Rum of the Year Results
The Craft Distilling Expo in collaboration with TheFloatingRumShack are delighted to announce the results of the inaugural Rum of the Year Awards. The competition was open to any rum or rum-based product produced (fermented, distilled, blended or flavoured) in the UK. The competition received over 50 entries from over 30 different producers.
Chair of Judges, Peter Holland:
“The last few years have seen a significant upturn in the interest in Rum, with far more mainstream coverage. It’s difficult to pinpoint why precisely this might be, but I think it would be foolish to discount the notion that the increase in UK Rum production and brands has nothing to do with it. With every passing year, the bar is raised in terms of the quality on offer, and there really are some class producers out there, genuinely worthy of wider attention.”
Judging Coordinator and co-founder of Craft Distilling Expo, David T Smith:
“There are many significant challenges to making rum in the UK, in particular those provided by the British climate: it limits the choice of raw material for distillers – there aren’t exactly many fields of sugar cane growing in Sussex! – but also impacts upon fermentation and maturation. Despite all of this, the overall quality of the rum tasted was really impressive.”
There were six categories: Unaged, Aged, Blended, Botanical, Spiced, and Flavoured. Depending upon the size of a category, a winner and high commended place(s) were awarded. Judges were also asked during the tasting to nominate those rums that they wanted to taste in a Daiquiri for a Daiquiri of the Year competition at the end of the day.
The judging panel consisted of spirits and distilling experts who were also experienced judges, but also a couple of informed consumers who are regular purchasers of premium (£30+) rum. This range of judges was chosen to provide insight into the thoughts of a wider audience.
The Results
Unaged Rum of the Year
Winner
Unconventional Distilling – Opus
Highly Commended
The Portsmouth Distillery Co – 1968 White Rum & English Spirit Distillery – St Piran’s
Aged Rum of the Year
Winner
Cotswolds Distillery – Cotswolds Treacle Rum
Highly Commended
Rosemullion Distillery – Gold Rum & English Spirit Distillery – Old Salt Rum
Blended Rum of the Year
Winner
Isle of Wight Distillery – HMS Victory Navy Strength Rum
Botanical Rum of the Year
Winner
English Spirit Distillery – Sir Ranulph Fiennes’ Great British Rum
Spiced Rum of the Year
Winner
Portsmouth Distillery Co. – Cinnabar Spiced Rum
Highly Commended
The Cornish Distilling Company – Morvenna Spiced
Flavoured Rum of the Year
Winner
Loaded Spirits – Greedy Fox Honeycomb and Caramel
Daiquri of the Year
Winner
Taxi Spirits Co. Ltd. – Cabby’s Small Batch White Rum
Highly Commended
Merser & Co Rum Blending House – Merser & Co Double Barrel
Summer Fruit Cup 