Latest news with #rum
Forbes
17 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
The World's Best Rums: According To The 2025 International Wine And Spirit Competition
The Gold Outstanding medal winners in the rum category from the 2025 IWSC. Rum has come a long way since it was first distilled on sugarcane plantations in the Caribbean Island in the 17th century. Back then, it was a much rougher spirit that was known by the names 'kill-devil' and 'rumbullion' due to its high proof, pungency, and harsh flavors, not the smooth sipper of today. Spread across the globe by the British Navy, it became one of the first truly international spirits. Luckily, those days are gone, and we are blessed with an abundance of rum distillers from across the globe crafting some fantastic liquid sunshine. From traditional rum houses in the Caribbean to up-and-comers in Australia, everywhere you turn, there is a new and exotic bottle of rum just begging to be sipped. If you are looking to find the best of the best, look no further. The International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC), one of the oldest and most prestigious annual global spirit judging events, just released the results for their 2025 event. Six rums were awarded a Gold Outstanding award by earning a score between 98-100 points from its blind judging panel made up of industry experts. Each of them is in the running for the IWSC's Rum Trophy to be awarded at their gala event in November. Any one of these bottles would be a worthy addition to any collection if you can lay your hands on one. Here is a brief recap of each with the judge's notes. From the heart of Jamaica, Worthy Park's 109 is a potent invitation to pure, unadulterated rum flavor. This isn't for the faint of heart; it's a high-proof, pot-still masterpiece, bursting with the wild, untamed "hogo" that defines Jamaican rum. It's a raw, unfiltered experience from a distillery that was named the IWSC Rum Producer of the Year in 2023. Made from a blend of 3-year-old rum aged in once-used American White Oak ex-bourbon casks, it is packed with flavor. Here is what the judges had to say about it: The nose opens with earthy notes and dark dried fruit, complemented by a hint of caramel and chocolate. The palate reveals a smooth creaminess, bursting with dried fruits, caramel, and molasses. A long, pleasant finish with a touch of pepper. A rare gem from Martinique, this 15-year rum from Clément Rhum is a testament to the elegance of Rhum Agricole, a style that is rapidly gaining fans due to its terroir-driven character. Crafted from fresh sugarcane juice, it transcends typical rum, offering a grassy, vegetal complexity that deepens with age. This private cask selection, made exclusively for Whisky Brokers Associates, was aged for 15 years in ex-bourbon barrels and is a result of a selection of casks chosen by Cellarmaster Julien Thimon. It's a collector's dream and a journey into the heart of Martinique's rum heritage. Here is what the judges had to say about it: Ginger cake, molasses, and dried fruits, complemented by a hint of dark chocolate and polished wood. The palate unfolds with a rich fruitcake and cigar, brightened by orange zest and baking spices, leading to a warming finish. From Barbados's master blenders, Foursquare, comes Equidem, a 14-year-old expression of balanced brilliance. Master Distiller and Blender Richard Seale's rums are celebrated worldwide for their deeply complex flavors and subtle blends. In fact, this rum took home the 2024 IWSC Rum Trophy and is crafted from a mix of two 14-year-old rums. The first was aged five years in ex-bourbon barrels and nine years in ex-cognac casks, and the second spent twelve years in ex-bourbon barrels and two years in ex-Camus Cognac casks. The resultant liquid is quite special. Here is what the judges had to say about it: The aroma entices with vibrant tropical fruit and subtle hints of wood, complemented by warm spices and caramel. On the palate, it unfolds smoothly, revealing creamy molasses and dried fruit. The experience lingers with a long, sweet, and peppery finish. Hailing from North Queensland, Australia, the Mt. Uncle Distillery is the perfect poster child for today's modern rum makers. Opened in 2001, they have made a name for themselves by pushing the boundaries and challenging the assumptions surrounding rum. For their small-batch FNQ Rums (Far North Queensland), they used locally sourced sugarcane syrup distilled in-house in a pot still. Not much else is known about the rum since it hasn't been released to the public yet. However, rest assured that when it does, it will quickly disappear. Here is what the judges had to say about it: The aroma reveals creamy vanilla intertwined with subtle oak, peppery heat, and balanced jalapeño. The palate showcases alluring touches of caramel, banana, and coconut, rounded off by classic raisin. A rich, sweet finish lingers with a delightful complexity. Outstanding. Monymusk Plantation Rums are distilled and blended by the National Rums of Jamaica. This joint venture distiller owns the legendary Long Pond and Clarendon Distilleries on the island. Made in their historic facilities, the team behind this rum has hundreds of years of experience to draw upon in crafting Monymusk. The name originates from a sugar estate that once produced rum and sugar before the abolition of slavery and continues to support the distillery with Jamaican molasses to this day. Monymusk Special Reserve is a blend of matured rums that have been aged for at least 10 years before bottling. Blending pot and column still rums, it balances the signature Jamaican "funk" with the smoothness of age. Here is what the judges had to say: Gingerbread latte and warming cinnamon, accompanied by rich baking spices. Tropical fruits and sweet oak, masterfully balanced with nutmeg. The experience lingers, revealing a long, complex finish that echoes banana and fruity nuances, leaving a beautifully oily grip. This one is a mystery. Made by Hong Shing Winery Co. in Taiwan, Nine to One Rum is only available in the Far East. It is made in a custom continuous distiller that the team at Nine to One crafted themselves and uses ingredients from the region. If you are an adventurous individual who finds yourself in Taiwan and is looking for a great rum, search it out. Otherwise, you probably won't see it anytime soon in the global market. Here is what the judges had to say about it: A vibrant nose revealing green apples with a hint of sugary banana juice. On the palate, a warm, smooth texture that balances beautifully with its off-dry character. The finish is clean and well-structured, exhibiting a delightful lingering warmth. Follow here for the most up to date information about the ever changing beer, wine, and spirits industry.
Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
The World's Best Ultra-Aged Rum, According To The SF World Spirit Competition
The Ultra-Aged Rum Finalists From The 2025 SFWSC Eight rums are finalists, five for the World's Best Aged Rum 5 Years & Older, and three for World's Best Overproof Rum at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The SFWSC is one of the world's most prestigious spirit judging events, and both consumers and the beverage industry closely follow its results. Below are brief backgrounds and tasting notes for the finalists. Cartavio XO is a premium rum from Peru, crafted by Destilerías Unidas. It's a blend of rums aged up to 18 years, matured in a solera system using American, French, and Slovenian oak casks. It reflects Peru's balanced, elegant rum style, which is less sweet than its counterparts in South and Central America, with a greater influence from its dry Andean terroir. The rum is refined and smooth on the palate, featuring aromas of dried fig, orange zest, vanilla, and old leather. It's soft and full-bodied on the palate, showcasing roasted nuts, baking spices, cocoa powder, and caramel with a subtle tannic dryness. The finish is long and layered, with lingering notes of cedar, caramel, and dark chocolate. Ron Zacapa 23 is a renowned Guatemalan rum crafted from virgin sugarcane syrup, aged in a solera system for up to 23 years in ex-bourbon, sherry, and Pedro Ximénez casks. Aged at an altitude of over 7,500 feet in the highlands of Quetzaltenango, it is known for its sweet, velvety character. The rum is aromatic and lush on the nose, featuring caramelized banana, raisin, vanilla, baking spice, and brown sugar. It's silky and sweet on the palate, showcasing notes of molasses, toffee, dried fruit, cinnamon, and a hint of cherry liqueur. The finish is long and semi-sweet, with lingering notes of vanilla and toasted oak. This expression blends rums from Barbados, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Guyana, and Trinidad, aged up to 15 years. It's a celebration of Caribbean and South American rum terroirs, combining pot and column still influences. The rum is complex and layered on the nose, featuring molasses, ripe plantain, vanilla, orange zest, and cocoa nibs. It's dry and fruity, showcasing tropical fruit, roasted nuts, allspice, brown sugar, and burnt caramel. The finish is medium in length, with lingering notes of fruit, spices, and seasoned wood. Elegant tray with two glasses of rum, cuban cigars, chocolate and coffee beans. The tray is adorned with tobacco leaves. This XO expression is a blend of rums aged in Barbados and finished in French cognac casks at Maison Ferrand. Initially crafted to celebrate Alexandre Gabriel's 20th anniversary as master blender, it represents the classic Planteray style of tropical richness and French refinement. The rum is rich and aromatic, with notes of ripe banana, coconut, tobacco leaf, vanilla, and a hint of spice cake. It's smooth and robust on the palate, expressing notes of dried fruit, crème brûlée, nutmeg, toasted almond, and a hint of fresh grape must. The finish is long and elegant, with lingering tropical fruit, soft baking spices, and seasoned oak. Puerto Rico's oldest rum brand, Ron del Barrilito 3 Stars, is a solera-style rum aged 6 to 10 years in ex-Oloroso sherry barrels. Unlike many rums from the region, it is unsweetened, showcasing a drier, more structured profile. The rum is fruity and dry on the nose, featuring toasted walnut, dried apricot, cinnamon and clove spice, seasoned oak, and Sherry aromas. It's smooth and complex on the palate, showcasing candied orange zest, roasted nuts, seasoned oak, dried fruit, and cocoa powder. The finish is long and layered, with lingering notes of caramelized citrus, nutmeg, and seasoned wood. Worthy Park Overproof is a 100% pot-still Jamaican rum. It's made from a combination of molasses and cane juice distillates. Aged for several years in ex-bourbon barrels, this is an ester-rich expression of traditional Jamaican rum, featuring bold tropical and grassy character. The rum is intense and funky, with notes of green banana, overripe pineapple, olive brine, and pronounced aromas of molasses and pepper. It's robust and very flavorful on the palate, with an oily texture and a notable mouth weight, showcasing classic Jamaican funk flavors, herbaceous cane juice, charred oak, brown and burnt sugar, and clove. The finish is long and fruity, with lingering notes of spice and herbal funk. Liberty & Plenty Distillery is a North Carolina craft distiller producing Caribbean-style rums under the Cap & Cane Spirits brand. This Overproof Rum blends high-ester molasses-based rum and lighter distillates. It's intended for cocktail applications, particularly tropical and classic rum punches. The nose is fresh and vibrant, featuring notes of sugarcane, lemon peel, and vanilla, with subtle earthy and funky undertones. It's smooth and remarkably well-balanced for an overproof rum, showcasing toasted coconut, light esters, citrus, and slight spice notes. The finish is long and slightly peppery, with lingering notes of herbaceous cane, dried fruits, and seasoned wood. O.F.T.D. is a Royal Navy-style rum developed by Planteray. According to the company, 'Alexandre Gabriel, our award-winning cellar master, scoured rum-joints around the world to find six grizzled old salts and together, they came up with this blend. The rum, sourced from Guyana, Jamaica, and Barbados, captures the intensity and richness of classic navy-strength rums. The rum is robust and aromatic, featuring molasses, coffee bean, ripe banana, burnt orange, and clove. It's smooth and syrupy on the palate, showcasing dark sugar, black licorice, charred oak, baking spice, and a pronounced note of tropical funk. The finish is long and flavorful, with lingering notes of dark fruit, anise, and espresso. These rums are flavorful and intense, presenting a broad array of intense flavors and textures. They can be used to craft potent cocktails and are also outstanding sipping rums. They offer a diverse range of aroma and flavor profiles. If you're a rum enthusiast, these rums are well worth exploring.
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Cocktail of the week: Don't Tell Dad's clarified curry leaf daiquiri – recipe
Milk clarification can create a cocktail that will last in your fridge door for up to a year. The protein from the milk binds to the tannins in the drink, giving it a lovely, silken texture and balancing the alcohol. You'll need to make the infusion at least five days ahead. Serves 1 For the rum infusion20g fresh curry leaves 400ml white rum – we use East London Liquor Co For the premix400ml curry leaf rum infusion – see above and method50ml overproof rum – we use Ron Colón High Proof150ml standard 1:1 grapefruit sugar syrup (ie, equal parts fresh grapefruit juice and sugar)150ml fresh lime juice 125ml whole milk For the drink75ml clarified curry leaf daiquiri – see above and method1 fresh curry leaf, to garnish For the infusion, put the curry leaves in a half-litre jar, pour over the white rum, seal and leave to infuse for five to seven days, until the leaves lose their colour. Pour all the premix ingredients bar the milk into a large container, and stir. Add the milk, stir gently, then leave to curdle by letting it sit at room temperature for about two hours. Once curdled, strain through cheesecloth set inside a fine-mesh sieve – to start with, it will look cloudy, but after the milk solids settle in the sieve, it will start to strain through clear. The moment it does so, move the sieve over a second container and pour the cloudy initial pour back in to strain again. Decant into clean bottles or jars, seal and refrigerate. To serve, pour the clarified daiquiri over ice in a tumbler, stir to chill and dilute, and garnish with a curry leaf. Edward Sims, bar manager, Don't Tell Dad, London NW6
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Over a barrel: lack of sugar throws Cuba's rum industry into crisis
It's a crisis that would have sent a shiver down Ernest Hemingway's drinking arm. Cuba's communist government is struggling to process enough sugar to make the rum for his beloved mojitos and daiquiris. As summer rains bring the Caribbean island's 2025 harvest to an end, a recent analysis by Reuters suggests that Cuba's state-run monopoly, Azcuba, is likely to produce just 165,000 metric tonnes of sugar this year. That compares with harvests of 8m in the late 1980s. Michael Bustamante, chair of Cuban and Cuban-American Studies at the University of Miami, described the situation as 'dismal'. 'You have to go back to the 19th century to find numbers this low,' he said. Cuba is in the grip of an all-encompassing economic crisis, and for the past few years has been importing sugar to feed its people, but rum producers do not have the luxury of importing. 'The regulations provide that all the liquids have to come from within the country,' an industry executive said, speaking anonymously. It is particularly worrying because the island's rum industry has been a rare bright spot in its economy. Big international luxury brands are involved, battling each other in world markets with distinctive Cuban spirits. Diageo, LVMH and Pernod Ricard all have ventures with the government in Havana, often involving tortuous legal structures to placate OFAC, the US Office of Foreign Assets Control, which polices Washington's six-decade-plus trade embargo against the island. These companies – and a small British/Norwegian upstart called the Island Rum Company – have invested heavily in their respective brands: Ron Santiago, Eminente, Havana Club and Black Tears. Now there are concerns about their prospects. 'It is threatened,' said the executive. Rum as we know it was invented in Cuba in 1862 when a shopkeeper in the coastal city of Santiago thought he could do better than the rot gut then produced in pot stills on the country's plantations worked by enslaved people. His name was Facundo Bacardí. He began using column stills to distill molasses, a byproduct of sugar refining, selecting the aguardiente liquor on the edge of the pure alcohol, before ageing it in oak. His family, and the rum they produced, became the most famous in Cuba, until they were forced out in the Castro brothers' 1959 revolution. The Castros wanted Cuba to be financially independent of other countries, a never-ending issue for the island, and sugar was at the heart of their plans. In 1970, they mobilised 500,000 volunteers to create a 10m-tonne harvest. The effort fell short, but at least until the late 1980s Cuba produced around 8m tonnes a year. There was always a lack of investment in the machinery, though, which the government blames on the US embargo. Now the 133 mills at the time of the revolution have been reduced to 14, and only six are reportedly still operating. 'The sugar production numbers have been steadily decreasing for the better part of 20 years, but particularly over the last five,' said Bustamante. 'I think it's just as clear a signal as you can get over the dire straits of the economy overall.' The Enrique Varona sugar mill is in the settlement of Falla, around halfway along the island's length. On a recent visit, the workers looked exhausted as they lathed a heavy bit of metal in the hope of keeping the great mill running. In contrast, Pernod Ricard's distillery south of Havana is modern and slick. The French drinks company was the first of the big foreign operations to arrive, doing a deal with Corporación Cuba Ron, the state producer, in 1993. In return for an agreement not to allow other competitors in for 20 years, it took over the Havana Club brand, building sales from 300,000 cases to over 4m. 'They made a huge investment in a moment in which no one had the guts to invest in Cuba,' said Luca Cesarano, who until recently ran the rival brand of Ron Santiago. With the end of that agreement in 2013, others such as Diageo arrived. Unlike Pernod Ricard, they were not distilling themselves, but employing rum makers – known as maestros – to make specific spirits in Cuba's state distilleries. They were also using historic collections of rum that the maestros had for years been storing in oak barrels across the country, even as the roofs of their bodegas grew full of holes. These high-end products have fed an international resurgence in rum. LVMH, the luxury powerhouse, arrived to make Eminente, creating the Hotel Eminente in Paris to promote it. The upstart Island Rum Company has found a strong following in Cuba and abroad by associating itself with young Cuban musicians (its Black Tears brand takes its name from a Cuban song, Lagrimas Negras. But with the supply of molasses drying up, all this work is threatened. 'I think the fourth quarter will be particularly tough,' said the executive. 'There won't be any alcohol.'
Forbes
5 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Cruzan's New Aged Rum Could Be A Hit Among Bourbon Fans
Cruzan Island Reserve 13 Year 'Next year will be rum's big breakout!' It's an ongoing joke among whiskey writers, which inevitably crops up when we're filing year-end predictions and trends lists. For decades, we've been predicting that bourbon fans, tired of chasing hard-to-find bottles and looking for novelty, will branch out into rum. After all, it's an incredibly diverse category, filled with bold flavors, hefty age statements, and stories aplenty—just the sort of thing bourbon nerds should gravitate toward. Alas, the 'Rum Renaissance' hasn't caught on as much as the 'Bourbon Boom.' Or at least, it hasn't converted the hordes of seasoned whiskey drinkers many of us predicted. Still, slowly but surely, more Americans are coming to love high quality sipping rum in all its broad and intricate manifestations. For the 'rum curious' (a term likely coined by the prolific Fred Minnick), the best bridges between whiskey and rum are often spirits that play to the strengths of both . A new, 13 year-old offering from Suntory-owned Cruzan might be just such a pour. Located on Saint Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Cruzan produces rum starting with sugarcane molasses, which is then distilled in a special five-column setup. In contrast to pot distilled rum, column distillation tends to produce a more refined spirit, with fewer compounds that produce heavy esoteric flavors or 'funk.' As Cruzan states on their website, the result is a rum 'as smooth as you can get.' Of course, not everyone is after the smoothest of the smooth, especially seasoned rum nerds. But with a 13 year age statement, Cruzan's new Island Reserve blend checks a lot of boxes bourbon fans might like, minus some of the notes they're less familiar with. It's also Cruzan's oldest rum to date, a blend of 13 year (48%), 16 year (22%), and 20 year (30%) distillate aged in a variety of American oak barrels. And while American whiskey drinkers are used to hefty price tags for 10+ year bourbon, the rum category can be a bit more wallet friendly. This 13 year expression has an MSRP of $40 for a 750 milliliter bottle. So how does it taste? The nose is oaky, with some elements familiar to fans of American whiskey: there's pronounced dark caramel (like the kind made from sweetened condensed milk), vanilla, creme brulee, and toasted coconut flakes. Drinkers of Canadian whiskey might recognize a thread of almond extract here as well. Dried pineapple rings and papaya chunks lend some tropical fruit, but the 'funkier' aromas are certainly restrained here compared to many pot-distilled rums and rum blends. A light smokiness builds over time, but it's more wet campfire ember than peat. That's another potential pro—and a great bridge—for veteran bourbon drinkers who keep toward that traditional profile) The first sip is cool, sweet, and inviting, heavy on vanilla bean and caramel-dipped apple slices. Fruit builds and diversifies with more tastes, branching into a citrus medley of blood orange, pomelo, and grapefruit candy. As with the nose, the flavors here lean sweet and zesty. To fans of funky, enigmatic rum profiles, the sip might come across as fairly straightforward (if still tasty). For those looking for a more accessible pour, Cruzan's latest limited time offering (LTO) fits right in with the company's self-proclaimed goal: distilled rums 'smooth on the palate,' but with enough character to remember. That all leads into a coconut and oak-forward finish, with a pop of effervescent mint at the very end. Cruzan Island Reserve 13 Year is bottled at 40% ABV. The total blend is composed of around 800 barrels.
