Mount Gay Presents 20 Year Old PX Sherry Cask Expression As Latest in Master Blender Collection

(Photo: Mount Gay)

Today, Mount Gay announced the release of The PX Sherry Cask Expression, the sixth limited edition in the Master Blender Collection series. 

The collection is released in limited quantities each year as a celebration of Mount Gay’s heritage and expertise in rum making which it has been continuously doing for 320 years. The limited-edition series first debuted in 2018 with the release of XO: The Peat Smoke Expression, created by former Master Blender Allen Smith. In 2019, when Master Blender Trudiann Branker took over, she released Pot Still Rum, The Port Cask Expression, Andean Oak Cask and The Madeira Cask Expression.

This expression was crafted from a blend of both pot and column still rums that have been aged in ex-American whiskey casks for a minimum of 20 years on the island. Some of the barrels may have aged for even longer but the maxim age was not disclosed. 

The long aging process is remarkable on its own but is particularly special because of the tropical climate in which the rum was aged. Heat and humidity play a huge role in the interaction between the liquid and the cask as well as greatly increasing evaporation. 

The hand-selected 20-year rums were then finished for an additional year in unseasoned Pedro Ximenez (PX) Sherry wine casks. PX Sherry from Southern Spain is made from grapes dried in the sun and then aged to make the iconic fortified wine. This particular sherry is known for its intense notes of dried fruit like raisins, figs and dates. 

“I was inspired by the process behind PX Sherry, and I wanted to discover how a well-matured rum would interact with the richness of the casks used to age these fortified wines,” noted Master Blender Trudiann Branker. “Going through some of our oldest rums to find the right ones was an incredible journey, tasting rums that have been placed in our bonds two decades ago. I was thrilled to find 20-year-old rums that stood up in terms of body and character to benefit from being finished in PX Sherry casks, and I’m honored to add this to our Master Blender Collection.” 

The PX Sherry Cask Expression has aromas of cherry, barrel char, a touch of honey, sweet raisins and tobacco. On the palate there are notes of stewed fruit like cooked apples and cherries, toasted vanilla, with a hint of raisins from the sherry cask. The finish is long and brings forward spiced flavors like pipe tobacco as well as brown butter and raisin bread sweetness.

Jay West, Spirits Cirtic for Rum Raiders said, “20 years of tropical aging is no joke. Sweet caramels, a touch of drying, bitter oak. Rich apple butter, cherry cordial, additional raisin bread notes and a touch of old pipe tobacco. The PX is well integrated, bringing a touch of sweetness on the back palate and plenty of richness with fruit on the palate.”

Review Here

The Master Blender Collection: The PX Sherry Cask Expression has been bottled at 45% ABV and is non-chill filtered in order to preserve its rich aromas and natural color. This expression will be limited to just 4,200 bottles and is available at select premium retailers throughout the world for an SRP of $270. 

Read Next: 

Mount Gay Reveals the Latest Master Blender Collection Expression, Madeira Cask

‘It’s a Delicate Balance Between Science and Art’: Mount Gay’s Trudiann Branker Speaks on Her Journey to Becoming a Master Blender

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