Two rums named as best in North America

An influential blogger and spirits reviewer has named two rums made in Newfoundland and Labrador as the best rums made on the continent.

Chip Dykstra, who writes the Rum Howler blog, has named George Street Spiced Rum as the winner of the 2012 Rum Howler Award for the best rum from North America.

The rums are chosen from products companies send to him during the year.

"George Street Spiced Rum is very unique in that it's produced from an aged rum rather than from an unaged or a very young rum," said Dykstra.

"The ages in the George Street blend are are up to seven years old and that oak aging really shines through when you taste it."

Dykstra gave Famous Newfoundland Screech Rum the runner-up award in the same category.

Local company has lots of experience with rum

Both rums are blended and bottled by the Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation in St. John's.

Dykstra said he was impressed by the work the NLC has put into both products.

"The Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation takes great pains to source rums from producers who know what they're doing. Screech Rum, for example, comes from Jamaica where they have a long history of making great rum," said Dykstra.

"The George Street spiced rum comes from Guyana, where again you have this long, 300-year tradition of making rum."

Dykstra also credited this province's long history with rum as part of the reason for his praise for the products.

"Because the people in Newfoundland have been making rum for so long, they know what they're doing," said Dykstra.

"And they can turn these very good rums from very good producers into something exceptional."

External Links

The 2012 Rum Howler Awards for Rum