The World’s Top Rum Competition Is in the Caribbean
Every November, the finest rums in the world are judged not in Europe or the United States — but at a luxury resort in St Barth.
This is the Caribbean Rum Awards St Barth, and it’s become the most prestigious competition of its kind anywhere — the global standard for rum excellence.
Held at the Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth, the competition brings together a panel of 10 international rum judges— experts, spirits professionals, journalists — for a blind tasting of as many as 70 rums, scored across eight distinct categories that span both agricole and molasses-based rums.
There’s no marketing, no labels, no bottle shapes. Just aroma, flavor, structure, finish — and a deep, exacting focus on quality. Judges taste each entry blind, moving through categories like Rhum Agricole Blanc Martinique, Rhum Agricole Blanc Guadeloupe, VSOP, XO, Hors d’age, Ultra-Premium, each one evaluated on its own merit in pursuit of the highest possible standard.
The format is rigorous by design. The focus is on transparency, integrity, and craft. Only the most exceptional spirits rise to the top — and only a select few walk away with a coveted Caribbean Rum Awards medal.
It also includes the most exclusive competitive field of rum on earth: the World Championship category, which only includes the rarest, most exclusive expressions from the world’s top distilleries.
Last year’s crown was taken home by the Triple Millesime of Martinique’s Trois Riveres, a rum that wowed the panel.
What also makes it unique? It’s the only rum competition that’s free to enter, no fees, just pure rum evaluation.
This year’s competition will take place Nov. 10-16, with results announced during a week-long celebration of rum culture that includes tastings, master classes, and parties — all set against the backdrop of one of the Caribbean’s most luxurious islands.
Now in its eighth year, the Caribbean Rum Awards St Barth is more than a tasting panel. It’s a global benchmark — and the clearest expression of the Caribbean’s status as the spiritual and cultural home of rum.
For more, contact rum@caribjournal.com
