Mount Gay Rum distillery catches fire

A fire broke out at Rémy Cointreau’s Mount Gay Rum distillery in Barbados yesterday (16 January) after flames engulfed a tank containing 150,000 gallons of alcohol.

The Mount Gay Rum distillery in Barbados

In a statement posted across its social media platforms yesterday, Mount Gay Rum wrote: “Earlier today a fire occurred at our distillery home in St Lucy, Barbados.

“We’re happy to announce that there were no injuries and the fire was extinguished. All’s well and the rum’s swell.”

The incident was reported to have started after a half-full 300,000-gallon alcohol tank caught fire.

Mount Gay Rum is said to be the world’s oldest rum brand and its Barbados distillery is the oldest on the island having been established in the early 18th century.

The brand and distillery are named after Sir John Gay Alleyne, 1st baronet of Four Hill and friend of John Sober, who inherited the Mount Gilboa Plantation and Distilleries in 1747. Sir John Gay Alleyne became the manager of the company, which was given his name in 1801.

Mount Gay Distilleries was acquired by French drinks group Rémy Cointreau in 1989.

In September last year, Mount Gay Rum released the first bottling of its Master Blender Collection – XO The Peat Smoke Expression.