Mount Gilboa

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Dai
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Mount Gilboa

Post by Dai »

I had a sample again of Mount Gilboa with my recent order. This time I did a Ralfy and put a teaspoon of water with it. Oh boy did it make a difference, I wasn't all that keen on it the first time I tried it as it was neat but, with water it is far bettter for me to drink. Just goes to show that sometimes we need to re-visit a spirit and experiment just to see if there are any differences.

I shall be ordering a bottle of Mount Gilboa in the near future. I'm still wondering on the Doorly's XO with water. Maybe I should order a sample and see.
Last edited by Dai on Fri Jul 25, 2014 9:15 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Dai
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Post by Dai »

My ordination has cometh! I'm now a minor GOD

Anyone from MOR bow and pay homage!!!
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Capn Jimbo
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Post by Capn Jimbo »

Bless you my child...


...in a minor way. Now you too are forced to wonder what is next, and what you have to do to get there. This of course requires both suffering and homage...

Congrats!
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Post by Dai »

Cheers Jimbo.
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Kevin
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Post by Kevin »

I haven't had Mount Gilboa but do have a lot of respect for Frank Ward, the master distiller. He knows his stuff and comes from a lineage of rum producers. I hope he fires up his operation again someday or takes his skills to another distillery.
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Post by Capn Jimbo »

Correct me if I'm wrong...


...but Dr. Ward was the Managing Director whose main connection to the brand was the the good fortune of inheriting it. The actual master distiller/blenders that I have known of were first - Jerry Edwards - and more lately Alan Smith who seems to be overseeing the slow decline. I would not be too quick to praise Ward, who was directly responsible for finally selling out and breaking up Mount Gay, and disenfranchising many in its once stable workforce.

Since his selling out of the oldest brand in the world, Ward has lived to see Remy lower the quality of the product. All said, this is not to devalue Mount Gilboa itself, which is alleged to be triple distilled solely in pot stills and with "aggressive" cuts (whatever that means).

I'd take it to mean that Gilboa seeks the heart of hearts, which is not necessarily more tasty, as retaining a bit of the heads and tails - if well done - adds to the flavor, while the heart of hearts is less so.
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Post by Kevin »

Capn Jimbo wrote:Correct me if I'm wrong...


...but Dr. Ward was the Managing Director whose main connection to the brand was the the good fortune of inheriting it. The actual master distiller/blenders that I have known of were first - Jerry Edwards - and more lately Alan Smith who seems to be overseeing the slow decline. I would not be too quick to praise Ward, who was directly responsible for finally selling out and breaking up Mount Gay, and disenfranchising many in its once stable workforce.

Since his selling out of the oldest brand in the world, Ward has lived to see Remy lower the quality of the product. All said, this is not to devalue Mount Gilboa itself, which is alleged to be triple distilled solely in pot stills and with "aggressive" cuts (whatever that means).

I'd take it to mean that Gilboa seeks the heart of hearts, which is not necessarily more tasty, as retaining a bit of the heads and tails - if well done - adds to the flavor, while the heart of hearts is less so.
I think there's a lot more to the Mount Gay / Frank Ward story than all of us know. Saying that he is directly responsible for selling out and breaking up Mount Gay is a bit of a stretch in my opinion.
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Capn Jimbo
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Post by Capn Jimbo »

But only a bit - and perhaps a distinction without a difference to workers he terminated...


No teasing allowed. This subject was covered - ad nauseum - in another Project thread, here...

http://rumproject.com/rumforum//viewtopic.php?t=1167

And quoted:
"The distillery has been closed since the end of September last year," managing director Frank Ward, told the online Barbados Today newspaper. Ward said the workers were handed termination notices on December 18.

But Ward, scion of the Ward family that has retained control of the rum refinery since the early 20th Century, said that while rum production had ended at the distillery on the island's rural northern tip, the firm has not been wound up.

"We are not officially closed. We have not rounded up operations of the company. It has ceased production for the time being, that's all," Ward said."
Make of that what you will (as I have) - for the rest of the goings on, kindly check the link. BTW if anyone knows more about what led the Wards represented by their "scion" Frank to manage the sale, it would be mildly interesting but of no real consequence as the damage is done.

Turns out that Mount Gilboa is a small boutique operation, and once again our heir apparent has emerged as the Managing Director. Both the white and aged have been nicely reviewed, and seem quite authentic and attractive.

Now as scion to The Rum Project, if Remy would only buy me out...




*******
Scion: "heir to the throne"

Special Note: For those who insist on reviewing that thread, a wee hint: What is called the "Refinery" is actually the distillery, and what is called the "Distillery" is actually the bottler. Carry on...
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Post by Dai »

All the same jimbo if you get the chance to try Moung Gilboa go for it. Nice rum and tastes well past four years old.
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Post by Capn Jimbo »

Absolutely!


...especially with it's triple pot distilled character, and based on the very favorable reviews I've seen. I'd buy one in a New York microsecond. I have little doubt Ward has an experienced distiller/blender on duty. Do post your own impressions...

BTW - a little history of the family succession (circa 2003) with control passed from Elliot to Carl Ward as of that date, and later to Frank Ward and finally, to Remy:
http://www.islandmix.com/backchat/f6/re ... rum-14966/
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Post by Capn Jimbo »

For the anally retentive, more data...


Not that it matters a whit anymore but here's the cheat sheet version...

1. Mount Gay did indeed have a history dating from 1703; however by the late 1800's the brand was not particularly successful.

2. Along came Aubrey Ward, who then acquired and revived the company, and pumped out rum almost as fast as he created children.

3. Control of Mount Gay then became a family affair, with stock variously distributed among a large group of Wards; however a few key members remained in charge, with managing control passed along.

4. As noted above, the recent passing of the baton was from Elliot to Carl (about 2003), and later to Frank Ward who became the latest powerful "Managing Director".

5. There is good indication that mismanagement then led to a financial crisis, which Remy seemed eager to further exploit (having purchased the "Distillery", actually the bottler).

5. It was Dr. Frank Ward as the current Managing Director who managed the sale, and who abruptly terminated the 30 employees of the "Refinery" (which is actually the distillery). This was reportedly done with little notice, no pay, no severance, and no benefits of any kind. Even pension monies due were withheld. Nasty stuff, that. The actions of a real shit, in my opinion.

6. The resolution remains unclear to me, but it is clear that there is a key issue over which the multiple family shareholders are squabbling, and which remains unresolved.


And a bit more about Mount Gilboa...

Again, triple distilled in pots to a final ABV of 80%. No coloring, but the rum is chill filtered. Tasting notes indicate some similarity with the Mount Gay profile. The aged is four years old, in first use ex-bourbon barrels.
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Dai
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Post by Dai »

Capn Jimbo wrote:For the anally retentive, more data...


Not that it matters a whit anymore but here's the cheat sheet version...

1. Mount Gay did indeed have a history dating from 1703; however by the late 1800's the brand was not particularly successful.

2. Along came Aubrey Ward, who then acquired and revived the company, and pumped out rum almost as fast as he created children.

3. Control of Mount Gay then became a family affair, with stock variously distributed among a large group of Wards; however a few key members remained in charge, with managing control passed along.

4. As noted above, the recent passing of the baton was from Elliot to Carl (about 2003), and later to Frank Ward who became the latest powerful "Managing Director".

5. There is good indication that mismanagement then led to a financial crisis, which Remy seemed eager to further exploit (having purchased the "Distillery", actually the bottler).

5. It was Dr. Frank Ward as the current Managing Director who managed the sale, and who abruptly terminated the 30 employees of the "Refinery" (which is actually the distillery). This was reportedly done with little notice, no pay, no severance, and no benefits of any kind. Even pension monies due were withheld. Nasty stuff, that. The actions of a real shit, in my opinion.

6. The resolution remains unclear to me, but it is clear that there is a key issue over which the multiple family shareholders are squabbling, and which remains unresolved.


And a bit more about Mount Gilboa...

Again, triple distilled in pots to a final ABV of 80%. No coloring, but the rum is chill filtered. Tasting notes indicate some similarity with the Mount Gay profile. The aged is four years old, in first use ex-bourbon barrels.
The treatment of the work force makes me want to boycott Mount Gay.
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Post by Kevin »

Wow. Sad to see such an iconic brand go down this path.
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