Charleston Rum Runners Festival (June 25, 2016)

Over the past few years I have attended a number of rum festivals around the country. Large or small, each event has been enjoyable for a variety of reasons. As the Charleston Rum Runners Festival approached, my expectations were low and continued to fall with every “party like a pirate” ad I saw online. I had serious concerns that the festival would breakdown into a Jimmy Buffett-like drunk fest.

While there were plenty of pirate rummies being over-served, the evening was a pleasant surprise. Around the festival floor, one could find quite an interesting mix of premium expressions, locally-produced rums, and reliable cocktail rums. Beyond the rum offerings, the organizers arranged for a number of local restaurants to serve a variety of bite-sized food samplings. There were craps tables, a tarot card reader, and a pirate-themed dance party. There was also an ultra-premium tasting bar manned by some of the cities most knowledgeable bartenders. All of these things made for a fun filled evening.

Some of the rums presented included Appleton Estates, Plantation, Lost Spirits, Pussers, Papa’s Pilar, Don Q, Mount Gay, and Flor de Cana. There were also a few local rums including Red Harbor, Sea Island, Striped Pig, Daufuskie Island and Rational Spirits.

Check out scenes from the festival below.

Bacardi Rums
Admiral Nelson and Whalers Rums
Bryan Davis and Joanne Haruta, Lost Spirits Distillery
Flor de Cana Rum
Muddy River Rum (Charlotte)
Striped Pig Rum (Charleston)
Red Harbor Rum (Charleston)
Appleton Estate Rums
Don Q Rum
Papa’s Pilar Rum
Santeria Rum from Rational Spirits (Charleston)
DJ spinning the tunes
The ladies enjoyed the evening
The Rum Trader, Todd Francis, Dave O’Donnell

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