Rum is one of those afterthought liquors that you picture mixed with fruit juices and a festive paper umbrella.  However, with summer quickly approaching, a new rum is rolling out that is sure to set the bar quite high:  Mount Gay 1703 Rum.

The 1703 Old Cask Selection arrives in an elegant oval bottle and is made of golden sugar cane and the clean water of Barbados, is aged in former bourbon casks.   Allen Smith, Master blender, has used rums aged for 10 to 30 years and his own experience of nearly 20 years to create a rum that has a cognac-like appeal.   The 1703 will be rolled out next month for around $100 in major markets so plug this into your PDA as a “must-buy” for the month of May.