Robs Rum Guide

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Category: Dominican Republic

Miami Rum Renaissance Festival

2024 Miami Rum Renaissance Festival – November 9–10–11

Sunday, October 20, 2024 / / 2 Comments

Miami Rum Renaissance Festival Offers Three Days of Rum Appreciation

Miami Rum Renaissance Festival — the 15th annual gathering of rum enthusiasts and members of the spirits trade — returns to Coral Gables on the weekend of November 9–11, 2024 with a diverse program of rum appreciation.

A Large Selection of Rums to Sample

Exhibit space is sold out — once again — so attendees can expect a wide variety of fine rums from around the world in the two halls of the historic Woman’s Club in Coral Gables.

Miami Rum Renaissance Festival

As always, new rums will be debuted at the festival grand tasting event, offering the first glimpse of up and coming brands and expressions.

The most popular rums in the world will be onsite, offering rum enthusiasts a chance to experience each brand’s latest new offerings.

Rum Seminars on Saturday

The spectacular rum weekend begins on Saturday, November 9, at the Courtyard By Marriott in Coral Gables with a series of in-depth seminars dealing with rum production, tiki cocktails and a bit of rum history, sailing the high seas with the British Royal Navy.

This year’s seminars include “The Cave Above The Clouds,” focusing on production and aging techniques of Guatemala’s legendary cane spirits; “Tiki Evolution,” which explores the historic rums and iconic cocktails of the legendary Mai-Kai Polynesian Restaurant and Molokai Bar; and the creation of “Mister Fogg,” discussing the re-birth of an authentic and historically accurate Navy rum by Alexandre Gabriel.

Miami Rum Renaissance Festival Tasting on Sunday

On Sunday, November 10, the rum education weekend continues with a Grand Tasting event at the historic Coral Gables Woman’s Club from 12:30 to 5pm, featuring several hundred rums on display for sampling, with exhibits by several dozen rum companies and a Caribbean-theme catering menu with special offerings made to pair with the rum.

Trade Day On Monday

On Monday, November 11, a special session is held at the Woman’s Club from 12:30 to 5pm just for members of the spirits trade, attracting bartenders, food and beverage managers, importers, brokers, distributors, buyers for liquor store chains, and liquor retailers. Also, members of the spirits press will be in attendance.

The Private Collection

Attendees can also experience the ultimate adventure in rum tasting — the Private Collection Tasting Bar featuring many dozens of luxury, limited edition and rare rums from private collections. Private Collection Tasting Bar tickets ($5 per taste) for the luxury rum collection benefit a local non-profit organization.

Miami Rum Renaissance Festival

Discount Tickets Before November 1

Advance tickets are available online for $49 to $59 before Friday, November 1. After that date, and at the door, ticket prices are slightly higher.

For more details and ticket information, call 707-278-6736 or visit the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival web site: https://www.rumrenaissance.com/

For more information about types of rum, see Rob’s Rum Guide tutorials.
To stay informed about news and updates in the world of rum, subscribe to Robs Rum Guide.
View insightful and succinct video rum reviews: Rum Minute YouTube Channel.
Taste The Best Rums: Miami Rum Festival and Rum Renaissance Tasting.
Experience the ultimate rum travel adventure: Rum Renaissance Caribbean Cruise.
Ask the Experts: What is the Best Rum In The World?

Miami Rum Renaissance Festival Events

2023 Miami Rum Renaissance Festival – November 11-12

Friday, October 27, 2023 / / 0 Comments

The 2023 Miami Rum Renaissance Festival returns to Coral Gables on the weekend of November 11 and 12, with another great selection of rums to savor, discern and taste. http://www.rumrenaissance.com/

Rum Seminars on Saturday

First, an exciting lineup of rum seminars are set for Saturday, November 11 at the Courtyard by Marriott in Coral Gables, starting at noon.

Four 45 minute seminars are scheduled, including:

  • Team Bacardí Blenders
  • Legacy and Future Production at Barbancourt – Haiti
  • National Rums of Jamaica – Long Pond and Clarendon
  • The Grand Experiment in Terroir – Renegade Rum in Grenada

For complete details on the rum seminars, visit the rum seminars page. The four seminar series is priced at $89 and tickets are available online.

Rum Renaissance Tasting on Sunday

On Sunday, November 12 at 2pm, the public is invited to discover hundreds of fine rums from around the world.

2023 Rum Renaissance Tasting

Trade tickets allow early entry for those in the spirits business, as well as VIP admission, at 12:30pm.

The Private Collection

Attendees can also experience the ultimate adventure in rum tasting — the Private Collection Tasting Bar featuring many dozens of luxury, limited edition and rare rums from private collections.

Private Collection Tasting Bar tickets ($5) for the luxury rum collection benefit a local non-profit organization.

A Large Selection of Rums to Sample

Exhibit space is sold out — once again — so attendees can expect a wide variety of fine rums from around the world in the two halls of the historic Woman’s Club in Coral Gables.

As always, new rums will be debuted at the festival grand tasting event, offering the first glimpse of up and coming brands and expressions.

The most popular rums in the world will be onsite, offering rum enthusiasts a chance to experience each brand’s latest new offerings.

Last Call for Discount Tickets

Before November 1, Miami Rum Festival General admission tickets are $49, while early entry VIP admission is $59. The four seminar series is priced at $89. Tickets purchased online in November, as well as at the door, are slightly higher.

Details are available on the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival web site. http://www.rumrenaissance.com/

For more information about types of rum, see Rob’s Rum Guide tutorials.
To stay informed about news and updates in the world of rum, subscribe to Robs Rum Guide.
View insightful and succinct video rum reviews: Rum Minute YouTube Channel.
Taste The Best Rums: Miami Rum Festival and Rum Renaissance Tasting.
Experience the ultimate rum travel adventure: Rum Renaissance Caribbean Cruise.
Ask the Experts: What is the Best Rum In The World?

Blue Water Ultra Premium rums from Dominican Republic

Tuesday, June 30, 2015 / / 1 Comment

Blue Water Beverage Brands recently launched their first two products at the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival and Trade Expo — Blue Water Ultra Premium white rum and Blue Water Caribbean Gold Premium Spiced Rum.

Blue Water Ultra Premium - Made in the Dominican Republic, two new spirits from Blue Water Rum include premium white and gold spiced expressions.

Blue Water Rum has recently released a premium white rum and an aged gold spiced rum, made in the Dominican Republic, which won a 2015 Gold RumXP Award.

The spiced rum took home a Gold Award in the 2015 RumXP international Tasting Competition.

The new brand, based in Tortola, British Virgin Islands, expects to deliver a full line of white, spiced, aged, flavored and specialty rums in the near future.

Behind this private label brand is boutique rum manufacturer Oliver & Oliver International of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Originally from Cuba, Omar Vicente Ramirez is the Maestro Ronero who supervises the development of Blue Water’s rums. Blue Water chose Omar for his decades of experience and worldly knowledge of rum.

Blue Water Ultra Premium Rum is a white 40% ABV distilled using a column still, then rested in a stainless steel vat leaving its color as pure as the blue waters of the Caribbean.

On the nose we find light alcohol with accents of sweet marshmallow and creamy vanilla over mineral water with vague cinnamon and aguardiente notes. On the palate, a very smooth entry builds up warmth in mid-palate, offering slightly sweet creamy vanilla marshmallow before building some warmth with echoes of fresh cane in the finish.

Blue Water Caribbean Gold Rum is a multi award-winning spiced rum of 35% ABV. This rum gets its color from aging in American Oak barrels for three years before being delicately infused with fruits and spices. It makes great cocktail and also plays well as a sipper on the rocks.

On the nose, we find zesty orange slice candy with baking spice leading to a hint of egg custard over sweet vanilla, with a suggestion of orange blossom water and double-bubble gum. A whiff of cinnamon is detected. On the palate, a medium sweet entry with bright orange and vanilla over baking spices dries out mid-palate, leading to an astringent note of anise which balances the sweet component.

The signature cocktail they have created with the spiced rum is “96 degrees,” named after the 96 Degrees In The Shade song from world famous recording reggae artists Third World.

96 Degrees

  •     2 oz Blue Water Caribbean Gold Spiced Rum
  •     1 oz Old Jamaica Ginger Beer
  •     several slices of fresh cucumber

method: Shake the rum with the cucumber slices and ice. Strain in a highball glass with fresh ice, top with ginger beer. Garnish with cucumber.

Blue Water rums are presently available for purchase in St. Maarten, Dutch West Indies and Anguilla, British West Indies. Blue Water is expanding these brands into neighboring islands, including the exclusive and influential St. Barth’s, French West Indies and St. Kitts and Nevis. Blue Water intends to continue expanding these brands throughout the Caribbean Region and, ultimately, export them into the United States as early as 2016.

Brugal wins three Gold Medals at Miami Rum Renaissance Festival

Thursday, May 21, 2015 / / 0 Comments

On Tuesday, May 19, the Brugal brand of rum, an iconic spirit of the Dominican Republic, announced Brugal wins three Gold Medals from the RumXP International Tasting Competition held at the annual Miami Rum Renaissance Festival.

Brugal wins three Gold Medals - With three new RumXP gold medals, Brugal's fine line of rums from the Dominican Republic are gaining more respect and appreciation among professionals and consumers worldwide.

Brugal rum, the leading brand from the Dominican Republic, was awarded three new gold medals from the RumXP competition held at the recent Miami Rum Renaissance Festival.

RumXP Gold Awards went to Brugal White Extra Dry in the white rum category, to Brugal Añejo in the gold rum category and to Brugal 1888 in the premium aged rum category. Brugal XV was also awarded a bronze medal from the Consumer Rum Jury at the same time.

The annual RumXP Tasting Competition forms part of the Rum Renaissance festival and is among the most prestigious events of its type in the world, bringing together an experienced panel of 12 rum judges who conducted blind taste tests to evaluate the finest cane spirits from every region, every style and every category of the rum world.

Assistant brand manager Sarah Knowles said: “Last year, at Rum Renaissance 2014, Brugal won the Ultra Premium Reserve Rum ‘Best In Class’ RumXP award for Brugal Papa Andres Family Reserve, starting an award trend.

“This year’s RumXP awards continue to add prestigious accolades for our other expressions, which are more readily accessible to a larger consumer base. Brugal has produced a family of high quality rums distilled, aged and bottled in the Dominican Republic since 1888. We are very excited to receive these RumXP acknowledgments and honoured to garner this respect from the rum community.”

With a current ad campaign promoting “Respeto!” Brugal certainly is gaining the respect of rum professionals and consumer worldwide. The company has been making fine rums in the Dominican Republic for more than 135 years. In 1920, the company’s first warehouses were built for the ageing of rum in oak barrels.

The company sells more than 80% of all rum in the Dominican Republic, is a leading brand in the Caribbean region and ranks one of the top selling rum brands in the United States. The Edrington Group took a majority stake in the brand in February, 2008.

Other notable Brugal luxury expressions include Siglo de Oro family reserve and Papa Andres Ultra Premium aged rum.

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