Barbados' Famed Mount Gay Rum Gets a Redesign

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed)
Oct 3rd 2010 at 4:01PM

One of our very favorite spirits, Barbados' Mount Gay Rum is getting a new look courtesy of a Parisian design firm. QSLD Paris was charged with giving the iconic brand a refresher while keeping it firmly rooted in the traditions of the 300-year-old distillery.

QSLD came up with a new oval-shaped bottle, designed to be uncluttered and very comfortable to handle. The company crest is engraved on the bottle face and the label has been redesigned for a cleaner feel, while the rum's signature red cap remains.

QSLD had already re-designed the brand's Extra Old and 1703 Cask Selection bottlings before turning its attention to the classic, known as Eclipse. Founded by Denis Boudard, QSLD has done design work for several luxury brands including Guerlain, Lacoste, Chopard, Oscar de la Renta, Veuve Clicquot and Hennessy.

The new design also contains cues to the rum's nautical heritage. A legend dating from the 1600s relates that in order to prove passage across the Atlantic from Europe to the "New World," sailors were obliged to bring back a barrel of Barbados rum.

As evidence of its "profound and privileged relationship with the sea, with sailors and with ships", every year Mount Gay Rum proudly sponsors over 120 regattas around the globe.

Tags: Barbados, design, distillery, Mount Gay, Paris, rum, spirits