The has released this year’s list of the world’s best rums. Below is a brief overview of the gold medalists, along with my tasting notes and BevTest’s commentary.
For decades, “aged rum” meant a safe spectrum of amber spirits that nodded politely to vanilla, caramel, and oak. Today, that center of gravity has shifted. A new generation of producers is finishing rum in Japanese Mizunara, seasoning barrels with estate-grown coffee, pushing Jamaican ester levels to the edge, and extending tropical maturation well beyond a decade, all while keeping sugar in check and character dialed up.
The result is a landscape where three-year-old whites can outmuscle many old brown spirits, long-aged soleras drink drier and more structured, and the lines between “classic,” “experimental,” and “cocktail workhorse” blur into a single, increasingly compelling continuum. These gold medal winners from the Beverage Testing Institute’s latest judging show just how far rum has traveled and how much delicious ground remains to explore.
Rums: Three Years and Older
Barceló Imperial Rare Blends Mizunara Cask Rum, 43% ABV, 750 ml. Dominican Republic. Gold Medal, 95/100 points.
is part of the company’s Rare Blends collection. It is crafted from a blend of fresh sugarcane juice and molasses. The rum is initially aged for about 8–10 years in ex-bourbon American oak before being further aged in rare Japanese Mizunara oak casks.
Mizunara oak, prized for its porous grain and highly aromatic “sandalwood incense” character, is more commonly associated with premium Japanese whisky production. However, it is increasingly used to finish premium rums.
The nose is distinctive, with aromas of sandalwood, toasted coconut, vanilla, ginger, incense-like spice, and seasoned oak, all layered over caramelized sugar cane. The palate is rich yet elegant, with flavors of honey, baking spice, coconut cream, light tropical fruit, and sweet oak.
Mizunara oak adds a faint incense-like note and a subtle resinous quality rarely found in rum. The mouthfeel is silky and smooth, with a distinctive yet well-integrated oak tannin backbone. The finish is long, dry, and spicy, with lingering notes of sandalwood, toasted vanilla, ginger, and oak.
The BevTest Judging Panel described the rum as exhibiting “aromas of sweet caramel popcorn, fresh-sliced red apple, and milk chocolate, along with flavors of spiced chocolate, butterscotch, and walnut. An elegant after-dinner sipper — chocolate lovers, get in line.”
Don Q Reserva Especial Rum, 40% ABV, 750 ml. Puerto Rico. Gold Medal, 94/100 Points.
Produced by Destilería Serrallés, one of Puerto Rico’s oldest rum producers, is a multi-aged, molasses-based rum aged in American white oak barrels. Puerto Rican rum production emphasizes column distillation and filtration, yielding a cleaner, lighter, and more restrained profile than many heavier Caribbean styles.
The rum features aromas of caramel, vanilla, toasted almond, orange peel, and light oak char. On the palate, it is smooth and medium-bodied, with flavors of toffee, brown sugar, roasted nuts, and subtle spices, and the clean, dry edge characteristic of Puerto Rican rum. The texture is smooth and lightly creamy, without excessive sweetness. The finish is medium-long, with lingering vanilla, cocoa powder, oak spice, and light molasses notes.
The BevTest Judging Panel described the rum as having “aromas of pancakes, maple syrup, and caramel corn, along with flavors of creamy brown butter, orange peel, and black tea. A smoky sipper with rich sugar and char notes.”
John Watling’s Paradise Rum, 40% ABV, 750 ml. Bahamas. Gold Medal, 94/100 Points.
Produced at the historic Buena Vista Estate in Nassau, reflects a lighter Bahamian rum tradition that emphasizes balance and drinkability. The molasses-based rum is aged in oak barrels under tropical conditions that accelerate maturation while preserving freshness.
The rum features aromas of honey, cane sugar, ripe banana, vanilla, and citrus zest. The palate offers flavors of caramel, toasted coconut, tropical fruit, and a hint of baking spice, all set on a smooth, medium-light body. The texture is smooth and easy drinking, with a subtle oak influence. The finish is clean and lightly sweet, with lingering notes of vanilla, banana bread, and fresh sugar cane.
The BevTest Judging Panel described the rum as exhibiting “aromas of salted maple syrup, wet, burnt wood, and leather, along with flavors of salted caramel, leather, and dried stone fruits. With its honeyed finish, this is a fantastic choice for after dinner, to be enjoyed neat with a cigar.”
Santa Teresa 1796 Triple-Aged Solera Rum Arabica Coffee Cask Finish, 46% ABV, 750 ml. Venezuela, 750 ml. Gold Medal, 93/100 Points.
is one of Venezuela’s benchmark solera-style, molasses-based rums. Traditionally, it’s matured through a multi-stage aging process involving separate barrel aging followed by solera integration.
The Arabica Coffee Cask Finish expression takes the mature rum and finishes it in barrels that previously held cold-brew coffee made from Arabica beans grown on the Santa Teresa estate. The coffee influence comes from barrel finishing rather than direct flavoring or infusion, placing the rum on the cusp between barrel-finished and flavored rums.
The rum is layered and aromatic, with notes of espresso, roasted cacao nibs, toasted oak, tobacco leaf, roasted almonds, vanilla, and dark caramel. The palate opens with a distinctive coffee-driven richness, followed by flavors of brown sugar, cocoa, dried fruit, charred oak, and baking spices. The texture is velvety and slightly oily, with a touch of coffee bitterness that adds structure. The finish is long, earthy, and warming, with lingering espresso, cocoa powder, toasted oak, and dark chocolate notes.
The BevTest Judging Panel described the rum as exhibiting “aromas of coffee, milk chocolate, and turbinado sugar, followed by flavors of salted caramel doughnut, cherry maple granola, and toasted oak. Roasted/toasted layers of coffee, milk chocolate, salted caramel, and pecans are so richly balanced that, with some imagination, you could be sipping an expertly distilled espresso martini.”
Monymusk Plantation Classic Gold Rum, 40% ABV, 750 ml. Jamaica. Gold Medal, 93/100 Points.
Produced at Clarendon Distillery in Jamaica, reflects traditional Jamaican molasses-based rum production, with a heavier ester influence than Spanish-style Caribbean rum. Jamaican fermentation methods tend to produce more congeners and aromatic compounds, resulting in intense, fruit-driven profiles.
The rum offers aromas of ripe banana, pineapple, molasses, toasted sugar, and a light funk, with hints of spice and tropical fruit. The palate is fuller-bodied than many lighter Caribbean rums, with notes of grilled pineapple, banana bread, caramelized sugar, allspice, and light oak. The texture is moderately oily and robust. The finish is long and warming, with lingering tropical fruit, spice, molasses, and faint smoky oak notes.
The BevTest Judging Panel described the rum as exhibiting “aromas of dunder, charred wood, and pomegranate, along with flavors of stone and tropical fruits and curry. A complex, fruity rum to save for special occasions.”
Santa Teresa 1796 Triple-Aged Solera Rum, 40% ABV, 750 ml. Venezuela. Gold Medal, 92 Points.
Like the rest of the range, Santa Teresa 1796 is matured using a triple-aging system that combines separate barrel aging with a solera process across multiple oak casks. The molasses-based rum incorporates older reserves reportedly aged for more than 15 years. It’s known for avoiding heavy sugar dosing, resulting in a drier, more structured profile than many Central American/Latin-style solera rums.
The nose offers aromas of dried fruit, tobacco, leather, vanilla, honey, cinnamon, and toasted oak. On the palate, it is rich yet balanced, with dark chocolate, nuts, dried fig, caramelized banana, pepper, and oak spice. The palate is velvety and elegant, balancing weight with restraint. The finish is long, dry, and smooth, with lingering notes of leather, toasted oak, cocoa, and warm spice.
The BevTest Judging Panel described the rum as exhibiting aromas of chocolate shavings, caramel, and dried apricot, along with flavors of wood-grilled pineapple, café au lait, and bananas foster. Beautifully crafted, chewy, and balanced, this aged rum will make a fine hand-shaken daiquiri and be an excellent addition to your cocktail larder.
Don Q Reserva 7 Rum, 40% ABV, 750 ml. Puerto Rico. Gold Medal, 92/100 Points.
Don Q Reserva 7 is aged for at least seven years in American white oak barrels and reflects Puerto Rico’s cleaner, column-distilled rum tradition. Extended tropical maturation enhances oak integration while preserving the brand’s restrained style.
The rum exhibits typical molasses-based aromas of caramel, vanilla, toasted almond, orange peel, and light tobacco. The palate is medium-bodied and balanced, with toffee, roasted nuts, oak spice, dried fruit, and faint cocoa notes. The texture is smooth and refined, with moderate viscosity. The finish is medium-long, clean, and dry, with lingering oak, vanilla, and toasted sugar notes.
The BevTest Judging Panel described the rum as exhibiting “aromas of overripe banana, coconut cream, and umami, along with flavors of buttered toast, smoked tonka, and green banana. With its vanilla wafer notes, it would make an excellent Old-Fashioned-inspired cocktail and a great sipper.”
Monymusk Plantation Special Reserve Rum, 40% ABV, 750 ml. Jamaica. Gold Medal, 92/100 Points.
Monymusk Special Reserve is a more mature expression from Clarendon Distillery, emphasizing traditional Jamaican pot-still and column-still blending techniques. The molasses-based rum shows greater oak integration and ester complexity than the Classic Gold expression.
The rum offers aromas of ripe tropical fruit, molasses, toasted banana, baking spices, and a light Jamaican funk. The palate showcases caramelized pineapple, dark sugar, vanilla, clove, nutmeg, and charred oak flavors layered over a rich molasses core. The texture is fuller and more viscous than that of lighter Spanish-style rums. The finish is long and warming, with lingering notes of tropical fruit, oak spice, dark caramel, and faint smoke.
The BevTest Judging Panel described the rum as exhibiting “aromas of drying leather, salted honey, and Banana Foster, along with flavors of pastry, PX sherry, and fruit cake. Torched fruits and spices are the standout feature of this rum, making it an excellent choice for experienced drinkers.”
La Marielita Rum Aged 18 Years, 40% ABV, 750 ml. Pannama, Gold Medal, 91/Points.
is positioned as a long-aged, premium, molasses-based rum that emphasizes extended tropical maturation in oak barrels. This extended tropical aging accelerates wood extraction and oxidation, often yielding intense, highly flavored rums with notable oak integration and concentration.
The rum is mature and deeply layered, with aromas of dark toffee, dried fig, leather, roasted nuts, vanilla bean, cigar box, and polished oak. The palate is rich and concentrated, with molasses, burnt sugar, cocoa, dried fruit, espresso, cinnamon, and seasoned oak. The texture is dense, velvety, and highly integrated. The finish is long and warming, with lingering notes of dark chocolate, tobacco leaf, oak spice, and caramelized sugar.
The BevTest Judging Panel described the rum as exhibiting “aromas of salted caramel, Tart Tatin, and mocha, along with flavors of crème brûlée with orange zest, toffee, and black tea. Elegant and richly balanced, the salted caramel notes play off the black tea and cream flavors; sip it on its own while you squeeze some fresh limes or stir it into your rum Manhattan.
Rums: Three Years and Younger
Monymusk Plantation White Overproof Rum, 63% ABV, 750 ml. Jamaica. Gold Medal, 93/100 Points.
Monymusk Plantation White Overproof Rum is produced at Clarendon Distillery in Jamaica, one of the island’s historic rum producers. Jamaican rum production often uses extended fermentations and dunder-rich processes that promote high levels of esters and congeners, producing the intensely aromatic “funk” associated with classic Jamaican rum.
Unlike many white rums that are heavily filtered to achieve a neutral profile, Monymusk White Overproof is crafted to preserve robust fermentation character and high aromatic intensity. Although unaged before filtration, it reflects the underlying structure of traditional Jamaican pot-and-column still blends.
The rum features intense aromas of overripe banana, pineapple, fermenting tropical fruit, molasses, and sharp estery notes often described as “hogo.” Beneath the fruit notes lie layers of citrus peel, black pepper, light smoke, and faint olive brine. On the palate, the rum is bold, oily, and highly concentrated, delivering grilled pineapple, banana bread, cane sweetness, allspice, clove, and earthy molasses notes wrapped around a pronounced alcohol structure.
The elevated proof amplifies both texture and aroma, yielding a dense, flavorful, mouth-coating palate with notable warmth. Despite its power, the rum maintains balance with bright tropical acidity and vibrant ester-driven fruit. The finish is long and fiery, with lingering tropical fruit, pepper spice, molasses, and unmistakable Jamaican funk notes.
The BevTest Judging Panel described the rum as exhibiting “aromas of green banana, whipped cream, and sugar cookie, along with flavors of baking spices, pineapple, and toasted coconut. A great overproof rum with a creamy body and subtle sweet banana esters — perfect for cocktailing.”
Rum & Haas, 3 Year Old Rum, 40% ABV, 750 ml. USA. Gold Medal, 91/100 Points
Rum & Haas 3 Year Old Rum is a young, molasses-based rum with a traditional Spanish-style Caribbean profile that emphasizes smoothness and approachability. The three years of maturation soften the raw cane character while preserving a bright, youthful profile. Aging in ex-bourbon oak barrels adds vanilla and caramel notes without overwhelming the spirit’s lighter structure.
The rum features aromas of light brown sugar, vanilla, toasted coconut, and citrus peel. On the palate, it’s medium-light, with flavors of caramel, cane syrup, honey, and faint tropical fruit notes layered over light oak spice. The texture is smooth and approachable, crafted in a light aperitif style ideal for rum-based cocktails. The finish is medium-length, clean and moderately dry, with lingering vanilla, caramelized sugar, and faint toasted oak notes.
The BevTest Judging Panel described the rum as exhibiting “aromas of cedar, lemon zest, and cherry cola, along with flavors of Creme Brûlée, orange peel, and nutty notes. A fantastic introductory aged rum for whiskey lovers.”
Taken together, these rums sketch an exciting future in which age statements and regional styles are just the starting point, not the whole story. From Dominican Mizunara experiments and Venezuelan coffee-cask finishes to overproof Jamaican funk and elegantly matured Puerto Rican and Panamanian bottlings, the category is evolving faster than many drinkers realize.
Whether you gravitate toward cigar-worthy sippers, structured cocktail bases, or terroir-driven outliers, there has never been a better time to dig deeper into aged rum — or to let these medalists redefine what great rum can be.