A unique opportunity to meet the Master Blender of BACARDI rum, Jose Sanchez.

Discover what it takes to become a Master Blender and learn about his life passion for rum. Plus, a chance to taste the 150th Anniversary Decanter, a limited edition rum created by eight family members who were Master Blenders.

With only 2000 bottles created globally, and a price tag of over $2000 per bottle, this is a tasting not to be missed!

If you would like to reserve a space, then please email; bbfbtrainingteam@bacardi.com

Guests should arrive no later than 15 minutes before the seminar starts or places will be reallocated on a first come first serve basis.

Please be aware that this is a Trade Only Seminar

MISUNDERSTOOD AND UNDER APPRECIATED

An introduction to the white rum category, a style that is often over shadowed by age. Participate in a comparison of Spanish, English and French styles and learn how to make
great drinks with the best cocktail spirit base of all!

If you would like to reserve a space, then please email; bbfbtrainingteam@bacardi.com

Guests should arrive no later than 15 minutes before the seminar starts or places will be reallocated on a first come first serve basis.

Please be aware that this is a Trade Only Seminar

This weekend (13th and 14th October 2012) sees the return of the UK RumFest and this year’s show has moved to new premises at the ExCel London Exhibition Centre in London’s Docklands. Promising to bring an “unrivalled combination of the rarest and most delicious rums from across the globe”, the show is back for it sixth successive year and will be continuing to mix rum, Caribbean food and a Carnival atmosphere of live music and exotic rhythms.

For anyone with at least a passing interest in Rum and Sugar Cane Spirits, this is the place to be with some of the biggest names in the business sharing the hall with the smaller and boutique rum brands, who may not be so instantly recognisable to the average consumer, but whose drinks often rival the big boys for quality and taste.

While some of these smaller brands will be out on the main floor, some of them will only be available at this year’s Boutique RumFest, which is a trade only show, taking place over both days of RumFest.

This year’s exhibitors at both the Boutique RumFest and the actual RumFest include: Angostura, Appleton Estate, Bacardi, Banks, Ron Barceló, Blackwell Rum, Ron Botran, Bristol Classic Rum, Ron Brugal, Chairman’s Reserve,  Cruzan, Doorly’s, Ron Diplomático, Don Papa, Don Q, Rhum Dzama, El Dorado, Flor de Caña, Green Island Rum, Gosling’s, Koko Kanu, Lamb’s, Ron Legendario, Mount Gay, Mount Gilboa, Old Grog, Pink Pigeon, Plantation, Pusser’s, Pyrat, Ron de Jeremy, R St Barth, Rum Fire, St Aubin, St Nicholas Abbey, Takamaka Bay, Toz,  Wray & Nephew, XM Royal and Ron Zacapa.

Alongside the exhibitor stands with their 400+ rums, visitors can also extend their knowledge in all things Rum related at the Rum University Room, where they can learn about the history of rum and rum cocktails with a number of seminars provided by master blenders, distillers and drinks experts.

In addition to the Rum University, you’ll also have the chance to find out what goes on behind the scenes at some of the country’s top Rum bars, with the Cocktail Academy. Bar tenders from bars such as London’s Trailer Happiness, Wax Jambu, Mahiki and Manchester’s The Liars Club, along with several others, will show visitors what makes them the best in world at making and creating Rum cocktails.

For further details, please look at the RumFest 2012 Master Classes page. These seminars and tastings have limited spaces and as such operate on a first come first serve basis, so please register at the main entrance of Rumfest.

 In addition to the rum tasting opportunities, the foodie’s paradise that is the Tropical Food Market is set to expand on its success of last year, showcasing the finest delicacies and cuisine from the Tropics. Highlights are set to include: chocolatier Paul Wayne Gregory and Global Rum Ambassador Ian Burrell, who together will launch a bespoke range of chocolates that have been crafted to perfectly compliment the unique flavours found in a number of carefully selected rum brands; Caymanas Rum Cake, which following last year’s RumFest has secured a deal to stock its products with one of the UKs leading supermarkets; as well as the opportunity to see celebrity chefs and presenters on the Angostura Bitters stage, who will be tasting, discovering and exploring rum beyond simply drinking it.

Alongside the food and drink enticing the senses, attendees will be able to feel the tropical spirit through the music and Carnival vibe of Mas Band: Bacchanalia.

Returning for another year of Soca and Samba music,  Bacchanalia will be bringing the Carnival spirit to a possibly cold and dreary London with uplifting dancing and stunning costumes.

Tickets are available in advance online at £25 for the Saturday, £20 for the Sunday or for a weekend pass at £40 per person. For your money you will receive: Access to the world’s biggest Rum Festival from 12pm to 5pm; with over 400 rums to sample; 5 Rum sampling vouchers; Live musical entertainment, cocktail master-classes and demonstrations* and your exclusive goody bag with tasting glass and show guide. *subject to availability.

For those new to RumFest, the sampling voucher is the show’s currency and will need to be handed over for each sample. 1 voucher = 1 sample. Additional vouchers can be bought from the front desk for £1 each.

There’s also a limited number of VIP tickets for both days, priced at £40 for the Saturday and £35 for the Sunday, giving: access to the show from 11am – an hour before general admissions; fast track entry into the show; entry into the V.I.P  room, including 3 cocktail tokens; Rum Experience Rum Cake; a show goody bag, including 5 Rum sampling vouchers, tasting glass and show guide.

Those in the drinks trade can also attend The Boutique Rumfest, where you will have the chance to explore a range of new and boutique distillery rum. So make sure you register for the show and head down to the ExCel Exhibition Centre over the 13th and 14th October. Please remember that entry to the Boutique RumFest still requires a valid ticket to RumFest.

I know that I’m finishing with the same line as I did last year, but I think it so amply sums up my expectations for this year’s RumFest: So for more rum than any one man or woman could handle, live Caribbean music, great food and a totally tropical weekend, make sure you finish the London Cocktail Week by heading to the ExCel London Exhibition Centre for the UK RumFest, this 13th and 14th October 2012.

Continuing to celebrate their 150th Birthday, Bacardi‘s consumer brand awareness and promotions appear to have plenty of fans and even the more avaricious among us have noticed the potential to make a quick-buck out of those looking to party with the Bat.

Among this years promotions is their latest competition to ‘Win Your own Legendary Party‘ and up for grabs are a total of 50 Bacardi Party Trunk’s, each one based on one of three cocktail themes (17 Cuba Libre Trunks, 17 Mojito Trunks and 16 Daiquiri Trunks). Valued at £3,000 each, the Trunk’s come complete with several bottles of Bacardi, glasses, cocktail paraphernalia, clothing and even includes a Bacardi representative to help set up the the Trunk in preparation for the winners party. Many of the items are limited edition and won’t be available to buy.

With the tagline of ‘We’ve been throwing parties for 150 years, now you can win one’, the competition is open to residents in the UK and ROI and simply requires you to select your ‘Party Style’, over 5 questions. Each question has 3 choices and there isn’t a wrong answer. After you have answered your last question, you will be presented with what Bacardi believe is your ideal party Trunk and be asked to submit your details to enter. Nothing could be more simple, so for more information and the chance to enter head to party.bacardi.com before the 15th August 2012.

With the competition having already started on Monday 28th May 2012 , with a  couple of draws having already taken place, a few lucky people have already got their hands on their prizes and should have everything needed for a great night. Of course there’s always someone more interested in trying to make some money of off something like this and one winner in the North East of England has already decided to cash in on the popularity of Bacardi by listing their prize on an ebay auction, that saw the seller making £920 after 32 bids.

Now I can’t deny I was keeping an eye on this, having first seen it listed at £30. Of course picking the Trunk up for anything less that £150 would have been considered the bargain of the year, but when it jumped from £130 to £920 a day or so before the auction finished, all I do was watch and see.

Of course had that been me who had won one of the Trunk’s I wouldn’t have put it on ebay. I’d have used it as intended and invited lots of friends to share in my good fortune. Of course, running a Rum Blog and winning a rum based party package, I’m going to say that, so I can’t be too harsh in what I think about someone making money out of such a prize, even if part of me thinks it’s not right.

Of course this kind of thing isn’t exclusive to prize winners as there are other recent examples of people trying to cash in on limited edition Bacardi’s products and the brand’s popularity. These currently include the Buy it now price of £95 + delivery for a set of all 4 of the Bacardi 150 Years Limited Edition bottles in red, grey, gold and blue, despite some of them probably still appearing on supermarket shelves. However, these bottles do at least contain their original content, which is more than can be said of the same set of four, but of empty bottles, with a starting bid of £19.99 + delivery.

Talking of Bacardi promotions, for those of you who have taken a liking to Bacardi Oakheart Spiced Rum, keep an eye out for special bottles in the UK with an offer to send away for Bacardi Oakheart Stein glasses.

So good luck to everyone who has entered the Bacardi Party Trunk competition and remember to keep an eye on Bacardi’s Facebook page for more promotions and competitions.