RumFest

[Evangelos]

I was at RumFest last Monday in NYC and I tried a flight of rums from Clement Rhum that were outstanding!

I tried the VSOP, XO, and 2 others. They were terrific. I highly recommend them all. I think a few are now being sold in the US.

I'd give more tasting notes, BUT with the small samples and my palate being all over the place that night, it would be a difficult thing to do.

Has anyone else tried any of these rums?

[jlo mein]

Would be interesting to hear a little bit more about what kind of evening Rum Fest is. Such as what kind of rums were available, what else you could do besides tasting?

[Bill Poster]

Is Rumfest an annual event or a series?

[Evangelos]

Here is a link to the people that run RumFest and Vodkafest.

http://www.polishedpalate.com/

If you have ever been to whiskyfest or whiskylive, this is nothing like that. This is more intimate and done at nice resaturants that can accomodate smaller gatherings.

Overall, it was a fun event. One caveat is that many vendors were just hired help and didnt know the products they were pouring samples from. The one table that knew their product was the Clement table. I met some great people there.

As far as rums I can remember off the top of my head:

Appleton Estate Extra (I asked about the 21 and they laughed)

Goslings Old Rum

Goslings Black Rum

Sea Wynde (NOT my favorite by a LONG shot)

Clement Rhum VSOP, XO, and 2 others

Santa Teresa 1796 and the one below that in price

Santa Teresa also has an orange and cooffee flavored rum now

Ron Barrilito 3 star (nice)

Captain Morgan Private Stock

Starr Rum (nice on the rocks)

Malibu (didnt go there)

Cockspur 12 year (good stuff)

One Cachaca. I'd have to look at my business cards to get the brand name

Cruzan Diamond and the flavored rums they have (I asked about the single barrel, but they didnt bring it)

Mount Gay Extra Old (a nice one also)

There were a few more probably, but that's what I remember from memory.

Besides tasting, they were incessantly serving appetizers, which was nice. They also had silent auction that benefited the Skyy Ranch Foundation. I won 2 Clement Rhums.

[jlo mein]

Sounds like a fun event. I hope to pick up some Appleton Estate Extra soon, hopefully its good stuff. Although, I may hold off as apparently soon they should be distributing their new product in Canada, called Master Blender's Legacy (purple bottle, priced between Extra and 21 Year Old).

Odd that Ron Barrilito samples were available since I have heard it is difficult to acquire in the US. Also funny how Malibu and Captain Morgan's were there, but a certain other big brand name was not present.

The Cachaca didn't happen to be Agua Luca was it? I've been wanting to give that a try...available in only four states in the US.

[Evangelos]

YES! Agua Luca. It was good fromw hat I remember.

Bacardi was there too with flavored rums.