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Aug 16, 2023

The Best Rums In The World, According To The 2023 International Wine And Spirits Competition

Black Tot Master Blender's Reserve Rum 2022, the winner of the Rum Trophy at the 2023 International ... [+] Wine and Spirit Competition cementing its position as the best rum in the world. For the

Black Tot Master Blender's Reserve Rum 2022, the winner of the Rum Trophy at the 2023 International ... [+] Wine and Spirit Competition cementing its position as the best rum in the world.

For the longest time, rum, a spirit first distilled in the Caribbean in the 17th century, seemed to be consigned to the worst of fates. It was buried under sickly sweet mixers and served in cotton candy-colored frozen beverages. Drinking a glass on the rocks seemed unthinkable to most drinkers.

Well, those days have receded like a bad hangover. Rum is on a tear as people discover its complexities and nuances. Much like bourbon and tequila, two other spirits overlooked for decades, the rum market is booming with fascinating bottles appearing from traditional hot spots and newer locations that would have been unthinkable just a short time ago.

The International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC) was founded in 1969 to shine a light on genuinely outstanding vintages and bottlings and has grown to the most prominent such competition in the world. Spirits are evaluated on a 100-point scale and must score between 98-100 to receive their highest award, Gold Outstanding.

This year, forty-eight countries were represented in the rum category, and eight different rums won the coveted Gold Outstanding award. Of those eight, one was awarded the Rum Trophy as the best in the world. Their diverse geographical spread only highlights the increasing diversification and interest in rum. The winners came from South America-Guyana, Europe-Spain & Scotland, U.S.-Arizona, and the Caribbean-Jamaica & Cuba.

Here are the best of the best to help you zero in on one for your collection.

Guyana, located in northeastern South America, has long been a hotspot for showstopping rums. Famous for its rich, full-bodied rums, Guyanese rums have long been award winners. This year three rums with roots there were awarded Gold Outstanding at IWSC, and Black Tot Master Blender's Reserve Rum 2022 also took home the Rum Trophy as the overall best.

This is the third iteration of the Master Blender's Reserve to be released by Black Tot. Their inspiration for this year was to replicate the bold flavors of the molasses-based navy rums from decades past. Using blending stocks from Guyana, Trinidad, Jamaica, and Barbados, plus some of their 2021 version and original British Royal Navy rum, it's a profoundly complex liquid. Here is what the tasters had to say.

“Soft and exceptionally poised with aromas of bruised and caramelized bananas combining with richly indulgent Demerara sugar on the nose. Chocolate flows through intricate layers of tropical fruit on the complex palate, with a beautiful oak integration that delivers an enduring and delightful finish.”

By racking up a score of 99 points, this was the unofficial runner-up in the overall rum category. It's only fitting since Desert Diamond has been turning out fantastic spirits in Kingman, Arizona, since 1999. Over the years, the family-owned distillery with a train car tasting room has racked up several impressive wins for its products at many significant events.

Using Louisiana molasses, they ferment and distill at their Arizona distillery and age it in American white oak, allowing the desert heat to work its magic. A single barrel rum exhibits layers of flavor and the tasters were impressed.

“An exceptional balance with tropical fruits in abundance and a soft and subtle smokiness with integrated oak giving texture, and layers of treacle tart sweetness and juicy pineapple making this a heavenly combination that lingers forever in the mouth.”

When Holyrood Distillery opened its doors in 2019 in the heart of Edinburgh, Scotland, it became the first single malt distillery in the city in almost a century. Dedicated to pushing the boundaries with a relentless drive to explore new flavors and approaches, its gins, whiskies, and rums have been racking up awards at a rapid pace.

Made with stock rums sourced from the Diamond Distillery in Guyana, distilled inside the last wooden stills in the world, Holyrood's master blenders turned out liquid gold with this release. Aged in sherry casks in Scotland at the Royal Elizabeth Yard, the former rum store for the Royal Navy, this 10-year-old liquid wowed the judges.

“Rich stone fruits, charred wood vanilla toasted coconut and banana aromas on the nose, delicate oak influence on the palate with dark chocolate notes and a lengthy oak-driven finish. Big expression with lots of sweetness and molasses-driven notes.”

This is another showstopper from Holyrood Distillery that uses the same stock rums from the Diamond Distillery in Guyana. The difference is that it's aged in red wine casks to impart a distinctly different finish. The tannins from the vino impart a bitter, dry character that rolls back the rum's natural sweetness. All while adding in rich red fruit flavors. Something the tasters commented upon.

"Very appealing nose with hints of crème brulee and layers of dark chocolate and tobacco aromas. Well-balanced and lengthy palate with layers of oak, tropical fruits, dark cacao, cola nut and vanilla sweetness ending in an outstanding finish. Pure indulgence.”

Hailing from Jamacia, this bottle from Maison Ferrand, one world's premier boutique producers of spirits, follows in a long line of award winners from their Plantation Rum line. It was founded in 1999 to preserve old rum-making techniques, and every cask ages in the tropics for the first few years of its life. From there, it is transported by ship to the Chãteau de Bonbonnet in France, where it undergoes a second maturation in Ferrand French oak casks.

Xaymaca is the name given to Jamacia by its original inhabitants, the Arawak. It is a nod to the island's proud distilling past. Made with a blend of rums crafted at legendary island distilling locations Long Pond and Clarendon, it's a rare 100% pot still Jamaican rum. The tasters loved its tropical sweetness.

“Showing an incredibly complex nose of baked fruits warming in caramel and crunchy brown sugar with a touch of candied orange and well-integrated oak on the palate giving texture and a long and pronounced length.”

The motto of Matugga Distillers is "Scottish Craft, African Soul," and it shows with this rum. Based in the lowlands of Scotland, they are yet another nontraditional distiller turning out exceptional rums. Founded in 2018, they are helping fuel a wave of rum love that recently saw the ubiquitous tropical spirit overtake whisky sales in the UK.

Made with sugarcane harvested in East Africa, this rum aims to bring to the forefront the intensity and complexity the modern rum market is introducing to drinkers. This limited edition single cask spent three years aging in ex-bourbon casks that had subsequently held cognac for three years too. The tasters were wowed by it.

"Bright tropical aromas of mango and papaya with a streak of pineapple that carries through to the palate where layers of complex oak and sweet vanilla spice dance in perfect rhythm giving balance. An exceptional style of rum."

This gem is from industry legend Havana Club; they have been distilling rum since 1934 in Cuba. Their awards alone dwarf most other brands, plus their rums were a favorite of Hemingway and many others. They have displayed their prowess for this bottle to create a layered treat.

It is made from a blend of high-quality reserve rums aged for a minimum of fifteen years in white oak. By sweltering in the tropical heat of Cuba, the rum surrenders a high percentage of angels share, causing it to become more intense and flavorful. The tasters noted its bold flavors.

"Lifted aromas of orange and pear fruitiness, a touch of poppy seed spice with juicy pineapple on the palate, well-balanced vanilla, and fine oak with a very elegant creamy peanut length. Incredibly complex and a real joy. 'Heavenly.'"

Made on the Canary Islands, sitting just off the coast of Western Africa, this beautiful rum benefits from both the crisp Atlantic Ocean breezes and the tropical climate over its aging. As one of the oldest rum cellars in Europe, its distiller can draw on a deep catalog of knowledge that they pair with modern techniques.

This rum is made from ingredients sourced from the island and has spent twelve years in American oak, slowly maturing into a beautiful dark rum. It is artisanal rum making at its finest, and the tasters loved this version.

"Delicate aroma with cooked orange, hints of spice, brown sugar, and vanilla with a subtle floral aromatic impression on the nose leading to a big rich well-rounded palate, with bitter orange and tropical flavor characteristics combining with oak influences.”