Today we turn our attention to the rum brands that scored best in the Bartenders' Brand Awards.
If all the rums in the BBAs, it was the cult classic Havana Club 3 Year Old that won out. Joint top on taste – under blind conditions our panel said it was a “column still rum with a full body and great mouth feel”, “tropical sweetness and gentle vanillins”. On seeing the bottle, judges reached for a second gold medal and on hearing the price, a third.
Another recognisable brand was in second, Santa Teresa which lost out to Havana Club by a single point. The takeaway is that this is mighty fine rum – “smooth, rich and oily” with “hints of figs and raisins”. With a gold medal on value and design too, it was a 24-carrat performance from the Bacardi-owned brand.
Planteray Cut & Dry was a point down overall but took the joint-highest score on taste, with judges finding “toffee, chocolate and coconut” among the flavours. It edged out Canerock, which scored well for a spiced rum – not normally a lauded subcategory in the BBAs.
Canerock struck gold on taste, with one judge noting an array of spices that puncture through the oak and vanilla. The panel loved the bottle too.
In fifth, and a third product from Maison Ferrand, was Planteray Stiggins’ Fancy Pineapple rum, hailed for its “fruity, beautiful pineapple” profile.