Last weekend's RumFest event in London saw rum fans from across the UK join some of the industry's biggest names in a two day celebration of all things rum.
RumFest brought the best of rum talent to London last weekend
Last weekend's RumFest event in London saw rum fans from across the UK join some of the industry's biggest names in a two day celebration of all things rum.
The event, held at ILEC in Earls Court, was the eighth RumFest and even included a Guinnes World Record for the largest rum tasting ever held.
Visitors could take part in specialist masterclasses as well as hear first-hand about major brands such as Bacardi, Havana Club, Diplomatico and Angostura and discover a number of smaller and new players like Duppy Share.
Representatives and brands within WIRSPA (West Indies Rum and Spirits Producers' Association) were also on hand to take people through and showcase its selection of authentic Caribbean rums.
At the start of RumFest WIRSPA also held a detailed seminar looking at the Authentic Caribbean Rum (ACR) Marque and how different producers are using it to market their rums. Brand owners and distributors were also able to catch up on key market trends from IWSR and take part in a discussion hosted by Frank Ward, WIRSPA chairman, and Neil Morris, head of marketing.
RumFest also helped raise over £10,000 for charity in a special auction run by Christie's which saw a rum dating back to 1780, from the recently discovered Harewood House Collection, sold for £5,200. The money will go to the WaterAid Charity Fund and the Geraldine Connor Foundation in Leeds.
Key rum figures such as Angostura's master distiller John Georges and Asbel Morales, master blender at Havana Club held keynote masterclasses alongside RumFest founder and global rum ambassador Ian Burrell
He said of this year's event: "RumFest was the ultimate celebration of the premium blends within the category and a chance for people to sip and discover rums that they have never come across before. Our ambitions were to give visitors the opportunity to take their love and knowledge of rum to new heights through the carefully curated masterclasses, seminars, main stage presentations and vast array of esteemed rums to sample from across the world."