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xCel London was abuzz the weekend of 13/14 October
as UK RumFest brought the party Dockside. The forecast outside was rainy but inside was a scorching HOT with a side of even HOTTER as rum brands from the sweltering climes of the Caribbean and South America vied for visitor’s attention.
Though considerably scaled down since our last visit in 2010, RumFest still packed a punch. The familiar sounds of Soca and sight of Bacchanalia’s outstanding costumes and dancers made the atmosphere as fun filled as ever.
And the rum? There were favourites Mount Gay Rum and Wray and Nephew plus more exotic exports like Guatemalan rum Ron Zacapa. Its perfect serve is neat with a slice of dark chocolate or better yet sushi, cured meat or cheese. Following brand ambassador Daniel’s instructions I headed over to their Food Pairing stand to test out this theory. Along with my shot of the award winning rum I was handed a canapé that included a smidge of cheese, slice of grape and a Zacapa cured date. My response was a resounding YES! Forget wine and cheese, rum and cheese is my new dinner party trick!
Missing were the slicked out Bacardi and Havana Club stands of years past. But industry faves like Chairman’s Reserve and Diplomático more than made up for their absence. The ‘serious about rum’ ambassadors of Venezuelan Diplomático spent time with attendees, talking them through each of their five offerings; Blanco
RUMFEST
(aged 6 years), Anejo (aged 4 years), Reserva (aged 8 years), Reserva Exclusiva (aged 12 years) and the ultimate Ambassador (aged 14 years).
“Forget wine and cheese, rum and cheese is my new
dinner party trick!” Having been served a hefty shot of each variety, bar Ambassador (well it does retail at £180!!) I was feeling a little tipsy. It was time to cash in on those rum passes wasting away in the goody bag. A Pina Colada and Chairman’s Reserve Cocktail later and things were getting really hot! I like to think it was down to the crowds of rum lovers gathered in the exhibition hall. There was barely space to stand let alone hard wine and rum pass/cocktail trade offs required true patience, as the queues were long. RumFest also
offered enthusiasts the chance to study up with masterclasses and its very own Rum University.
After a rum filled day all that was left to do was get stuck into the complimentary box of Caymanas Rum Cake bulging out of my goody bag. UK RumFest may have condensed in size but it holds true to the old saying…good things most
definitely come in small packages!
www.rumfest.co.uk • Words Enam G - Images Shadowxxvii
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