The World's Best Rum, According To America's Top Bartenders

Forbes

10-06-2025

Dark and Stormy Rum Cocktail with Lime and Ginger Beer
A Caribbean rum from St. Kitts and Nevis was chosen as the World's Best Rum by America's leading bartenders at the 2025 Bartender Spirits Awards. Below is a brief description and tasting notes for this top-rated rum.
Old Road Rum is a distinguished ultra-premium rum brand from the twin-island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis in the Eastern Caribbean. Reviving a legacy that spans more than two centuries, Old Road Rum is named after the town of Old Road, the location of the first English colony in the Caribbean, established in 1623. The brand is deeply connected to the sugar heritage of St. Kitts and the artisanal rum-making traditions that once thrived across the island.
St. Kitts, historically known as the 'Mother Colony of the West Indies,' was one of the earliest and most prolific sugar-producing islands in the British West Indies. The island's rich volcanic soils, year-round tropical climate, and rugged mountainous terrain made it ideal for sugar cane cultivation. By the 18th century, sugarcane plantations had covered the island, and rum distillation had become a natural byproduct of the molasses produced during sugar refining.
Although sugar production ceased on St. Kitts in 2005, its rum history lives on in the thriving craft distilling community. Old Road Rum draws inspiration from this storied past while ushering in a modern renaissance of rum craftsmanship. The rum is bottled by the Old Road Rum Company, founded by Jack Widdowson.
The company produces its rum in Barbados, rumored to be at Foursquare Distillery. It may also source and blend in premium aged rums from various other Caribbean distilleries. The rum is then further matured and bottled on the island.
The Old Road Rum Limited Edition was released in 2022. It quickly garnered acclaim for its complexity, balance, and elegance, winning several industry awards. The rum is approximately 12 years old. It's a blend of pot and column-distilled spirits matured in ex-bourbon barrels of American oak.
The abandoned Wingfield Estate Sugar Plantation in St. Kitts in the Caribbean, once housed the island's largest distillery.
Old Road Rum, Limited Edition has a deep amber-gold hue with hints of burnt orange and mahogany, underscoring its prolonged aging in oak casks.
The rum is complex, aromatic, and slightly floral on the nose, featuring pronounced notes of molasses, caramel, toffee, burnt sugar, and ripe tropical fruits—namely banana, guava, and dried pineapple — accompanied by baking spice aromas of nutmeg, clove, and cinnamon, as well as floral notes of hibiscus and orange blossom. There are also faint rancio notes of old leather, tobacco leaf, and wood polish, along with a subtle, funky ester undertone—echoing Jamaican high-ester rum.
The rum is creamy and robust on the palate with a mouth-coating texture and weight. It showcases caramel, vanilla, burnt sugar, and brown butter, followed by fruity notes of dried figs, dates, and stewed plums, as well as orange zest and almond. Spice notes of cinnamon, clove, and black pepper complement herbal notes of pipe tobacco and black tea, adding to the nuanced complexity.
The finish is long, sweet, and layered, with lingering notes of molasses, caramel, cedarwood, wood spices, dried fruit, and a faint hint of smoke.
The International Bartender Spirits Awards is a renowned global competition that showcases the world's best spirits. Selection is based on quality, innovation, value, and craftsmanship. Judged by an expert panel of bartenders and industry professionals, the competition is highly regarded in the spirits industry and serves as a benchmark for quality.
Old Road Rum is a tribute to St. Kitts' rich sugar and rum history, while underscoring the growing role of artisanal, ultra-premium Caribbean rums. Whether sipped neat, paired with dark chocolate, or paired with a Caribbean cuisine-inspired dinner. Old Road Rum Limited Edition is a masterclass in balance, depth, and complexity. If you love rum, this is one expression not to be missed.