Above: Papa’s Pilar Blonde
The results from this year’s RumXP awards are in, with several notable highlights.
Taking home the premium rum category’s Best in Class was the Dominican Republic’s Barcelo Imperial Anniversario 30, while the Best in Class in the Old Aged Rum category went to Centenario 20 from Costa Rica.
Judging took place at the Rum Renaissance festival in Miami last weekend.
In the aged rum category, Trinidad’s Plantation Original Dark Rum took home Best in Class, while the Guyana-Barbados-Spain product, Dos Maderas 5+5, took home Best in Class in the special cask category.
In a big victory (but no surprise to Rum Journal), the very new Papa’s Pilar Blonde took home the Best in Class in the White Rum category.
A rum from the Philippines, Tanduay, took home Best in Class in the gold rum category.
In the Black or Navy Rum category, the Best In Class Award went to Izapa Negro of Mexico, while Puerto Rico’s Blackbeard Spiced Rum won Best in Class in the spiced rum category.
Guadeloupe’s Rum St Barth also won Best in Class in the rhum agricole category.
In the Cachaça category of rums from Brazil, the Best In Class Award went to Novo Fogo Clear, while Trinidad’s Plantation Overproof won Best in Class in the overproof segment.
“The rum judges were surprised and delighted to find a greater number of fine rums in their blind tasting session again this year,” said RumXP organizer Robert V Burr. “The trend toward better quality mixing rums for cocktails, more exquisite luxury sipping rums and greatly improved flavored and spiced rums continues. The RumXP judges evaluated more rums than ever before. The competition was tough, but these rum experts rose to the challenge and identified the best of the best of 2013.”