Two weeks ago, the 10th Annual Rum Renaissance Festival was held in Fort Lauderdale, FL. I once again had the pleasure of being a Guest RumXP judge for the annual RumXP awards. Judging 150+ rums over three days is a pleasure and a challenge. Robin and Robert Burr do a terrific job organizing and executing the judging and I truly enjoy the camaraderie among the judges. Its always a challenge to keep your palate fresh for all of the sessions, especially when judging flavored expressions, but I truly enjoy the experience. I appreciate all of the submissions and I would like to congratulate all of the award winning rums!
2018 RumXP and Rum Jury Award Winners
The judges in the 2018 International Rum Expert Panel tasting competition, as well as the members of the Consumer Rum Jury recently announced the list of most outstanding rums from their 2018 RumXP Awards presentation at the annual Rum Renaissance Festival in South Florida.
The event brought together a vast selection of rums from the Caribbean and beyond, plus a fine selection of American Rums made by craft producers from across the country.
The distinguished International Rum Expert Panel (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, 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 based on consumer preferences.
Based on the strict standards of the prestigious International Rum Expert Panel, the results of these two international rum blind tasting competitions, consisting of more than 200 rum expressions, are as follows.
2018 RumXP Awards
White Rum
Tanduay Silver – Best In Class
Caneland Parade – Gold
Casa Magdalena Ron Blanco – Gold
Real McCoy 3 – Gold
Plantation 3 Stars – Gold
Nine Leaves Clear – Gold
Rhum Agricole Blanc
LaMauny Acacia – Best In Class
Trois Rivières 50% Blanc – Gold
LaKay Clairin 22/22 – Gold
Trois Rivières Cuvée de Ocean – Gold
Caneland Rum Agricole – Gold
White Overproof Rum
Monymusk White Overproof – Gold
Spiced Rum
Brinley Spiced – Best In Class
Black Magic Spiced – Gold
Muddy River Carolina Spiced – Gold
Carmelita’s Spiced Orange – Gold
Flavored Rum
Koloa Coffee – Best In Class
Alligator Bay Dark – Gold
Boqueron Coconut – Gold
Ziami Grapefruit – Gold
Brinley Lime – Gold
Brinley Coconut Cream – Gold
Wicked Dolphin Hidden Barrel Maple – Gold
Boutique Aged Rum
Florida Mermaid – Best In Class
Queen Charlotte’s Reserve – Gold
Islamorada Small Batch Dark Barrel Aged – Gold
Koloa Reserve – Gold
Prichard’s Fine – Gold
Maggie’s Farm Queen Share Double Oak – Gold
Boutique Dark Rum
Naked in Jamaica – Gold
Maggie’s Farm 50/50 Dark Rum – Gold
Overproof Aged Rum
Plantation OFTD – Best In Class
Traditional Aged Rum
Monymusk Gold – Best In Class
Mezan Guyana 2005 – Gold
Mezan Panama 2006 – Gold
Grander 12 – Gold
Tanduay Gold – Gold
Real McCoy 5 – Gold
Premium Aged Rum
Real McCoy 12 – Best In Class
Mount Gay 1703 – Gold
Plantation Xaymaca – Gold
Plantation Fiji 2009 – Gold
Plantation Peru – Gold
Mount Gay XO – Gold
Rhum Agricole Aged
Trois Rivières VSOP – Best In Class
Trois Rivières Cuvée de Moulin – Gold
LaMauny VSOP – Gold
Trois Rivières Eleve Sous Bois – Gold
2018 Consumer Rum Jury Awards
White Rum
Casa Magdalena Ron Blanco – Gold
Cane Run – Gold
Dark Rum
Naked in Jamaica – Gold
Maggie’s Farm 50/50 Dark – Gold
Aged Rum
Dos Maderas 5 + 5 – Gold
Plantation XO – Gold
Mount Gay XO – Gold
Dzama Cuvée Noire – Gold
Diplomatico #2 – Gold
Mount Gay 1703 – Gold
Spiced Rum
Brinley Spiced – Gold
Carmelita’s Dark Spiced – Gold
Black Magic – Gold
Flavored Rum
Brinley Coconut – Gold
Carmelita’s Grilled Pineapple – Gold
Runner’s – Gold
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