Ins & Outs of Barbados 2020

INS& 182  EXPLORE company’s helm. The story goes that their father, Aubrey Fitz-Osbert (A.F.) Ward, worked his way up from humble beginnings to acquire the 350-acre plantation and its distillery in 1918. A.F.’s son, Roy Ward, was steering the business as late as 2013 at the age of 95. Blues too worked his way up. As an energetic, 16-year-old school-leaver in the mid 1960s, Blues asked Lisle for a job and was put to work in the distillery helping with maintenance. He was taken under the wing of another rum legend, the then-manager Carlisle Corbin. “You got insight,” Mr. Corbin told the young man. “Let’s try you in distillation.” Blues got to know not only how to keep the stills running properly, but also what to smell for. As time went on, he ended up supervising. Behind the distinct flavour of Mount Gay rum there’s history, chemistry, know-how and noses. One of the noses belongs to the master blender, Trudiann Branker, who analyses and adjusts the final product. The other belongs to Reynold “Blues” Hinds, who sniffs and tastes it earlier in the process to make sure the congeners, the flavour elements, are correct. Rum making begins by mixing molasses with water and yeast and allowing the mixture to ferment in huge, bubbling vats. Temperature and density are carefully monitored. About three days later, distillation begins. It is during that process that Blues’ expertise is applied. Blues was born to it. He’s a grandson of Lisle Ward, and great nephew of Lisle’s brother, Darnley, who spent their working lives at the All in the Family Reynold “Blues” Hinds By Sarah Venable Reynold “Blues” Hinds with his son and successor, Wave Hinds, at Mount Gay Rum Refinery