The noble spirit of the Caribbean region continues to gain popularity among discerning enthusiasts as a greater variety of high quality brands become available in South Florida.
Miami Rum Renaissance Festival returns May 5-9
To celebrate this ongoing resurgence of rum and to encourage others to embark on a discovery of the world's best rums, author and rum aficionado Robert Burr has once again organized a five day festival in Miami dedicated to the finest Caribbean spirits.
Billing itself as a Celebration of Cane Spirits in the New World, the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival begins on Wednesday, May 5th with a series of VIP parties nightly at leading venues across South Florida, culminating in a grand rum tasting event on Saturday, May 8th at the Raleigh South Beach Resort. Tickets range from $65 for the five hour grand tasting to $195 for complete access to all the week's VIP parties hosted by top-rated rum brands.
The festival incorporates many exciting events, such as celebrity seminars, cocktail demonstrations, a Tiki Face-Off competition between British and American teams, and the Barritt's Ginger Beer competition finals.
Miami Rum Renaissance also features the International Rum Expert Panel (RumXP) tasting competition, a consortium of more than two dozen of the leading rum experts from the United States, the Caribbean, Europe and beyond.
"First class rums are indeed enjoying a new found popularity among Baby Boomers and the next generation. No longer do we need to travel to the islands to find the best and most exclusive luxury rums. Now we can pick them off the shelves of fine liquor stores here in our neighborhoods," said Robert Burr, author of the Gifted Rums Guide and the National Rum Examiner column for Examiner.com.
"Those that attend the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival will be privileged to discover some new top-shelf rums that will debut in the United States at the event. In addition, the rum festival will attract some of the world's leading rum experts, eager to share their knowledge and passion for great rums of the world."
Among the primary exhibitors hosting VIP events and presenting celebrity seminars are Abuelo Rums from Panama, Zacapa Rums from Guatemala, Cartavio Rums from Peru, the Rums of Venezuela featuring Diplomatico and Santa Teresa, plus the Rums of Puerto Rico, including Bacardi, Barrilito, Palo Viejo, Ron Llave and Don Q.
The list of fine rums to be discovered at Miami Rum Renaissance Festival is long and varied. Matusalem will unveil their new Gran Reserva 18 year old rum at a VIP party to be held at the Biltmore Hotel. Appleton will present some of their best estate rums from Jamaica, hosting a VIP party at the Delano's Florida Room. Barceló will present their revamped line of fine rums from the Dominican Republic and host a VIP party also. Zacapa will host a VIP party Wednesday evening. Clement and Rhum J.M from the island of Martinique will be on display at the grand tasting event and at the Rum Bar at the Ritz Carlton Resort on Key Biscayne. Abuelo will showcase their new 12 year old Panamanian rum at a party on Miami Beach. Bacardi will host VIPs at the penthouse of their new headquarters in Coral Gables. Dos Maderas will debut their luxury 5+5 PX rum.
Experience the world's best rums, including Atlantico, Berkshire Mountain, Brugal, Caldas, Chairman's Reserve, Sgt. Classick, Cruzan, Dictador, Don Q, Flor De Caña, Koloa, Leblon, Mahiki, Montanya, Ocumare, Plantation, Pussers, Seven Tiki, St. Aubin, Skipper Demerara Rum, Tommy Bahama, Vizcaya, Zacapa, Zafra, Zaya and more.
Altogether, more than 100 rum and cane spirit products will be on display at the Grand Tasting event.
The five day rum festival ends with a big pool and beach party at the Raleigh South Beach Resort on Sunday afternoon, May 9th.
Rum enthusiasts and luminaries are coming to Miami from England, Germany, Amsterdam, Italy, France and across Europe. They are coming from virtually every island in the Caribbean, plus many of the rum producing countries of Central and South America. They're coming from New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, New Orleans, Chicago, Philadelphia, Seattle and beyond -- to participate in the largest rum festival in the western hemisphere.
Celebrity seminars at the Raleigh Resort will feature some of the best and brightest lecturers on rum. Jeff "Beachbum" Berry will present a program on the colorful world of tiki cocktails. UK Rum Ambassador Ian Burrell will offer a seminar on great white rums of the world. Cocktail historian Phil Greene of the Museum Of The American Cocktail will discuss the history of the Daiquiri and it's kindred cocktail derivatives.
"The tropical setting of the Raleigh South Beach Hotel's private beach oasis is the ideal context for the appreciation of fine rums," said Robert Burr. "With one of the finest outdoor recreation sites in South Beach, we're pleased to be hosting our grand tasting event at this luxury boutique hotel."
The Raleigh is offering Miami Rum Renaissance participants some very special deals on rooms, starting at $250 a night for upgraded accommodations. The hotel's 94 rooms and suites are expected to sell out before the event begins on Wednesday, May 5th.
The Rum Renaissance Festval is produced by Quantum Leap Network, publishers of Robert Burr's Gifted Rums Guide, a publication produced annually with articles, listings and tasting notes on hundreds of the world's finest rums. The three person team behind the publication and events includes noted rum expert Robert A. Burr and his wife Robin, plus their son Robert V. Burr, author of the Rum Scout blog.
Robert Burr
National Rum Examiner
Gifted Rums Guide
Miami Rum Renaissance Festival
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