The
Rum & Cachaça Masters 2018 was notable for the sheer quality of the
expressions on display. As our blind-tasting competition proves, the category
is bursting with innovation. Rum is
coming under greater scrutiny than ever before. As the category takes slow but meaningful
steps up the ladder of premiumization, and as the captivating notions of
‘craft’ and ‘heritage’ seep over from other spirit sectors, consumers and
industry stakeholders are paying closer attention to rum – how it’s made, where
it’s made, and its quality credentials.
Rum
has long been something of an elusive party spirit, and a lack of consumer
education – as well as irregular definitions around the world – means it hasn’t
premiumized as fast as its brown spirit cousins whisky and Cognac. As the
category moves upmarket, some products have also been criticized for a
perceived lack of transparency, namely, using color, sugar and other additives,
seemingly to justify higher price points.
Despite
this, rum truly is a drink for the masses, and its potential is clear for all
to see – it is sweet enough to be accessible to new spirits drinkers, and still
has the sophisticated traits inherent to aged products that are sought by spirits
connoisseurs.
The Spirits Business gathered
together a group of drinks experts at The Rum Kitchen in London’s Notting Hill
to assess the state of the category. Our Rum Masters 2018 competition was
assessed by three panels of tasters. The first flight of the day – a Cachaça
subcategory – came under the scrutiny of: Daawud Zepherin, The Rum Kitchen
ambassador; Alessio Franzese, executive bar manager at The Kitty Hawk; Chris
Mathurin, rum blogger; and Peter Holland, independent rum expert and founder of thefloatingrumshack.com.
The panel was chaired by Melita Kiely, deputy editor of The Spirits
Business.
Read More at https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2018/03/the-rum-masters-2018-results/
The Rum & Cachaça Masters
2018 Results
Cane Spirit/Cachaça
Brand Owner
|
Product
|
Medal
|
Very
Good Goods
|
Vale
Verde Prata
|
Gold
|
Very
Good Goods
|
Vale
Verde Extra Premium 3 Años
|
Gold
|
The
Responsible Trading Company
|
Abelha
Organic Cachaça
|
Silver
|
White Rum – Standard
Brand Owner
|
Product
|
Medal
|
Bardinet
|
Negrita
White Signature
|
Gold
|
Aldi
UK
|
Old
Hopking Premium White Rum
|
Silver
|
White Rum – Premium
Brand Owner
|
Product
|
Medal
|
Havana
Club International
|
Havana
Club 3 Year Old
|
Gold
|
Angostura
|
Angostura
Reserva
|
Silver
|
E.
C. Oxenham & Cy
|
Bougainville
White Rum
|
Silver
|
Tanduay
Distillers
|
Tanduay
Asian Rum Silver
|
Silver
|
White Rum – Super-Premium
Brand Owner
|
Product
|
Medal
|
Bacardi
|
Banks
5
|
Gold
|
Worthy
Park Estate
|
Rum-Bar
Silver
|
Silver
|
Gold Rum – Premium
Brand Owner
|
Product
|
Medal
|
E.
C. Oxenham & Cy
|
Bougainville
Gold Aged Rum
|
Gold
|
Crucial
Drinks
|
Six
Saints Pedro Ximénez
|
Gold
|
Tanduay
Distillers
|
Tanduay
Asian Rum Gold
|
Gold
|
Bardinet
|
Negrita
Añejo Reserva
|
Silver
|
Gold Rum – Super-Premium
Brand Owner
|
Product
|
Medal
|
Neptune
Rum
|
Neptune
Rum Gold
|
Master
|
Element
Eight
|
Element
Eight Republica Rum
|
Master
|
MSB-Spirits
|
MarlinSpike
888 HighSeas Blend
|
Gold
|
Angostura
|
Angostura
1919
|
Gold
|
Bacardi
|
Banks
7
|
Gold
|
One
Eyed Spirits
|
Ron
de Jeremy Reserva
|
Silver
|
Gold Rum Ultra-Premium
Brand Owner
|
Product
|
Medal
|
Worthy
Park Estate
|
Worthy
Park Single Estate Reserve
|
Master
|
Gold Rum – Aged up to 7 Years
Brand Owner
|
Product
|
Medal
|
Worthy
Park Estate
|
Rum-Bar
Gold
|
Gold
|
Marauda
Rum
|
Marauda
Rum Steelpan
|
Gold
|
Brugal
|
Brugal
Extra Viejo
|
Silver
|
Neptune
Rum
|
Neptune
Rum Gold
|
Silver
|
Rathlee
Distilling Company
|
Rathlee
Golden Barrel Aged
|
Silver
|
Bajan
Trading
|
Rum
Sixty Six Extra Old
|
Silver
|
Gold Rum – Aged 8 to 12 Years
Brand Owner
|
Product
|
Medal
|
Maison
Ferrand
|
Plantation
Fiji 2009
|
Gold
|
Bacardi
|
Bacardi
Limitada
|
Silver
|
Indian
Ocean Rum Company
|
Penny
Blue XO #005
|
Silver
|
Bajan
Trading
|
Rum
Sixty Six Family Reserve
|
Silver
|
Bajan
Trading
|
Rum
Sixty Six Cask Strength
|
Silver
|
Gold Rum – Aged over 13 Years
Brand Owner
|
Product
|
Medal
|
Maison
Ferrand
|
Plantation
Peru 2014
|
Gold
|
Maison
Ferrand
|
Plantation
Barbados 2002
|
Silver
|
Pirate’s
Grog Rum
|
Pirate’s
Grog No.13
|
Silver
|
Dark Rum – Super-Premium
Brand Owner
|
Product
|
Medal
|
Lost
Spirits Distillery
|
Lost
Spirits Distillery ‘Jamaican’
|
Master
|
Havana
Club International
|
Havana
Club Selección de Maestros
|
Gold
|
Stoli
Group
|
Bayou
Select Rum
|
Silver
|
Rémy
Cointreau
|
Mount
Gay Black Barrel
|
Silver
|
Dark Rum – Ultra-Premium
Brand Owner
|
Product
|
Medal
|
Bodegas
Williams & Humbert
|
Ron
Dos Maderas Luxus
|
Gold
|
La
Hechicera Company
|
La
Hechicera Solera 21
|
Gold
|
Bacardi
|
Facundo
Exquisito
|
Silver
|
Bodegas
Williams & Humbert
|
Ron
Dos Maderas PX
|
Silver
|
Añejos
de Altura
|
Ron
Zacapa Centenario Sistema Solera 23 Rum
|
Silver
|
Angostura
|
Angostura
1787
|
Silver
|
Bodegas
Williams & Humbert
|
Ron
Dos Maderas Selección
|
Silver
|
Dark Rum – Aged up to 7 Years
Brand Owner
|
Product
|
Medal
|
Angostura
|
Angostura
7 Year Old
|
Gold
|
Nyborg
Destilleri
|
Huracán
Organic Rum
|
Gold
|
Havana
Club International
|
Havana
Club 7 Year Old
|
Silver
|
Dark Rum – Aged 8 to 12 Years
Brand Owner
|
Product
|
Medal
|
Bacardi
|
Bacardi
8 Años
|
Master
|
Cruzan
Rum
|
Cruzan
Single Barrel Rum
|
Gold
|
Dark Rum – Aged over 13 Years
Brand Owner
|
Product
|
Medal
|
Havana
Club International
|
Havana
Club 15 Years Old
|
Gold
|
Pusser’s
Rum
|
Pusser’s
Rum Aged 15 Years
|
Gold
|
Cubata
|
Ron
Vacilón 15 Años
|
Gold
|
Cubata
|
Ron
Vacilón 18 Años
|
Gold
|
Cubata
|
Ron
Vacilón 25 Años
|
Gold
|
Aloha
Assets Corp
|
Autentico
Nativo 15 years
|
Silver
|
Famille
Naud Master Distillers
|
Naud
15 Year Old Panamanian Rum
|
Silver
|
Rhum Agricole – White
Brand Owner
|
Product
|
Medal
|
Groupe
BBS
|
Trois
Rivières Cuvée l’Océan
|
Master
|
Groupe
BBS
|
Trois
Rivières Cuvée Mojito & Long Drink
|
Gold
|
Groupe
BBS
|
Maison
la Mauny Rhum Blanc Agricole 40°
|
Silver
|
Groupe
BBS
|
Maison
La Mauny Ter Rouj
|
Silver
|
Rhum Agricole – Aged
Brand Owner
|
Product
|
Medal
|
Groupe
BBS
|
Maison
la Mauny Signature de Maître de Chais
|
Master
|
Groupe
BBS
|
Maison
la Mauny VSOP 40°
|
Master
|
Groupe
BBS
|
Trois
Rivières 12 Ans
|
Master
|
Groupe
BBS
|
Maison
la Mauny XO
|
Gold
|
Groupe
BBS
|
Trois
Rivières Cask Strength
|
Gold
|
Groupe
BBS
|
Maison
la Mauny Rhum Ambré Agricole 40°
|
Gold
|
Groupe
BBS
|
Trois
Rivières VO Cuvée du Moulin
|
Gold
|
Groupe
BBS
|
Trois
Rivières VSOP Réserve Spéciale
|
Gold
|
Crucial
Drinks
|
French
Overseas XO Rum
|
Silver
|
Groupe
BBS
|
Maison
la Mauny Héritage 1749
|
Silver
|
Groupe
BBS
|
Trois
Rivières Rhum Ambré Agricole
|
Silver
|
Groupe
BBS
|
Trois
Rivières Rhum Ambré Finish Whisky
|
Silver
|
La
Martiniquaise
|
Rhum
Vieux Saint James
|
Silver
|
Rhum Agricole – Overproof
Brand Owner
|
Product
|
Medal
|
Groupe
BBS
|
Maison
La Mauny Rhum Blanc Agricole 50°
|
Gold
|
Groupe
BBS
|
Maison
La Mauny Acacia
|
Silver
|
Groupe
BBS
|
Trois
Rivières Rhum Blanc Agricole 50°
|
Silver
|
Spiced Rum
Brand Owner
|
Product
|
Medal
|
Bardinet
|
Negrita
Spiced
|
Master
|
Aldi
UK
|
Old
Hopking Spiced Gold Rum
|
Gold
|
BBC
Wines & Spirits
|
Botafogo
|
Gold
|
Stoli
Group
|
Bayou
Spiced Rum
|
Gold
|
Groupe
BBS
|
Maison
la Mauny Rhum Spiced
|
Gold
|
Distil
Company
|
RedLeg
Spiced Rum
|
Silver
|
One
Eyed Spirits
|
Ron
de Jeremy Spiced
|
Silver
|
Anchor
Spirits Ireland
|
Spike
Island Spiced Rum
|
Silver
|
Elements
Eight
|
Elements
Eight Exotic Spiced Rum
|
Silver
|
Pedro
Mandinga
|
Pedro
Mandinga Spiced
|
Silver
|
2240
Social Club
|
World’s
End Rum ‘Tiki Spiced’
|
Silver
|
Atom
Brands
|
Rumbullion!
|
Silver
|
Spirit
of Glasgow
|
Sugar
House Spiced
|
Silver
|
Atom
Brands
|
Rumbullion!
XO 15 Years Old
|
Silver
|
Atom
Brands
|
Rumbullion!
Navy-Strength
|
Silver
|
White Rum – Overproof
Brand Owner
|
Product
|
Medal
|
Worthy
Park Estate
|
Rum-Bar
White Overproof Rum
|
Master
|
Gold Rum – Overproof
Brand Owner
|
Product
|
Medal
|
LWC
Drinks
|
Old
J Tiki Fire
|
Silver
|
Dark Rum – Overproof
Brand Owner
|
Product
|
Medal
|
Pusser’s
Rum
|
Pusser’s
Gunpowder Proof British Navy Rum
|
Master
|
Maison
Ferrand
|
Plantation
OFTD (Old Fashioned Traditional Dark)
|
Master
|
Lost
Spirits Distillery
|
Lost
Spirits Distillery ‘Navy 61’
|
Silver
|
Flavoured/Infused
Brand Owner
|
Product
|
Medal
|
Paradise
Imports
|
Gubba
Silver
|
Silver
|
Groupe
BBS
|
Maison
la Mauny Ananas 40°
|
Silver
|
Rum/Cachaça Liqueurs
Brand Owner
|
Product
|
Medal
|
Grays
Distilling
|
New
Grove Honey Rum Liqueur
|
Gold
|
Very
Good Goods
|
Vale
Verde 1727 Licor de Café
|
Gold
|
Pirate’s
Grog Rum
|
Pirate’s
Grog Black Ei8ht Coffee Rum Liqueur
|
Gold
|
