Polished Palate’s 5th Annual International Rum Competition

The results are in for Polished Palate’s 5th Annual International Rum Competition and the Best of Show belongs to Zafra Master Reserve 21 Rum from Panama. We sampled this aged rum for the first time this past February at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival and thought it was special - particularly when damping the alcohol with a drop of water. But Best of Show - we would never have predicted. particularly since each judge has to rate the spirit with an overall score of 90+. "Master Distiller Francisco ‘Don Pancho’ Fernandez has done it again." Accolades should also be given to Khukri Rum from Nepal which earned its fifth consecutive gold medal as well as its second "best of category" category award. Who knew they crafted rum in the Himalayas, and in particular, gold medal quality rum. The Diplomatico Blanco, which we also tasted for the first time in South Beach, also was awarded a Gold medal. And the employees at Ron Abuelo must be proud of their two gold winning products, the Ron Abuelo 7 Anos and Ron Abuelo 12 Anos. The one unexplained mystery, what happened to Ron Zacapa?

WHITE RUM

* Gold: Don Q Cristal, Puerto Rico; Diplomatico Blanco, Dominican Republic.
* Silver: Siesta Key Rum, Florida; Ron Barcelo Gran Platinum, Dominican Republic.
* Bronze: Carta Viejo Claro, Panama; Koloa White Hawaiian Rum, Hawaii.

GOLD RUM

* Gold: None.
* Silver: Bacardi Gold, Puerto Rico; Koloa Gold Hawaiian Rum, Hawaii.
* Bronze: Don Q Gold, Puerto Rico; Old Lahaina Premium Gold Hawaiian Rum, Hawaii.

DARK RUM

* Gold: Khukri Rum, Nepal; One Barrel Rum, Belize.
* Silver: Koloa Dark Hawaiian Rum, Hawaii; Carta Vieja Anejo, Panama.
* Bronze: Old Lahaina Premium Dark Rum, Hawaii.

RUM AGED UP TO 8 YEARS

* Gold: Ron Abuelo 7 Años, Panama; Bacardi 8, Puerto Rico; Ron Abuelo Añejo, Panama; Ron Medellin 8 Year Old, Colombia.
* Silver: Ron Barcelo Imperial, Dominican Republic; Plantation Barbados 5 Year Grande Reserve, Barbados; Ron Medellin 3 Year Old, Colombia; Ron Viejo de Caldas 3 Year Old, Colombia; Ron Viejo de Caldas Grand Reserve, Colombia.
* Bronze: Don Q Añejo, Puerto Rico; Ron Carupano Oro Reserva Especial, Venezuela.

RUM AGED 9-15 YEARS

* Gold: Ron Abuelo 12 Años, Panama; Don Q Grand Añejo, Puerto Rico; Ron Carupano Solera Centenaria Reserva Limitada, Venezuela.
* Silver: Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva, Venezuela; Plantation 20th Anniversary, Barbados; Vizcaya VXOP Cask 21 Cuban Style Rum, Dominican Republic.
* Bronze: None.

RUM AGED 15+ YEARS

* Gold: Zafra Master Reserve 21 Rum, Panama; Ron Añejo Carupano Legendario, Venezuela
* Silver: Bacardi Reserva Limitada, Puerto Rico; Ron Millonario Solera 15 Reserva Especial, Peru.
* Bronze: None.

FLAVORED RUM

* Gold: None.
* Silver: Don Q Coco, Puerto Rico; Don Q Limon, Puerto Rico.
* Bronze: Aguardiente Antioqueño Sin Azucar, Colombia.