Here at Thirsty, being told we drink like pirates is a total compliment, especially when we are indulging with Mount Gay Rum. The swashbuckling spirit is produced in Barbados, the easternmost island of the West Indies; the oldest surviving deed for the company is from 1703, making Mount Gay Rum the world’s oldest commercial rum distillery.
So while we can’t exactly island explore or sail the high seas during a global pandemic, we rounded up 9 Mount Gay Rum cocktail recipes to bring the spirit of Barbados to your home bar.
Mullins Cooler
Mullins Beach is a famous blue-water Barbadian paradise shaded by picturesque palm trees. This cocktail captures the essence of the famous beach featuring Mount Gay Eclipse, which boasts notes of vanilla and banana with underlying notes of caramel, summer fruit, and spice.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz Mount Gay Eclipse
- .75 oz Vanilla Syrup
- .5 oz Lime Juice
- Ice Cubes
- Sparkling Water
Serve all ingredients over ice cubes in a tumbler glass stored in the freezer. Stir with a bar spoon. Top up with sparkling water.
Sam Lord’s Special
This rich pineapple cocktail is inspired by the historical Barbadian pirate Samuel Hall Lord. The famous buccaneer amassed great wealth for his castle-mansion in Barbados through the direct plundering of ships stranded in the coral reefs just off the coast of his estate. Shiver me timbers!
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz Mount Gay Eclipse
- .5 oz Pineapple Syrup
- .5 Lime Juice
- Ice Cubes
- Coco Water
Serve all ingredients over ice in a tumbler glass. Stir with a bar spoon. Top with coco water.
Bajan Soul
A technically twisted cocktail, the Bajan Soul is a nod to the Barbadian community, culture, and their relation to rum. Mixed with lime, grenadine, and fun frothy egg white, the drink is based with Mount Gay Black Barrel, which boasts notes of wood and butter balanced with dried fruit and spices.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz Mount Gay Black Barrel
- .75 oz Lime Juice
- .5 oz Grenadine Syrup
- .75 oz Egg White
- 2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitter
Dry shake all the ingredients for the first time then shake with ice cubes. Strain and fine strain and serve in a chilled coupe glass.
Crop Over Tiki
The Crop Over Barbadian festival is a three-month-long celebration of the island’s music, arts, food, and culture, culminating with a grand carnival. Since the summer 2020 event is canceled due to Coronavirus, bring the party to you with this joyful cocktail combining fun flavors such as vanilla, cinnamon, and lime.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz Mount Gay Eclipse
- .75 oz Lime Juice
- .5 oz Vanilla Syrup
- 1 bar spoon of Cinnamon Syrup
- 1 oz Coco Milk
- 2 dashes Angostura Bitter
Put all ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a Tiki Glass.
Speightstown Punch
Speightstown, also known as Little Bristol, is the second largest town center of Barbados. Inspired by the traditional Barbadian punch, this cocktail combines the robust and bold Mount Gay Black Barrel with zingy flavors like grapefruit, ginger, and green mint tea.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz Mount Gay Black Barrel
- .75 oz Grapefruit Juice
- .75 oz Ginger Syrup
- 1.5 oz Green Mint Tea
- Thin ginger slice, mint leaf, and a thick slice of grapefruit
Serve all ingredients over ice cubes in a tumbler glass. Stir with a bar spoon. Top with cold Green Mint Tea. Add garnish and serve.
XO Coco Hill
We are going nuts for the coconut magnetizing XO tasting notes in this straight-forward. A perfect balance of vanilla, oaky and dry spice notes, this round, rich and creamy rum needs nothing but coconut water ice to be enjoyed with. Our recommendation is a silicone ice mold 3 to 3.5 cm high.
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Mount Gay XO
- 1 coconut water ice cube
Put coconut cube into a rocks glass. Add XO and serve.
The Forbidden Cooler
It may be named The Forbidden Cooler but we totally give you permission to mix this killer cocktail at home. A new take on Barbadian punch, this unique quencher combines the aromatic Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum with spicy Falernum and fresh grapefruit juice.
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Mount Gay Black Barrel
- .5 oz Falernum
- 1.5 oz pink/ruby fresh grapefruit juice
- Splash of soda
- Pink grapefruit wedge
Add all ingredients into a highball glass and stir with a bar spoon. Add a splash of sparkling water and garnish with a grapefruit wedge.
The Original Rum Punch
Even if it’s imaginary, a trip to the islands wouldn’t be complete without a taste of traditional Barbadian Punch. Mount Gay’s take on the classic combines its light and oaky Eclipse Rum with sugar syrup, lime juice, and water.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz Mount Gay Eclipse
- .75 oz Sugar Syrup
- .5 oz Lime Juice
- 3 oz Water
- Lime or orange wedges
Add all ingredients into a punch bowl. Add crushed ice. Stir and serve.
Bridgetown Sour
The buzzy Barbados capital city of Bridgetown certainly deserves a cocktail in its honor. Drink like a local and mix yourself this warm yet sour Mount Gay Black Barrel-based libation boasting vanilla, almond, and lime flavors.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz Mount Gay Black Barrel
- .75 oz Lime Juice
- .5 oz Vanilla Syrup
- .5 oz Almond Syrup
- 1 Dash Angostura Bitter
Put all ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake, strain, and fine strain into a chilled coupe glass.
mountgayrum.com, @mountgayrum
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