St. Kitts and Nevis' Old Road Rum named best at 2025 Bartender Spirits Awards

St. Kitts and Nevis: Old Road Rum from St. Kitts and Nevis has been named as World's Best Rum in the United States at the 2025 Bartender Spirits Awards. With a legacy of over two centuries, Old Road rum was named after a town called Old Road in St. Kitts and Nevis. 

The town was established in 1623, and is also known as the location that the first English colonies settled at in the Caribbean. 

Originating from the Caribbean's twin-island federation' St. Kitts and Nevis Old Road Rum is known as an ultra-premium rum brand which is strongly connected with the people’s artful ways of rum-making. 

Notably, St. Kitts and Nevis is also known as the “Mother Colony of the West Indies,” which had a rich connection with sugar since its establishment and is known as one of the most productive sugar islands in the Caribbean. All this is due to the island's rich volcanic soils, rugged mountainous terrain and year-round tropical climate which is ideal for sugarcane farming.

The rum is which has a slightly floral, complex, aromatic smell on the nose, features pronounced notes of molasses, caramel, toffee, burnt sugar, and ripe tropical fruits that are mainly found on the island —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.

With a long, sweet and layered, with lingering notes of molasses, caramel, cedarwood, wood spices, dried fruit and a faint hint of smoke finish. 

The St. Kitts and Nevis Old Road rum has a noteworthy complexity to its taste and this year it was recognised as the best rum due to its quality, innovation, value, and craftsmanship by a key worthy of expert judges at the renowned global competition in American that showcases all the best spirits across the world.