Puerto Rico Announces the 12th Edition of Taste of Rum 2023

Puerto Rico’s Rum Festival, Taste of Rum, is one of the biggest and most popular rum events worldwide, with more than 3,000 attendees. On this occasion, international rum brands will also be participating, sharing their most distinctive expressions.

The festival will be held on March 25th at Puerto Rico’s Convention Center in San Juan, where brands like Ron Barceló, Rhum CLEMENT, Uruapan Charanda, and San Juan Artisan Distillers—accompanied by dozens of other brands—will be the main hosts of the event to promote the national rum industry.

What to Expect at Puerto Rico’s International Rum Festival

For one day, attendees will enjoy different activities where music, culture, and, of course, rum will complement each other to give the rum aficionados an unforgettable experience. It’s expected that more than 60 rum expressions will be poured by either the local rum companies or the staff of famous local bars.

There will be an educational room where master classes will be offered throughout the day. Also, this year, Taste of Rum will be able to present new rum seminars hosted by international speakers.

In addition, the festival will feature live performances, such as a tribute to Bon Jovi from American classic rock bands, salsa and merengue bands, DJs, and batucada shows. Likewise, at least six local restaurants will sell traditional food for around $6.00 per serving.

The Rum Bazaar Experience

An area of the festival will be designated as the “Rum Bazaar Experience” (Mercado Creativo), where more than 25 Puerto Rican artisans will showcase and sell their unique arts and crafts. The entrance to the bazaar will be free as it is separate from the Rum Festival. However, the ticket for this assigned area will only allow attendees to do a limited tasting. 

In this sense, Taste of Rum offers two types of entrance:

• Rum Aficionado – Grand Tasting Experience

True “Aficionados de Ron” will access the event two hours in advance (5 p.m.) and participate in a unique educational rum-tasting experience with all the brands. The RumLab founder, Federico Hernández, says, “During this time, music will be low, as we want the attendees to talk with the brand ambassadors and learn about the attributes of the rum expressions they will be able to taste.” Unlimited rum tasting is included until the product last, as well as $1 off from all food vendors. 

• General Admission Ticket – Grand Tasting Experience

Attendees holding a general admission ticket will have access to the event at 7:00 p.m. They will also have access to the festive part of the event and unlimited rum tastings. This is a great opportunity for those looking to try great cocktails. 

• Rum Congress

Earlier on Saturday, Taste of Rum will host its 1st Rum Congress program. The rum congress will feature back-to-back in-depth seminars with stellar speakers from the rum and spirits industries, similar to what The Rum Lab does at its events in the United States.

To date, two seminars have been confirmed: one about the rum industry of the Dominican Republic, and the other will address the Rum Agricole market. Space will be limited, so it’s important to book your space in advance once tickets go on sale. 

Competitions and Much More!

Federico also announced that different competitions will be held during the event.

“This year, in conjunction with The Ultimate Rum Awards, we’re going to present the ‘Blind Tasting,’ a blind competition to choose the best rum according to different categories. Both national and international judges will participate. What’s more, the competition of bartenders returns to the festival to select the best Puerto Rican mixologists in the rum industry.”

Puerto Rico’s International Rum Festival, Taste of Rum 2023, promises to innovate and offer rum aficionados and the public in general, a one-day event where they will taste rums not only from Puerto Rico but also from different parts of the world, including Saint Lucia, Martinique, Nicaragua, Jamaica, Barbados, and the Dominican Republic.

You can get your tickets at www.tasteofrum.com!