Sugarcane plantations in the Caribbean began distilling
rum during the 17th century from molasses, an inexpensive byproduct of the
sugar refining process. The spirit came to the U.S. in 1664 with the opening of
the first rum distillery on Staten Island and continued to grow in popularity
through the Revolutionary War. Rum has come a long way since those early days
when it was known as “Kill Devil”, and distilleries across the nation are
experimenting with how to craft the finest variations.
WICKED
DOLPHIN
Cape Coral, Fla.
Cape Coral, Fla.
Founded in 2012, Wicked Dolphin Distillery uses
100-percent Florida-grown sugarcane to create small-batch rums in a traditional
copper pot still. The spirit then gets aged in used American white oak Kentucky
bourbon barrels for a minimum of one year (and up to 14 years). Wicked Dolphin
also produces a silver rum, coconut rum (made from real coconut water) and
Rumshine, a 100-proof spirit made from fresh local strawberries.
TAILWINDS
DISTILLING
Plainfield, Ill.
Plainfield, Ill.
Taildragger rums from Tailwinds Distilling are never
charcoal or chill filtered in order to preserve the natural flavors of the raw
cane sugar molasses. The line includes a white rum, rye whiskey barrel-aged
amber rum, coffee infused rum and a French oak-aged After Dark rum with mocha
and caramel notes.
The top 10 winners Best Craft Rum Distillery are as
follows:
- Wicked
Dolphin - Cape Coral, Fla.
- Tailwinds
Distilling - Plainfield, Ill.
- Roulaison
Distilling Co - New Orleans
- Lyon
Distilling Company - St. Michaels, Md.
- New
Holland Artisan Spirits - Holland, Mich.
- Cutwater
Spirits - San Diego
- Calwise
Spirits Co - San Diego
- Malahat
Spirits - San Diego
- Richland
Distilling Company - Richland, Ga.
- Allegheny
Distilling - Pittsburgh
Congratulations to all these winning distilleries.
