In November 2022, the Caribbean Rum Awards returned to the French Caribbean island of St. Barth for a one-of-a-kind event featuring extraordinary rums from around the globe. The week was jam-packed with master classes, ti' punch parties, rum and cigar pairings, rum cocktail paired dinners, and a waterfront rum expo. A panel of eight spirits industry professionals convened to judge almost 60 unique rums to determine the best-in-class across eight categories, and ultimately crowned Rhum Neisson 21 90th Anniversary as the World Champion. The Caribbean Rum Awards proved to be the ultimate luxury rum experience for anyone who appreciates this diverse spirit.
Events
Opening Party presented by Rhum Neisson:
~ Le Barthélemy Hotel & Spa ~
The Caribbean Rum Awards kicked off with a rooftop party and tasting with Rhum Neisson at the luxurious Le Barthélemy Hotel & Spa in Grand Cul-de-Sac. Guests enjoyed ti' punch, the traditional cocktail of the French Caribbean made with rhum agricole, lime, and sugar cane syrup, as the sun set in St. Barth. The stunning 360-degree views of the island were paired with tastes of several expressions from Rhum Neisson, including the Vieux, XO, and the 2003 Fút Unique single cask, along with cigars from Davidoff.
Rum Cocktail Paired Dinner:
~ Quarter Kitchen & Cocktail Lab ~
Tickets to the Caribbean Rum Awards included a four-course rum cocktail paired dinner at the Quarter Kitchen & Cocktail Lab in downtown Gustavia. The meal began with an amuse bouche followed by the first course, which included chicken dumplings in yuzu sesame sauce paired with a yuzu and bitter orange Clairin Communal cocktail. The second course featured bao buns with Chinese roasted duck accompanied by a Rhum Karukera cocktail made with mango, lime, and egg white. The main course of hanger steak, kimchi, and Tsukemen noodles was served alongside a spicy chili shrub and pineapple cocktail with La Favorite rhum agricole. The dessert course was a local banana cake topped with matcha cream and coconut ice cream and paired with a Ron Diplomático Old Fashioned-style cocktail featuring cinnamon, chocolate bitters, and tonka bean.
Rum and Cigar Pairings:
~ Rhum Room ~
Following the rum cocktail paired dinners on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, rum and cigar pairings were offered in the Rhum Room (which is set up as a speakeasy inside the Quarter Kitchen & Cocktail Lab). Flor de Caña hosted the first pairing, which included tastings of their 25 Year, 130th Anniversary, and V Generaciones 30 Year rums paired with dark chocolate as well as a Davidoff Nicaraguan cigar. The second evening featured Ron Diplomático, where their Reserva Exclusiva rum was paired with a Diplomaticos Cuban cigar.
Master Classes:
~ Rhum Room ~
Ticketholders could choose to attend two of the 12 master classes that were offered during the week, including Rhum Clément, Reimonenq, La Favorite, Rhum Bielle, Flor de Caña, Rhum Neisson, Plantation Rum, La Maison and Velier, Holmes Cay, HSE, and Diplomático. Rum Traveler participated in four of these master classes:
- Rhum Bielle: Located on the island of Marie Galante (part of Guadeloupe in the French West Indies), this distillery produces traditional rhum agricole from column stills using fresh cane juice. The tasting included Canne Bio (an organic blanc agricole bottled at 59% ABV), Vieux 2011 (aged 10 years in ex-bourbon casks), and Brut de Fût 2014 (aged 7 years and bottled at cask strength). All three rhums were complex yet elegant and beautifully showcased the quality of rhums from this distillery.
- La Maison and Velier: At this master class on "geeky esters", Daniele Biondi shared an incredible amount of information about how fermentation and esters produce flavors in rum distillates, which then evolve in aged expressions. Attendees sampled several un-aged and aged marques from Hampden Estate Rum (including the incredibly intense DOK marque), along with the Cambridge 2010 from Long Pond and the Papalin blend from Worthy Park Estate and Hampden. The Providence un-aged and aged rums from Haiti were also tasted to illustrate the flavor differences between Jamaican and Haitian rums.
- Holmes Cay: For this class, Eric Kaye discussed how he sources unique rums from around the world and bottles them under his brand, Holmes Cay. This diverse tasting included the Fiji 2004 17 Year, Trinidad Ten Cane 2012 10 Year, South Africa Mhoba 2017 4 Year, Belize 2006 16 Year, and Fiji 2001 21 Year, the oldest Fijian rum ever offered to the market.
- HSE (Habitation Saint-Etienne): Samuel Laborieux presented an extensive lineup of rhums for this master class, including no less than 17 rhums to choose from! He explained the differences in each of these expressions, all produced at their distillery in Martinique. The tasting included blancs (un-aged rhums) and an incredibly wide variety of aged expressions from different types of casks. This was an excellent example of having a r(h)um for everyone, from Scotch drinkers to vodka drinkers and everyone in between.
Ti' Punch Party presented by Rhum Damoiseau:
~ Les Ilets de la Plage ~
On Thursday evening, guests made their way out of Gustavia and over the hill to Les Ilets de la Plage, a quaint beachside resort in St. Jean. Rhum Damoiseau provided ti’ punches made with a choice of Rhum Blanc 50° or Rhum Vieux while guests mingled and discussed the events of the week. As the sun set, hors d'oeuvres were served poolside and several aged Damoiseau expressions were offered. This was a relaxing break from the hustle and bustle of Gustavia and a great way to recharge before the Rum Expo on Friday night.
St Barth Rum Festival Expo:
~ Quai d'Honneur - Gustavia ~
The biggest event of the week was held on the waterfront in Gustavia on Friday evening, with a backdrop of mega-yachts and the Caribbean stars. This event was open to the public and allowed ticketholders, island visitors, and locals to come together and celebrate the spirit of rum. Fourteen rum producers from all over the Caribbean, including Rhum Neisson, HSE, Holmes Cay, Velier, Plantation, Baie des Tresors, Clairin, Flor de Caña, Mount Gay, and others presented their expressions for attendees to taste. There was a cocktail bar offering shaken daiquiris, a Davidoff cigar lounge, and a live band playing island music for guests to enjoy.
Caribbean Rum Awards Judging:
~ Quarter Kitchen & Cocktail Lab ~
This year there were nearly 60 rums across eight categories entered in the competition, ranging in price from €40 to over €2,000. Over 75% of these expressions were rhum agricoles from Martinique and Guadeloupe, a rare occurrence in rum competitions which are usually dominated by molasses-based rums. Eight professionals from the spirits industry blind-tasted and evaluated these rums during the three-hour judging session held at the Quarter Kitchen & Cocktail Lab in downtown Gustavia. Judges included: Alexander Britell, editor and publisher of Caribbean Journal; Guy Britton, managing editor and EVP of Caribbean Journal; Christopher Davis, global rum expert and proprietor of the Rhum Room St Barth; Jose Antonio Hernandez-Solaun, rum expert and international cigar sommelier; Peter Berntsen, COO of Empire Social Lounge in Miami and founder of Miami Rum Month; Guy Ferdinand, renowned Caribbean chef and owner of Martinique’s Le Petibonum; Myssi Davis, co-founder of Rum Traveler; and Ivan Jivkov, Cuban rum expert. The complete list of winning rums from each category is provided below.
Winning Rums
Rhum Agricole Blanc - 50 Degrees and Below:
- Double Gold: La Favorite Rhum Agricole Blanc 50°
- Gold: HSE Rhum Blanc 50°
- Silver: Karukera Rhum Blanc Agricole 50°
- Bronze: Rhum Bologne Black Cane
Rhum Agricole Blanc - Over 50 Degrees:
- Double Gold: Montebello Cuvée the Bolokos
- Gold: Rhum J.M Blanc 55°
- Silver: Karukera L’Intense Rhum Blanc Agricole
- Bronze: Longueteau Rhum Blanc Agricole 62°
VSOP:
- Double Gold: HSE Très Vieux Rhum VSOP
- Gold: Rhum Neisson VSOP
- Silver: La Favorite Coeur de Canne
- Bronze: Trois Rivières VSOP
XO:
- Double Gold: HSE Rhum Agricole Extra Vieux XO
- Gold: Domaine de Severin XO
- Silver: Rhum J.M XO
- Bronze: Rhum Clément Cuvée de l’Habitation
Hors d’Age:
- Double Gold: Reimonenq Rhum Vieux 9 Ans Cuvée "Prestige"
- Gold: Trois Rivières Triple Millesime
- Silver: Rhum Bielle Rhum Vieux 2011
- Bronze: Rhum Neisson Nonaginta
Uber-Premium Agricole:
- Double Gold: Rhum Neisson 21 90th Anniversary
- Gold: Rhum J.M Signature
- Silver: Reimonenq Cuvée Quintessence
- Bronze: Rhum J,M Dame Jeanne
Premium Molasses:
- Double Gold: Holmes Cay Belize 2005
- Gold: Ron Diplomático Single Vintage 2005
- Silver: Flor de Caña 130th Anniversary
- Bronze: Mount Gay XO
Uber-Premium Molasses:
- Double Gold: Flor de Caña V Generaciones 30 Year
- Gold: Havana Club Unión
- Silver: Ron Diplomático Ambassador
- Bronze: Mount Gay The Madeira Cask Expression
World Champion: Rhum Neisson 21 90th Anniversary
TRAVEL INFORMATION & TIPS
Flights & Ferries
Island Transportation
Flights & Ferries
The primary gateways from the United States to St. Barth are Saint Martin (SXM) and San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU):
- From Saint Martin, connections to St. Barth are possible through inter-island flights on Winair and St. Barth Commuter or through ferry service with Great Bay Express and Voyager. Although the ferries are less expensive, they require a land transfer from the airport to Marigot or Philipsburg and the 45 - 60 minute ferry ride can be rough. A faster and more convenient option is to take a 15 minute flight to St. Barth, which does not require a land transfer in Saint Martin. Flights on St. Barth Commuter cost less but there are fewer fights to choose from, while flights on Winair offer additional options but cost more.
- From San Juan, the most convenient way to get to St. Barth is with Tradewind Aviation, which offers daily scheduled non-stop flights to the island. These flights are significantly more expensive than the inter-island flights from Saint Martin but offer more of a private charter/VIP experience. Connections are also possible with Winair but have an additional stop in Saint Martin.
Accommodations
Island Transportation
Flights & Ferries
St. Barth is a luxury destination and that is reflected in the cost of the island's accommodations. Fortunately, the Caribbean Rum Awards take place at the end of the summer season which offers the lowest rates of the year. Resorts such as Le Barthelemy and Les Ilets de la Plage offer lavish rooms in stunning beachfront locations but come with a hefty price tag even in low season. A more affordable option is renting a private villa from WIMCO. Villas are available all over the island and most offer private pools and spectacular views. Larger villas can often be rented with fewer bedrooms at a lower rate, making this a great choice even for couples and small groups.
Island Transportation
Island Transportation
Island Transportation
A rental car is a must in St. Barth since there is no public transportation and taxis are scarce. Popular chains such as Avis and Hertz offer a variety of vehicles at reasonable rates and have a larger inventory than independent companies. The island is fairly easy to navigate although roads are narrow and can be very steep, so a small sedan or 4WD SUV are ideal choices. Note that there are only two gas stations on the island, one at the airport and another in L'Orient, and both are closed on Sunday. They also do not accept US credit cards at the pump so payment must be made inside the station.