Best of Whisky and Rum 2023: What’s happening in the world of rum

The rise of craft rum is great news for rum lovers and those ready to journey further into full-flavoured dark spirits. Here are three of the best rums to try.

Rum worldwide has always enjoyed a tropical and warm climate persona, giving the drinker a sense of sun-filled days and swaying palm trees. For a long time, the epicentre of this beloved spirit has been the Caribbean, but this perception and dominance are slowly shifting. Old, underinvested infrastructure and low yields create opportunity elsewhere – namely, our backyard of Australia.

With consistently high-quality sugar cane, the Lucky Country has a shot at taking the world by storm with a swelling rum industry. Adam Fagg, Venue Manager at the Gold Coast’s Beenleigh Artisan Distillery, strongly agrees with this notion. “For a long time, there have been a handful of big players in the rum industry worldwide, but this is shifting and being pushed along by demand domestically. I think people’s opinion of this spirit is changing quite quickly, and it’s great to see the demographic of those drinking it is moving with the increase too.” 

Gin, craft beer, and natural wines are certainly having their moments – but does this mean rum is next? “Rum is in prime position and ready to be taken seriously,” Adam says. “A lot of our patrons are getting, you might say, nerdy and into the technical side of rums – what gives them their specific smells, textures, and tastes. The sophistication associated with other drinks is now being connected to this humble spirit, and rightly so.”

Read on to see which rums impressed the judges in the 2023 Best of Whisky and Rum Awards, and find out how to make a classic Rum Old Fashioned cocktail.