The Rum and Cachaça Masters 2018 Results

     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

Today is International Women's Day

     The first women's day was observed in February 1909 when 15,000 women marched through the

streets of New York demanding improved pay, shorter hours and voting rights. The day was mostly celebrated by socialist movements and communist countries in the following decades. In 1975, the United Nations proclaimed the year International Women’s Year and christened March 8 as Women’s Day.

     International Women’s Day is March 8^th is a global celebration of the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day is also a call to action through events large and small focusing on equality.  The Day is celebrated with rallies, panel discussions, seminars, networking events and performances.

     If you want to know more about the International Women’s Day and some of the events, you can search for your city and country calendrer of events or check on line at  https://www.internationalwomensday.com/Events    For example, in New York, a late afternoon rally at Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village.  In Atlanta, the Women’s Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a luncheon and roundtable on the “state of the woman.” The event will also debut an entrepreneurship initiative for female business owners. San Francisco will host a benefit for female migrant farmworkers showcasing dance music culture.   There will be other events internationally, In London, where thousands attended a #March4Women on Sunday, women’s talents will be showcased with an art exhibit, live music and storytelling in Camden on Thursday. Limerick, Ireland, will host women in film. 

     Women have come a long way since my college days when you could hear feminine leaders like noted authors like Helen Gurley Brown, Gloria Steinem and athletes like Billie Jean King that were the ones that took the early steps for women’s rights in their own areas.  In the rum world women have risen to the top of that field as well.  There are the women masters of rum like Joy Spence of Appleton Estate, Lorena Vasquez of Ron Zacapa, Jessil Villanueva Quintana of Brugal and Bridget Firtle of Owney’s NYC Rum.  These women have led the way and deserve your respect on this International Woman’s Day.

Maggie Campbell: A Master of American Rum

Maggie Campbell

     Maggie is the head distiller and president of Privateer Rum Company.   Wondering what she was going to do with her University of Colorado philosophy degree, took a family trip to Scotland, where she visited a local whisky distillery.   She said that “It opened my eyes that this is an actual job people do.”

     She saw spirits producers, a serious and driven group with fastidious attention to detail and a reliance on chemistry as her people. After visiting lots of distilleries, working as an assistant and receiving a diploma in craft distilling technologies from the Siebel Institute , she landed her current role at Privateer Rum in Ipswich, Mass.

     “As someone who never set out to make rum, it has been amazing,” the 33-year-old says. Rum is global, multidimensional and so very different from other spirits categories.  All the rums she makes are unfiltered and unsweetened, and each, she vehemently believes, needs to be accessible. “The point is to have people drink them,” she says. 

Privateer Rum

     Boston has a long and historical connection to rum, and like many of the colonial distillers from the same area, Maggie is trying to do it her way and not just another copy of the Caribbean Rums.   “We want to capture the North Atlantic maritime style, with its great meso-climate for aging, including the humidity swings that affect how it develops and evaporates, and the push and pull of the oak.” Temperature-controlled fermentation near Beantown is a breeze, retaining delicate aromas and super unique expressions.

     Our founder’s ancestor, the original Andrew Cabot ,1750-1791, was a merchant, rum distiller and successful American privateer during the American Revolution. His fleet totaled more than twenty-five ships including the True American, for which our rum is named.   We carry on this spirit of New England independence and gritty determination by dedicating ourselves to making only the finest rums possible.    

     Maggie Campbell is a prime example of American Rum makers with the grit and drive to do it her way and not compromise her goals and quality of her rum.

Hemingway Rum Company Bottles First Bottling Pilar Blonde in Key West Yesterday

     An exciting day at the Hemingway Rum Company yesterday.  We Bottled our first bottles of rum.  This has bee a 4 plus year project from the start of building the distillery and today it was culminated when the first bottle of Key West Pilar Blonde rum came off of the end of the bottling line.





     The Government hoops we had to jump through were cleared and we started distilling the rum in , but Irma brought the operation to a screeching halt with the damage to the plant and especially the bottling line.  We have continued to distill since October and today all of the final government approvals were given and we were able to finally have rum in bottles that was made here in the Key West Plant.

     When the bottling of the dark and the blond expressions is completed, you will finally be able to by Key West Pilar Rum at the tasting room in the distillery.

Eastside Distilling Introduces Their Coffee Flavored Rum

     Portland-based spirits producer Eastside Distilling has launched a coffee-flavored rum, called Hue-Hue,made from Arabica coffee beans grown at the Finca El Paternal Estate in Huehuetenango, Guatemala, where the expression takes its name.  The coffee is then roasted by Portland Roasting Company, and cold-brewed by Eastside. It is then hand-blended with silver rum and a trace amount of raw Demerara sugar.

     Bottled at 70 proof (35% abv), Hue-Hue is described as having the “full flavor and richness” of cold-brew coffee, without the “syrupy sweetness“ of coffee liqueurs.  The bottle design is inspired by Guatemala’s burlap coffee sacks and represents the coffee’s entire roasting history.

     Mel Heim, master distiller for Eastside, said: “Our contemporary imagining of coffee rum as a hip incarnation of Pacific Northwest ‘cold brew’ is a premium spirit that quickly rose to be the number one seller by volume in our tasting rooms.”   “I think that people will see Hue-Hue on the shelf and be attracted to its uniqueness. When they experience it, I think they will convert to Hue-Hue as their coffee spirit, the same way they’ve converted to cold brew as their coffee of choice.”

     Hue-Hue is available in Oregon, with plans for distribution outside of Oregon later in 2018.