London Rum week has such a nice ring to it, a week dedicated to all things rum culminating in the annual RumFest, which is our ‘Catalina Wine Mixer’ if you are a Stepbrothers fan.
The geniuses behind RumFest are launching London Rum Week from 15th 21st October to prolong the celebrations of one of the nations favourite tipples. Expect events such as rum launches, Tiki Thursday, rum masterclasses, and word on the street a rum and cigar pairing – something we are especially excited about.
In case you have been living under a rock, RumFest is the world’s premier festival of rum, returning to the ILEC Conference Centre in London this autumn to host an abundance of tastings, masterclasses and delicious food all under one roof. Taking place 20th-21st October, over 400 world-class rum brands, mixologists, master blenders and specialists will jet in from around the world, to celebrate their passion for all things rum, taking visitors on a rum pilgrimage to explore the exquisite and unique. We have been lucky enough to attend 9 RumFests in our life and have seen how the festival has gone from strength to strength championing the category and breaking down the barriers that rum is more than ‘That drink you had a bad experience with’.
Kicking off on Monday 15th, rum-focused activities will take place across London for the first five days, including the launch of Hampden Rum from one of Jamaica’s oldest distilleries at Usain Bolt’s new London bar Tracks & Records, a Q&A with Bailey Pryor, the five-time Emmy Award-Winning Director and Producer, a showcase of rare rums & cigars at La Casa del Habano with award-winning rum maker Richard Seale (more to come on this) and much more.
The 6th Golden Rum Barrel Awards & Dinner will be held at The Holiday Inn Kensington Forum, on Sunday 21st October, where awards will be given to best in the rum industry including the Best Rums of 2018, Best Rum Master, Best Rum Bar, Best Rum Brand Ambassador and Rum Influencer of the Year. (basically the Oscars of the Rum industry).
Friend to Cut The Cap, Ian Burrell, renowned Global Rum Ambassador and RumFest Founder, will be leading a one-off tasting on the Saturday and Sunday, showcasing five rare and expensive rums with a combined retail value of £1500. Tickets for all masterclasses (except those stated) are included within the entry ticket, however, places are limited and must to be booked in advance. From past experience these classes fill up super quick so you need to get there early to make sure you are on the list.
Here is a snapshot of some of the rum brands that are running sessions across the weekend.
Saturday Masterclasses:
– Angostura
– La Hechicera
– Velier Masterclasses with Luca Gargano
– Canadian Rums
– Appleton Rum
– Flor de Caña
Sunday Masterclasses:
– Real McCoy
– Foursquare class with Richard Seale
– Appleton Rum
– Velier Masterclasses
For those after something extra special the RumFest Golden Tot Tokens will be back to give you the chance to taste limited edition and premium rums, retailing from £80-250.
One of our fondest memories from RumFest was back in 2011 when we got the chance to interview Ron Jeremy about Ron De Jeremy.
Tickets for RumFest are now on sale from £44.55 per day. For full information on RumFest and to buy tickets, head to rumfest.co.uk.