In St Barth, a One-Of-a-Kind Festival With Rooftop Parties, Luxury Villas and the Best Rums on Earth
In a spirits world that is always searching for the next best thing, the rarest bottling, the impossible-to-find expression, it’s something that still, somehow, remains something of a secret: the Rhum Agricole of the French Caribbean: the rum distilled from pure sugarcane juice that is just about the rarest, most exquisite rum you can find anywhere.
But in the US, it’s largely an afterthought, with just a handful of producers exporting to America and consumer awareness still extremely low.
Of course, that’s largely true of all rum — agricole or otherwise. Few appreciate just how complex, layered and vibrant the world of Caribbean rum is — still lulled into the misperception that it’s a spirit resigned only to cocktails and Solo cups.
Plainly, the finest rums are at the level of (or, if you want our opinion, exceed) the finest scotches. It’s that simple. They’re more romantic, more complex and more interesting, whether you’re enjoying the best of Barbados and Puerto Rico, Jamaica and Guyana, Grenada and Panama.
The reality its that rum is the most diverse spirit in the world, with nearly every Caribbean country putting its own spin on the spirit, with different soils, different stills and a universe of lovely aged expressions.
The misperception is something we’ve been working for years to change. And if you visit the island of St Barth for one extraordinary week in November, you get a deep-dive.
It’s called the Caribbean Rum Awards, and it’s the only event of its kind in the world: a weeklong festival celebrating ultra-premium rum joined by an international blind-tasting competition featuring the highest-quality producers.
It’s a chance to try rums you simply won’t find anywhere else, and certainly not in the United States, enjoy master classes and immerse yourself into the world of Caribbean rum.
This year, it’s back again for its seventh edition, running from Nov. 11-17 at the Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth, Hotel Le Barthelemy and Les Ilets de la Plage hotels.
The event, presented by Wimco St Barth Properties and Tradewind Aviation, has become a staple on the St Barth calendar, with its unique blend of tastings parties, rooftop events, rum pairing dinners, cigar tastings and beach cocktails.
It’s set at the Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth, the Le Barthelemy Hotel and Spa and Les Ilets de la Plage, a trio of world-class luxury resorts that exemplify St Barth’s brand of French Caribbean cool.
“This is an event that is all about the world’s finest rum, delivered in a format that the novice and the connoisseur can equally appreciate,” said Alexander Britell, editor and publisher of Caribbean Journal and founder of the event. “Take the best rums in the world and the most glamorous island in the Caribbean and you have a pretty hard-to-top combination.”
Want to learn more? Visit the Caribbean Rum Awards.
You can find ticket info here.
— CJ
Caitlin Sullivan began her career with Caribbean Journal as Arts and Culture editor before shifting to travel full time. She writes frequently on the Caribbean cruise industry, flight networks and broader travel news. Her most frequent Caribbean destination? Nassau.
