rum awards 2018
News

Rum Journal: The Rum Awards — 2018

By: Caribbean Journal Staff - December 14, 2018
1 of 13

It’s hard to believe that this year is the seventh annual edition of the Rum Awards, a celebration of rum that was one of the earliest innovations of Caribbean Journal. And it’s just as remarkable how much rum has changed in these seven years.

Today, an increasingly knowledgable consumer base is appreciating the unparalleled diversity and romance of rum — but also asking more of rum companies, pushing them to launch more sophisticated, more authentic — and more premium — expressions.

Consumers are also beginning to discover the joy of the world of Rhum Agricole, a small fraction of global production that manages to produce a wide-ranging, artisanal, terroir-focused offering that includes some of the greatest cane spirits you will find anywhere.

It all means that rum is in a very good place, whether one is starting his or her rum journey or taking trips to collect rare bottlings in the far corners of the West Indies.

It also means that every year the judging for the Rum Awards gets more difficult, as the Rum Journal team travels across the Caribbean region, visiting distilleries and sampling rums (and sampling them again). This year, we began the judging with a dossier of more than 200 rums tasted, one that eventually whittled down to a field of 12 rums for the Rum of the Year category.

This year’s final judging was conducted again at the terrific  Casa de Montecristo by Prime Cigar in Miami, where the Rum Journal panel conducted six rounds of spirited tasting and eventually settled on the winners.

This year’s slate of winners is as impressive as ever, hailing from across the Caribbean and the United States and demonstrating, again, the wonder of the world of rum.

But remember, as we like to say at Rum Journal, the best rum in the world is the rum that’s in your glass right now.

rum awards 2018

Rum of the Year: Havana Club Seleccion de Maestros, Cuba Each year, choosing the Rum of the Year gets more difficult. More and more producers are making exceptional aged rums, using new blending and aging techniques, experimenting with special finishes and helping to raise the perception of premium rum in the marketplace. But this year’s winner was a veritable institution of the rum world, from one of the great rum producing countries of the world. Havana Club, Cuba’s flagship rum, produces a broad portfolio of expressions, from traditional white rum to rums specifically blended to be smoked with Cohibas. But this year, its signature ultra-premium rum took home the crown. Havana Club’s Seleccion de Maestros, bottled at a robust 45 degrees, is a blend of reserve-stock rums, brought together by the company’s master rum makers. After multiple rounds of judging, the Havana Club held up against all competitors, thanks to its hallmark: a truly remarkable balance. This is a delicate, luxurious rum that just kept holding up after repeated tasting, one that is consistent from start to finish and that simply begs you to pour another glass. Plainly, it’s an exquisite rum.

Double Gold: El Pasador de Oro Rum XO, Guatemala

Gold: El Dorado 21 Year Old Rum, Guyana

Silver: Angostura 1824, Trinidad

Bronze: Chairman’s Reserve 1931, Saint Lucia


1 of 13
Popular Posts ian fleming villa with beach and green trees

American Airlines Begins New Ocho Rios, Jamaica Flights, With a Nod to James Bond 

Ian Fleming began writing the book that would become Casino Royale at his seaside villa in the town of Oracabessa, Jamaica in February 1952.  It was here on the outskirts of Ocho Rios that Fleming would forge the story of […]


A New All-Inclusive W Hotel Is Opening This Year in Punta Cana 

w punta cana

The first-ever all-inclusive W Hotel in the Caribbean is opening this year in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Caribbean Journal has learned.  The hotel, part of a broad expansion for parent company Marriott International, is on the list of expected 2024 […]


Why Grenada Is a New Caribbean Luxury Hotspot

beach house silversands

From its world-renowned chocolate to its pristine beaches to a region-leading focus on sustainability, Grenada is as fascinating and unique as destination as you’ll find in the Caribbean.  But in the last few years, the lush Eastern Caribberan island has […]


Related Posts grand bahama

The Great Grand Bahama Comeback

Approaching five years post-Hurricane Dorian, it appears Grand Bahama is having a major moment in the sun. The northernmost Bahamian island was ground zero for the 2019 storm, which caused an estimated $7 billion in damage Bahamas-wide. Today, according to […]


In the Grenadines, the Caribbean's Ultimate All-Inclusive Private Island Resort 

blue beach with palm trees

The sky is purple as the boat makes its way from tiny Union Island, and we’re met by torchlight and smiles as we make our way onto the dock.  For the next few days, this will be our island, our […]


WestJet Is Planning a Big Summer in the Caribbean

bonaire

Canadian leisure carrier WestJet says it is significantly ramping up its flight network in the Caribbean for the summer season.  WestJet’s Latin American and Caribbean routes are growing by 57 percent this summer compared to the summer of 2023, according […]


SUBSCRIBE!

Sign up for Caribbean Journal's free newsletter for a daily dose of beaches, hotels, rum and the best Caribbean travel information on the net.


No. Thank You