Mount Gay, the world’s oldest rum distillery – established in Barbados in, yes, 1703 – are coming on strong this year, spurred on by their first female Master Blender, Trudiann Branker. She has created a new blend for their Black Barrel rum and an enhanced blend for the Mount Gay XO, which are sure to reinvigorate our beloved rum market. With the weather as hot and humid as it is at the minute, we asked the Mount Gay team for a cocktail recipe to cool metaphorical boots…and they actually gave us two!

Firstly, the showpiece:

The Forbidden Cooler

Ingredients:

60ml Mount Gay Black Barrel

10ml Falernum

45ml fresh pink grapefruit juice

Splash of soda

Pink grapefruit wedge

Method: 

• Add all ingredients over ice cubes in a highball glass
• Stir with a bar spoon
• Add a splash of sparkling water

And here’s an alternative, a simple but unmissable option:

Coco Hill

Ingredients:

60ml XO

1 large coconut water ice cube*

*We recommend a silicone mould 3-3.5cm high

Method:

– Place the coconut ice cube into an old fashioned glass

– Add XO and serve

Go here for more information on Mount Gay.