Friday, April 25, 2014

2014 RumXP Tasting Competition Winners

All of the Judges for 2014
    The Judging is over and all of the score cards have been tallied.  These are the results for the 2014 RumXP Tasting Competition.     This is a monumental task to taste and score each of the nearly 140 rum in six sittings over three days in order to give you all of these wonderful winners.

     The big winner this year was Plantation with 8 medals including 4 Best of Class.  There were a lot of new winners as well.  All in all, a good year yielding an extraordinary group of winners.  Below is the list of the winners.  I would like to send my congratulations to all of the winners for 2014.

Agricole Rhum
Best In Class - St. Barth Chic
Gold - St. Barth Cool

White Rum
Best In Class - Ocumare Platino
Gold - Skottlander
Gold - Tanduay Silver

Premium White Rum
Best In Class - Diplomatico Blanco
Gold - The Real McCoy 3
Gold - Plantation 3 Star

Gold Rum
Best In Class - Diplomatico Añejo
Gold - Hampden Estate Gold
Gold - Koloa Gold

Aged Rum
Best In Class - Plantation Original Dark
Gold - Pussers Navy Rum
Gold - Appleton VX

Aged Rum, 4-8 years
Best In Class - Plantation 5
Gold - El Dorado 8
Gold - Abuelo 7

Aged Rum, 9-12 years
Best In Class - Abuelo 12
Gold - Real McCoy 12
Gold - Medellin 12

Aged Rum, 13-18 years
Best In Class - Pussers 15
Gold - El Dorado 15
Gold - Flor de Caña 18

Aged Rum, 19-21 years
Best In Class - El Dorado 21
Gold - Centenario 20

Premium Aged Rum
Best In Class - Don Q Gran Anejo
Gold - Ocumare Anejo Especial Golden Reserve
Gold - Plantation 20th Anniversary
 

Super Premium Rum
Best In Class - Mt Gay 1703
Gold - Ron Barcelo Imperial Premium 30th Anniversary
Gold - Centenario 25

Ultra Premium Reserve Rum
Best In Class - Brugal Papa Andres

Special Cask
Best In Class - Plantation Guyana 2005
Gold - Plantation Jamaica 2001
Gold - Plantation Trinidad 1999

Dark Rum
Best In Class - Lost Spirits Navy Style Rum
Gold - Koloa Dark
Gold - Goslings Black Seal

Flavored Rum
Best In Class - Koloa Coconut
Gold - Admiral Nelson Vanilla
Gold - Blue Chair Bay Coconut
Gold - Selvarey Cacao

Spiced Rum
Best In Class - Bayou Spiced
Gold - Blue Chair Coconut Spiced
Gold - Blackheart

Overproof Rum
Best In Class - Plantation Overproof Original Dark
Gold - Rum Fire
Gold - Lost Spirits Navy Style Rum

 

An Evening at the Bacardi Penthouse

     One of the highlights of the Miami Rum Festival is the visit to the Bacardi Penthouse for their annual party.  This year was no exception and an enjoyable moment it was.   The combination of great guitar music, food and fine cocktails made this evening as wonderful as it always is.
      The Bacardi family always are most gracious hosts, offering their wonderful penthouse and museum to entertain the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival VIPs one evening during the week.  

     The tradition of bringing the RumXP back into the tasting room to sample new expressions was continued last night as well.   A new expression of what will become Gran Reserva was tasted and described by Willie Ramos for our information.   This is a part of the Bacardi Party that I always enjoy.  It is great information that will help as they introduce the rums in the future. 

     A special thanks again to the people of Bacardi for their hospitality.  ;o)