Why This St Barth Rum Week Is the Caribbean Festival You’ll Want to Plan a Vacation Around

This Caribbean Rum Festival Has Rare Bottles, Beachfront Parties and a Week in St Barth

There’s a moment at the Caribbean Rum Awards when you realize this isn’t just another festival. Maybe it’s sipping a vintage agricole on the rooftop bar at Le Barthelemy with the sea rolling below, or stepping into a dinner at the Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth where every dish has been crafted to meet its perfect rum match. 

Or maybe it’s when you find yourself sharing a laugh with a master distiller as he pours something you’ve never seen anywhere else. That’s the magic of the Rum week in St Barth — the kind of event where rum becomes more than a drink. It becomes a way into the soul of the Caribbean.

From Nov. 10–16, 2025, the Caribbean Rum Awards returns for its seventh edition, bringing together the rarest bottles, the best producers, and the most passionate connoisseurs for an unforgettable week on the island of St Barth. 

Why St Barth Rum Week Is Special

What makes it so special? It’s not just the rum — although nearly 100 labels will compete in blind tastings judged by world-renowned experts. 

It’s the energy of the island itself, where glamour, sophistication, and laid-back French Caribbean charm collide. For one week, rum takes over St Barth, spilling from luxury hotels like Le Barthélemy and Les Îlets de la Plage into the the beaches, and the late-night gathering at exclusive villas that make this more of a movement than a festival.

You’ll taste cigars paired with aged rums under the stars, discover the craftsmanship behind agricole terroirs, and sample rare bottlings you’ll likely never encounter again. You’ll sit at exclusive pairing dinners where chefs and distillers choreograph flavors like music. 

And you’ll feel the pulse of an island that knows how to throw a world-class party. That’s why the Caribbean Rum Awards isn’t just a highlight of the rum world — it’s one of the coolest, most joyful cultural celebrations anywhere in the Caribbean.

The Rum Awards are more than a competition — they’re about community, bringing together collectors, travelers, distillers, and locals in one shared celebration of the Caribbean’s most iconic spirit. It’s glamorous, yes, but it’s also wonderfully intimate: the kind of event where you might share a pour of Trois Rivières with the judge who crowned it last year’s World Champion, or chat casually with the founder of a distillery over breakfast. There’s simply nothing else like it.

Plan Your Trip

The Caribbean Rum Awards St Barth runs Nov. 10–16, 2025. For ticket info, visit EventBrite.

Where to Stay: Wimco Villas

There’s no better way to experience the festival than from a private villa. Wimco St Barth Propertiesoffers a portfolio of spectacular villas across the island, from hilltop retreats with sweeping ocean views to beachfront estates just steps from the sand. Guests can enjoy the privacy of their own home along with the full concierge service that makes staying in St Barth seamless — from stocking your fridge with local delicacies to arranging in-villa chefs and drivers.

How to Get There: Tradewind Aviation

The journey to Rum Week can be part of the adventure. Tradewind Aviation offers scheduled flights and private charters into St Barth aboard its fleet of modern Pilatus PC-12 aircraft. With departures from San Juan and other regional hubs, Tradewind provides a luxurious, effortless way to land right in the heart of the island. From comfortable cabins to VIP-level service, it’s the perfect way to start a week of indulgence.