Its impressive performance in the blind tasting landed the bottling a score of 46/50, a joint high for the 2026 BBAs. Judges were impressed by its “fresh cane aroma”, noting that “for the product to have this much flavour at this abv is a sign of a great process”, concluding that “high-proof unaged rum can’t get much better than this”. 

In this competition, taste scores are deemed more important than value scores, which in turn trump the design results, and those distinctions were all that stood between second and third, and fourth and fifth places.  

In second, Planteray Cut & Dry was awarded gold medals in each of the three categories, with judges finding “toasted coconut, cacao and coffee”. It edged out the Cuban Eminente Ambar Claro, a “versatile rum” with “variable use in cocktails”, by virtue of being deemed to represent slightly better value.  

Two more Planteray rums round out the top five, Old Fashioned Traditional Dark besting Mister Fogg Navy Rum Sail n°2 thanks to a better performance in the blind tasting.