First-ever rum festival in Finland!!

The Rum Project is non-commercial and proudly so. Still occasions arise when a commercial plug is in order. But unlike the other rum bozos, my plugs will be (a) few and (b) deserved and (c) made crystal clear. Live with it.
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JaRiMi
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First-ever rum festival in Finland!!

Post by JaRiMi »

Nordic rum lovers were in for a treat when UISGE 2014 – Finland’s only whisky (and now rum) festival introduced a selection of approximately 50 different rums to the public in the event. Rum was also present in several masterclass tastings hosted by Finnish and foreign rum experts at the Vanha Ylioppilastalo, Helsinki on 6th and 7th of February. For the very first time, the panel of judges selected also a “Rum of the year” at UISGE, and this year this honour went to Plantation Barbados XO 20th Anniversary rum.

In 2 days, UISGE 2014 was visited by a crowd of some 2,000+ aficionados, who enjoyed and sampled approximately 200 whiskies and 50 rums present at the venue. For the first time, rum was also present in big numbers, and attracted widely attention amongst the visitors. “I never knew rum could be dry, and so flavourful”, said one converted whisky fan after trying some of the offerings from Bristol Classic Rums. “These are whisky drinkers rums, clearly – and the wood finish here has added an extra dimension to the already complex spirit”, said another, after trying a dram of Port Morant portwood finish.

It had been a longtime dream of mine, as the arranger of the festival, to bring rum on board, and 2014 saw this finally happen. As rum is not yet well known as a product in , it would have not been possible to bring together 2,000 interested parties to sample the rums alone – but together with whiskies of the world, we were able to introduce rum as a spirit to a large crowd of people who all enjoy quality spirits. For the future, UISGE 2015 will certainly continue to carry rums as well as whiskies in the selection, but who knows – maybe already in 2015 we will see a dedicated rumfest in .

Many internationally acclaimed rum brands were notably absent from the festival this year, but due to the overwhelming success of the event, and the great publicity we got, one can suspect that next year we will see even more rum brands step forward and participate to the UISGE event.

The following rums were on offer this year (a few are missing from this list):

Angostura Reserva (37,5 %) – Angostura 7 yo (40 %) – Angostura ”1919” 8 yo Premium Rum (40 %) – Angostura ”1824” 12 yo Premium Rum (40 %) – Angostura “Cask Collection No. 1” (First Fill Bourbon Cask; 40 %) – Brugal Añejo (38 %) – Brugal ”1888” Ron Gran Reserva Familiar (Ano 2010; Lot 02/05; 40 %) – Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum (47,3 %) – Caroni Distillery Vintage 1974, Finest Trinidad Rum (bottled 2008; Bristol Spirits; 46 %) – Caroni Distillery Vintage 1996, Finest Trinidad Rum (bottled 2008; Bristol Spirits; 43 %) – Caroni Distillery Vintage 1998, Finest Trinidad Rum (bottled 2008; Bristol Spirits; 40 %) – Caroni Distillery Vintage 2000, 12 yo (Trinidad Rum; distilled1/2000; bottled 3/2012; Velier/Luca Gargano; 50 %) – Diamond Distillery Vintage 1998, Demerara Rum ( Bristol Spirits; 40 %) – Enmore Still Vintage 1988, Demerara Rum (bottled 2008; Bristol Spirits; 43 %) – Finest Mauritius Cane Juice Rhum ( Bristol Spirits; 43 %) – Four Square Distillery Vintage 2004, Fine Barbados Rum (bottled 2012; Bristol Spirits; 43 %) – Gosling’s Black Seal (“Bermuda Black Rum”; 40 %) – Havana Club Añejo 3 Años (40 %) – Havana Club Añejo Reserva (40 %) – Havana Club Añejo 7 Años (40 %) – Havana Club Selección de Maestros (45 %) – Huracán Añejo Reserva (37,5 %) – Jamaica Rum “Vale Royal Wedderburn”, Vintage 2002 (bottled 2010; Bristol Spirits; 43 %) – Negrita Gold Premium Rum (37,5 %) – Negrita Spiced Rum (35 %) – Negrita White Rum (37,5 %) – Plantation Rum Barbados X.O. (”20th Anniversary Rum”; 40 %) – Plantation Rum Grenada (distilled1998; 42 %) – Plantation Rum Guatemala Gran Añejo (42 %) – Plantation Rum Jamaica (distilled2000; 42 %) – Plantation Rum Panama (distilled2000; 42 %) – Plantation Rum Trinidad (distilled1999; 42 %) – Port Morant Distillery Vintage 1990, Demerara Rum (port finish; bottled 2007; Bristol Spirits; 46 %) – Port Morant Distillery Vintage 1999, Demerara Rum (port finish; bottled 2010; Bristol Spirits; 46 %) – Reserve Rum of Nicaragua, Vintage 2002 (bottled 2013; Bristol Spirits; 40 %) – Rockley Still Distillery Vintage 1986, Fine Barbados Rum (sherry finish; bottled 2012; Bristol Spirits; 46 %) – Ron Zacapa Centenario 23 Años (40 %) – Saint James “Heritage” Premium Caribbean Rum ( La Martiniquaise; 40 %) – Saint James “Reserve” Premium Caribbean Rum ( La Martiniquaise; 43 %) – Saint James 7 Ans Rum Agricole A.O.C. Martinique ( La Martiniquaise; 43 %) – Saint James 12 Ans Rum Agricole A.O.C. Martinique ( La Martiniquaise; 43 %) – Saint James 15 Ans Rum Agricole A.O.C. Martinique ( La Martiniquaise; 43 %) – Sancti Spiritus Distillery Vintage 2003, Fine Cuban Rum (bottled 2010; Bristol Spirits; 43 %)
JaRiMi
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Some pics

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Image

Image

Image




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JaRiMi
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Post by JaRiMi »

Note: This must be the world's only rum festival that is arranged by someone whom a notable many "Rum Gurus" of USA have named "number one enemy of rum" :-)




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Capn Jimbo
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Post by Capn Jimbo »

An amazing selection...


Take a moment and take a close look at JaRiMi's rum selection.

Compare to the drivel we are usually presented at the Big Three, commercially dominated Rum Requiem in south Florida - hardly worth attending unless your goal is the specious spectacle of watching the beautiful people drink. If you're into drop dead gorgeous servers, a winner. If you're into rum, well...

Now OTOH, JaRiMi's fest is one we'd absolutely attend if we could. Now this is a real celebration of real rum! Fantastico! All you need now are palm trees, but if the climate changes any faster, that may soon be possible...

Best wishes for a great and worthwhile event!
Last edited by Capn Jimbo on Tue Feb 11, 2014 12:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Dai
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Post by Dai »

Very nice. I'll be doing the rumfest this year in October.
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Post by da'rum »

Great stuff! Good to see and also good to have you back posting Jarimi
in goes your eye out
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