich, warm and woody finish that develops into more heat over time. Holetown is a small town in Barbados where the English first laid claim to Barbados, and the ‘story’ of this drink was to embody the spirit and history of Mount Gay Rum.

Trio of desserts with Holetown Old Fashioned

There was some nice drinking to be had this evening, and I was very impressed with the versatility of Mount Gay Rum and the uses that it can be put to when paired with food. As for the food, there were some nice flavours but in some instances the balance of flavours could have been better judged.

Websites:
http://www.mountgayrum.com/
http://www.theanthologistbar.co.uk/

Food rating: 3/5