Every July 4, Caribbean Journal celebrates America’s Independence Day by rewarding the best rums made in the 50 US States. American rum has been getting consistently better in recent years, as more craft distillers pop up and the American palate keeps turning toward the Noble Spirit. These are our 10 favorites in the US right now. This year, we focused on the country’s best rum brands, as opposed to individual marques. (Note: as usual, we didn’t include rums from Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands, which are geographically Caribbean rums and, of course, are considered in our annual Rum Awards each December.)

Siesta Key Rum

Troy Roberts’ Sarasota distillery is, right now, the best in America. There’s a reason his limited edition rums sell out in hours, the lines get longer and longer and the distribution keeps expanding. Siesta Key’s signature spiced blend is a gold-medal knockout that isn’t just the best in America — it’s better than any in the Caribbean, too.