Miami Rum Festival Day 5

Saturday I had the pleasure of witnessing VIP/Trade rum enthusiasts interact with the brands and discussing their discoveries with their friends.  The Burrs made the decision early on to cap admission and it payed off for the VIP fans.  There was no drunken stupidity like we had witnessed in the past, instead there was a steady excitement and level of enjoyment I had not seen before.  Shows like this wax and wane and it was noticed by quite a few that some bigger brands did not attend.  However the experiences they had with the brands that did, more than made up for it.

In the trade area the brands from other countries were being visited by distributors in the hopes of getting into not only the U.S. marketplace, but Canada and Europe.  Several of them won medals in the Blind Tasting competition focusing attention on their winning products.

Here are the winners of the competitions.

2015 RumXP Best in Class and Gold Medal winners include:

White Rum
Best in Class Gold: Skotlander White
Gold Awards went to: Blue Chair Bay White, Carta Vieja Silver, Brugal White Extra Dry

Premium White Rum
Best in Class Gold: Fwaygo White
Gold Awards went to: Plantation 3 Star, Nine Leaves Clear, Skotlander Rum III

Gold Rum
Best in Class Gold: Bacardi Gold
Gold Awards went to: Brugal Anejo, Ron Carta Vieja Gold, Don Barrilito 2 star

Aged Rum
Best in Class Gold: Plantation Original Dark
Gold Awards went to: Ron del Barrilito 3 star, Pusser's British Navy, Bundaberg Small Batch 4

Premium Aged Rum
Best in Class Gold: Cartavio XO
Gold Awards went to: Plantation 20th Anniversary, Mezan XO, Brugal 1888

Aged Rum 5-8 Years
Best in Class Gold: Cartavio 5
Gold Awards went to: Plantation Barbados 5, Bacardi 8, Real McCoy 5

Aged Rum 12-15 years
Best in Class Gold: Pusser's 15
Gold Awards went to: Yolo 10, Don Q Gran Anejo, Real McCoy 12

Aged Rum 18-25 years
Best in Class Gold: Opthimus 25
Gold Awards went to: Opthimus 21, Opthimus 18, Carta Vieja 18

Aged Rum - Special Cask
Best in Class Gold: Plantation Jamaica 2001
Gold Awards went to: Plantation Guyana 2005, Opthimus Malt Tomatin Whiskey Barrels 25 yr, Opthimus Oporto Barrels 25

Spiced Rum
Best in Class Gold: Siesta Key Spiced Limited Edition
Gold Awards went to: Siesta Key Distillers Reserve, Siesta Key Spiced, Blue Chair Bay Coconut Spiced, Bayou Spiced, Blue Water Caribbean Gold Premium Spiced

Flavored Rum
Best in Class Gold: Plantation Pineapple
Gold Awards went to: Bayou Satsuma, Blue Chair Bay Banana, Caray Cafe

Overproof Rum
Best in Class Gold: Plantation Overproof Original Dark
Gold Awards went to: Don Q 151, Lost Spirits Colonial American Inspired Rum, Wicked Dolphin Strawberry RumShine 100 Proof, Stroh 80

Rhum Agricole Blanc
Best in Class Gold: Trois Rivieres Rhum Blanc Agricole 55%
Gold Awards went to: -- Trois Rivieres Cuvee Speciale 40%, Trois Rivieres Rhum Blanc Agricole 40%, Trois Rivieres Rhum Blanc Agricole 50%

Rhum Agricole View
Best in Class Gold: Trois Rivieres Rhum Vieux VSOP
Gold Awards went to: Trois Rivieres Rhum Ambre 40%, La Mauny Rhum Vieux X.O. 40%, Trois Rivieres Rhum Vieux Martinique 12yr

2015 Consumer Jury

Best in Class Gold: Ron Cartavio XO

Gold Awards went to: Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva, Opthimus Ron Artesanal Solera 25 Anos, Siesta Key Distillers Reserve Solera Spiced Rum

Were there surprises?  Yes!  There definitely was.  However when you are working with a panel with a global palate this is bound to happen.