With London Cocktail Week kicking off and Rumfest on its way, there’s another event that is the icing on the cake for rum lovers this year and that’s The Golden Rum Barrel Awards which returns to recognise and pay tribute to those working in the Rum trade.
The annual awards will celebrate all things Rum, and kick start this year’s UK RumFest
The Awards not only focus on the excellence of rum, but also the individuals within the industry.
The nominated brands and individuals will be put to the public vote, with the four most popular choices in each category attending the show. It’s all very X-Factor isn’t it?
The final four nominees from each of the categories will then face a panel of journalists and rum experts from around the world.
One winner for each award will be decided on the night at the award ceremony held in the Grange Hotel Holborn, London on Saturday 13th October.
Cut The Cap were privileged to have been guests at last year’s show and had a great time. The awards follow on from the first day of Rumfest so as you can imagine, just when you think you cannot drink anymore rum, you are thrown into an awards ceremony with rum punch, Ron Jeremy, and lots of great music.
Last year’s awards saw winners from around the world pick up awards for such titles as Best Distiller (Richard Seale Four Square Distillery), Best Master Blender (Tito Cordero Diplomatico Rum), and Best UK Rum Ambassador (Meimi Sanchez Havana Club).
The Golden Barrel Rum Awards also celebrated new rums, with Banks 5 Island picking up the title of Best New White Rum Brand, and world rums such as Bacardi 1909 given the Best new rum package.
The Rum Experience pioneers awards for outstanding achievement went to Ed Hamilton for his Ministry of Rum web page and forum, and Joy Spense the first female master blender in the rum industry.
UK Rum Ambassador and UK RumFest founder, Ian Burrell said: “We’re really excited celebrating not only the brands but also the individuals who have made a real difference in the rum industry. We want to honour those individuals who work endlessly around the world to promote their rum brands.”
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
Unfortunately our recommendation for a ‘Worst Dancer’ awards was rejected this year but here are the categories for this year’s awards:
Distillery of the Year
An award for the establishment that produce high quality rums, and has provided a service to the promotion of rum making including tours and education over the past year).
Distilerias Unidas S A, (Venezuela)
St. Nicholas Abbey (Barbados)
Angostura Distillery, (Trinidad)
St Lucia Distillery, Roseau Valley, (St. Lucia)
Master Rum Distiller of the Year
An award for the person who embodies the rum category. They not only in charge of producing great spirit but has been actively pushing the boundaries of rum production).
Ricardo Henriquez (Varela Hermanos, Panama)
John Georges (Angostura Distillery, Trinidad)
Larry Warren (St. Nicholas Abbey, Barbados)
Roberto Seralles (Seralles Distillery, Puerto Rico
Master Rum Blender of the Year
An award for the master blender who has achieved greatness in the art of rum blending and has been seen to promote this level of creativity to the rum loving public.
Alexandre Gabriel (Plantation Rums, France
Omar Lopez (Oliver & Oliver, Dominican Rep)
Joy Spence (Appleton Rum, Jamaica)
Francisco ‘Don Pancho’ Fernandez (Zafra 21, Ron De Jeremy, Panama)
Rum Blogger of the Year
The blogger or bloggers who have tirelessly been promoting the rum category to the highest level of the past year on line.
Refined Vices.com
Rum Dood.com
Mountain of crushed ice.com
The Rum collective.com
UK Rum Ambassador of the Year sponsored by Bar Life UK
The ambassador of a rum brand who has devoted their life to promoting rum to the UK market.
Shervene Shahbazkhani (Bacardi)
Daniel Dove (Ron Zacapa)
Jamie Macdonald (Appleton Rum)
Miguel Smith, (Mount Gay Rum)
International Rum Ambassador of the Year sponsored by Drink International
The ambassador of a rum brand who has devoted their life to promoting rum to the international market.
Stefanie Holte (El Dorado Rum)
Mario Navarro (Ron Zacapa)
Jim Meehan (Banks 5 Island Rum)
John Georges (Angostura Rum)
Best New Rum (Gold) sponsored by Coco Re’al
The best new gold rum that has set the world alight with its taste, marketing and promotion in 2012.
Appleton 50 Year old, Jamaica
Banks 7 Golden Aged Rum
Rhum St Barth Authentic, St Barths
Dos Maderas Luxus Doble Crianza Rum, Spain
Best New Rum (White) sponsored by Coco Re’al
The best new white rum that has set the world alight with its taste, marketing and promotion in 2012.
Caliche Rum, Puerto Rico
Plantation 3 Stars, France
Brugal Especial Extra Dry, Dominican Republic
Vizcaya Crystal, Dominican Republic
Best New Rum Package
The award for the most exciting new rum package that raises the bar
Appleton 50 Year Old, Jamaica
Legacy by Angostura, Trinidad
Bacardi de Maestros de Ron, Vintage MMXII Rum , Puerto Rico
Dos Maderas Luxus Doble Crianza Rum, Spain
Boutique RumFest Award for best White rum
The Award for the best tasting rum at the Boutique RumFest, as voted by the trade at the UK RumFest.
Boutique RumFest Award for best Gold rum
The Award for the best tasting rum at the Boutique RumFest, as voted by the trade at the UK RumFest.
The Rum Experience Pioneers Award
Every year The Rum Experience will award two people to join the PIONEERS CLUB. This is a Rum Hall of fame for legends of the rum industry- be they founders; blenders; distillers; bartenders; authors; drinkers or even just rum drinkers.
We’ll post up the winners as soon as we get the word.
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