Rum Pre-Review: Mount Gay Eclipse Black

[Capn Jimbo]

Mount Gay Eclipse Black: Sugar Cane on steriods - well named!


One of our first reviews at The Rum Project was of Mount Gay's "Sugar Cane Rum", aka "Sugar Cane Brandy (see the Barbadian section). We were both surprised and pleased by this fine rum.

If you missed "Sugar Cane Rum" - rumoured to be discontinued, you missed one of the fine experiences in rum tasting.

Now along comes Eclipse Black at an astounding 100 proof, and made in the classic style. This rum is reported to be a blend of 2 to 7 year rums, but with a higher proportion of serious pot-stilled rums.

This will be obvious to you with your first pour.

There are very few reviews of this rum and they report banana, clove, molasses, toasted oak, tropical fruits and spices. Another review tells of vanillan, black currants, allspice, roasted chestnuts, caramel, lime, orange rind, burnt sugar, dried figs, molasses, flint, herb tea, and spruce.

Actually the second is more like it.

For those of you who cringe at excessive descriptors, let me add my impressions until Sue Sea - the real reviewer - has a go at it. I dig this rum. At first nosing you are hit with deep, dark spiciness, leather, and a deep tarry, dark fruit sensation. These impressions carry through to a nice, classic hot black pepper finish.

Compared to the Sugar Cane predecessor, Black goes for the spice and pepper, and exhibits less sweetness, less vanillan. I'd go so far as to suggest Jamaican like dunder. Mount Gay Eclipse Black Rum is very well named - black, dark, rich and powerful.

I urge you to pour it full strength and have a very careful go at it, then add about a 1/4 teaspoon of water, later followed by another 1/4 teaspoon - much as you'd do when tasting a cask strength Islay single malt like Laphroaig 10 Year.

Mount Gay has a winner, and not by going with the cheepie, aritificially spiced, sweetened and flavored category. Quite the contrary, this fine rum returns to the roots, with plenty of a significant pot-stilled component.

Classic, dark and great!