Mount Gay

The Bajanian rum producer, Mount Gay, has been producing rums for centuries, dating back to 1493. The Mount Gay rum estate is located at the top of a ridge in northern Barbados. This site was acquired by William Sandford in the early 18th century and continued to be used as a sugar plantation. He named this manor Mount Gilboa. In 1747 the manor was inherited by his son with the ironic name James Sober. In the second half of the 18th century, James and his son Cumberbatch spent a lot of time in England, so they were unable to manage their property properly. Therefore, Cumberbatch entrusted his friend, Sir John Gay Alleyn, to run this estate. Sir John died in 1801 and Cumberbatch named the estate Mount Gay in his memory. The plantation remained the property of the Sober family until 1860. At the beginning of the 20th century, it was acquired by the merchant Aubrey Ward. With his business partner John Hutson, he expanded the company and sold the product. Aubrey's son Darnela DaCosta Ward continued to operate until his death in 1989, when Rémy Cointreau bought a majority stake. The new French owner created an extensive distribution network for Mount Gay, so Mount Gay rum quickly gained popularity.