2013 RumXP Competition Results

       The Judging is over and the results have been tallied, now the final results published.  This is are results from three days of blind tasting by some 32 judges.  The large number of judges helps equal out the differences that the individual palates have.  By having a large input you get a more valid results.

White 

Best In Class:

• Papa's Pilar Blonde

 

   Gold Medals:

• Plantation 3 Star
• Wicked Dolphin
• Guarijo Blanco
• Diplomatico Blanco 

Aged

 

Best In Class:

• Plantation Original Dark

 

    Gold Medals:

• DonQ Anejo
• Occumare Anejo
• Diplomatico Reserva
• English Harbour 5 

Special Cask

 

Best In Class:

• Dos Maderas 5+5

 

    Gold Medals:

 

• Plantation Guatamela
• Plantation Jamaica 2000
• Plantation Grenada 2003 

Agricole

 

Best In Class:

• R. St Barth 

Overproof

 

Best In Class:

• Plantation Overproof

 

Gold Medal:

• Rum Fire 

Flavored

 

Best In Class:

• Debonaire Coffee

 

   Gold Medals:

• Debonaire Honey
• Izapa Chocolate
• Santa Teresa Orange 

Spiced

 

Best In Class:

• Blackbeard Spiced

 

    Gold Medals:

• Shellback Spiced
• Blackheart
• Bacardi Oakheart

 

Black

 

Best In Class:

Izapa Negro

 

Gold

 

Best In Class:

• Tanduay Gold

 

    Gold Medals:

• Veroes
• Guarijo Dorado
• Wild Geese Gold 

Cachaca

 

Best In Class:

• Novo Fogo Clear

 

    Gold Medals:

• Novo Fogo Barreled
• Poesia 

Old

Best In Class:

• Centenario 20

 

    Gold Medals:

• Barcelo Imperial,
• Atlantico Private Cask,
• Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva,
• Occumare Grand Reserve 

Premium

 

Best In Class:

• Barcelo Imperial Anniversario 30

 

    Gold Medals:

• Mt. Gay 1703
• Debonaire 21
• Dictador XO Perpetual

These are you winners for 2013, and the ones with the bragging right until next year's festival.  Thanks to all of the entrants, it has been a pleasure to a part of the judging panel and it was a really fine group of rums presented for evaluation.   ;o)

2013 Miami Rum Renaissance: Day 5

    Yesterday started the Grand Tastings in the main arena.   This is a special day where members of the trade get the opportunity to converse with the people that bring you all of the fine rums from all over the world and to taste so many of these fine spirits and find their new favorite. 

     The day started with the Annual Plantation Breakfast by the pool.  This is an annual affair were we have a wonderful French toast breakfast that has rum in the recipe, and rum for your coffee.  All this before tasting the latest creations of the masters from Plantation.   The Breakfast was a very strong success introducing us to rums straight from the casks that will be available to us some time next year or later this year.  These tastings are real treats for the RumXP's because they tell us how the rum world is thinking about where the company is headed in the future.

     Next it was off to the Banyan Room and the opportunity to taste what Brugal was offering for the 2013 season.    Brugal brought an unusual treat for the XP's, Papa Andrea, the rum of the family at Brugal.   This is the best of the best from specially selected casks in the Brugal inventory.   Siglo de Oro, another of the fine spirits made by Brugal is possibly heading to America.  This is great news for those who have had the opportunity to taste this wonderful rum in the past at Duty Free stores, but unavailable in the past here in the states.   There is a lot of other great news from Brugal about the new VX rum , and the new packaging of the rest of the line.   This is going to be a strong and impressive for the Brugal line.

     The Diplomatico US Tournament East and West Coast Finals was next where the were to select the United States entry into the Diplomatico World Tournament.   The entrants got to show their talents before a panel of esteemed international judges seated before them.   The winner received a ticket to Venezuela and the seat in the Finals of the Diplomatico World Tournament.   Congratulations to all of the entrants for their fine offerings and presentations of their original cocktails.

     After the Grand Tasting it was off to the Broken Shaker and the Papa's Pilar VIP Party.   This opportunity to meet with all of the principles behind this truly unique  offering to the Rum World.    It is with great pride that I can say that we at the Rum Bar in Key West were among the first anywhere to be able to offer this fine rum to the public.  

    Today is the Grand Tasting, open to the public (tickets available at the door) and the start of the grand finale of this great festival
for 2013.  All in all a great day filled with very special events that all took their toll on my liver.  The time and wear and tear on the body was well worth the price to be able to sample so many of these fine spirits.

     I will be spending some time again today at the "Ask a Rum Expert" booth, I look forward to answering your rum questions and will have copies of the book available for those who would like to purchase one.   Hopefully I will see many of you there today.   ;o)