The RumXP Judges
The RumXP International Rum Expert Tasting Panel convenes once a year to evaluate a wide range of cane spirits from all over the globe. RumXP judges are experienced evaluators of rum spirits from many countries, offering expert guidance in their selections of outstanding rum products.
2016 RumXP Competition Results
The RumXP International Rum Expert Tasting Panel is pleased to announce results of the 2016 RumXP International Tasting Competition held at the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival from April 12 to 14, 2016.
The event brought together a vast selection of rums from Sweden and Denmark, India, Reunion Island, Madagascar, Puerto Rico, Peru, Barbados, Mexico, Florida, Colorado, Louisiana, Texas, Hawaii, Trinidad, Guyana, Jamaica, Belize, Panama, St. Lucia, Guatemala, Venezuela, Colombia, Antigua, St. Kitts, Haiti, Dominican Republic, The Bahamas and many more rum making countries, as well as Rhums Agricoles from Martinique and Cachaças from Brazil.
The distinguished panel of RumXP judges were sequestered for three days of blind tasting sessions carefully organized by the experienced competition staff before being analyzed and compiled by a veteran team of statisticians.
In addition to the professional RumXP judges, the Consumer Rum Jury, consisting of serious rum enthusiasts from across America and around the world convened to sample and evaluate many fine rums for their own awards.
The results of these two competitions based on the categories and styles of rum are as follows.
• White Rum
Best In Class: Bayou Silver
Gold: Blue Chair Bay, Pito Rico Elite, Don Q Cristal, Ron Cartavio Silver
• Premium White Rum
Best In Class: Puerto Angel
Gold: Caliche, Fwaygo, Plantation 3 Star, Skotlander Rum VI, Koloa White
• Gold Rum
Best In Class: Siesta Key Gold
Gold: Wicked Dolphin, Puerto Angel Amber, Don Q Gold, Koloa Gold
• Spiced Rum
Best In Class: Siesta Key Spiced
Gold: Siesta Key Distillers Solara, Bayou Spiced, Siesta Key Limited Edition Spiced, Koloa Spiced
• Flavored Rum
Best In Class: Koloa Coffee
Gold: Plantation Stiggin’s Fancy Pineapple Rum, Don Q Pasion, Blue Chair Bay Banana, Koloa Coconut
• Overproof Rum
Best In Class: Pusser’s Gunpowder Proof
Gold: Pito Rico 106, Don Q 151, Gunroom 130 Proof, Skotlander V
• Black Rum
Best In Class: Wicked Dolphin Black
Gold: Koloa Black
• Aged Rum
Best In Class: Bayou Select
Gold: Don Q Anejo, Marauda Steel Pan, Plantation Original Dark, Tiburon
• Aged Rum 5-8 Years
Best In Class: Ron Duran 7
Gold: Plantation 5, Cartavio 5
• Aged Rum 9-12 Years
Best In Class: Yolo Gold
Gold: Cartavio Solera 12, Ron Duran 12, Panama Pacific 9
• Aged Rum 15+
Best In Class: Pusser’s 15yr
Gold: Panama Pacific 23
• Premium Aged Rum
Best In Class: Plantation 20th Anniversary
Gold: Plantation Gran Anejo, Santeria Rum, Don Q Gran Anejo, Fwaygo Single Barrel
• Vintage Aged Rum
Best In Class: Mezan Jamaica 2000
Gold: Plantation Jamaica 2001, Plantation St. Lucia 2004, Mezan Panama 2006, Don Q 2005, Mezan Guyana 2005
• Agricole Unaged Rhum
Best In Class: Maison La Mauny Ter Rouj
Gold: Trois Rivières Cuvee du Moulin, Isautier Blanc, Maison La Mauny Blanc
• Agricole Aged Rhum
Best In Class: Trois Rivières VSOP
Gold: Isautier Vieux Louis & Charles, Isautier Vieux 7yr, Maison La Mauny XO
• Cachaça Unaged
Best In Class: Weber Haus
Gold: Germana Ultra Premium, Germana Palha, Novo Fogo Silver, Lundu Silver
• Cachaça Aged
Best In Class: Sebastiana Single barrel
Gold: Novo Fogo 2yr Oak, Sebastiana 3yr Double Barrel, Middas Carvalho, Germana Caetano’s
The 2016 Consumer Rum Jury Awards
The Consumer Rum Jury is comprised of 20 well qualified rum enthusiast consumers, collectors and experienced rum travelers, offering the perspective of the active and engaged rum buyer in their evaluations.
Jurors gather at the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival for blind tasting sessions under the supervision of the International Rum Expert Panel team.
The juror’s scores are compiled, calculated and averaged by an experienced team of statisticians. The results are announced on stage at the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival.
Best In Class
Siesta Key Toasted Coconut
Gold Awards
Koloa Coffee
Plantation Pineapple
Pussers 15
YOLO Gold
Koloa Coconut
Duran 12
Silver Awards
Mezan Panama 2005
Maison La Mauny Spiced
Koloa Dark
Tiburon
Don Q Signature Release 2005
Bronze Awards
Dzama Rhum Nosy Be 104
Balcones Texas Rum
Panama Pacific 9
Puerto Angel Blanco
Fwaygo White
Trois Rivières Cuvee Du Moulin
Blue Chair Bay White
About RumXP
The annual RumXP Tasting Competition at the Miami Rum Festival is among the most prestigious events of its type in the world, bringing together a host of experienced rum judges from around the globe to evaluate the finest cane spirits from every region, every style and every category of the rum world. Their collective expertise as a group of judges is unrivaled in the spirits world. Their combined experience spans many dozens of countries and hundreds of brands. They are authors, lecturers, trainers, historians, journalists, consultants, collectors, proprietors, mixologists and promoters of rum. For additional information, please visit www.rumxp.com.
About Miami Rum Renaissance Festival
The annual Miami Rum Renaissance Festival gives rum enthusiasts the opportunity to sample hundreds of fine rums from the Caribbean and beyond during three days of Grand Tasting events.