First Ever Rum Experience Week is Less than One Week Away
Rum lovers invited to explore new ways with rum in a week-long series of tastings,
masterclasses, parties, music & fine dining

#rumweek

Monday 12th – Sunday 18th October 2015
London
rumexperienceweek.com

The first ever Rum Experience Week lands in London from 12th – 18th October 2015. Headed up by Global Rum Ambassador Ian Burrell, the seven day series aims to raise awareness of the spirit like never before and welcomes both rum newcomers and the discerning drinker to embrace the vibrant culture of rum and explore new ways to enjoy a tipple.

The rum-fuelled action kicks off on the Monday with Lamb’s Navy Rum, where those lucky enough to get a ticket can sample the first limited edition batch of Lamb’s Single Cask in one of Alfred Lamb’s old stores under the Thames at Voltaire followed by the official launch party for Rum Experience Week. Joined by the biggest experts from the world of Rum, Bourne & Hollingsworth are delighted to invite guests to The Rum Masters Tasting & Dinner on Tuesday evening, sampling four unique and bespoke rums, specially created by master distillers for the first ever Rum Experience Week. The evening’s engaging hosts consist of some of the world’s most renowned ambassadors including David Morrison from Appleton Rum, Richard Seale from Foursquare, Luca Gargano from Velier Rums and Luis Figueroa from Pampero Rum.

Rum tasting will be taken to new heights on the Tuesday as Appleton Estate Rum is offering over 400 lucky rum enthusiasts the chance to yet again take part in the ultimate ‘alternative night in’, as they present #AppletonLive the ‘Taste of Jamaica’ Appleton Estate Rum’s Twitter Tasting. Global Rum Ambassador, Ian Burrell and Appleton Estate’s senior blender, David Morrison will host the live Twitter tasting, in which rum fans can follow online, from their very own homes, to unlock the true tastes and smells of Jamaican rum, with each tweet. Thursday welcomes rum lovers to jump aboard the Tiki Boat for Tiki On The Thames. Expect an afternoon of Tiki vibes, Tiki tunes, complementary Tiki cocktails and all things Tiki before voyagers disembark for a special after party at the famous Mahiki Club in Mayfair.

Friday sees the return of the Rum Experience University to offer rum lovers with even more of an education in rum and a recognised diploma, while industry figures gather for the annual rum trade event Boutique RumFest to sample and meet new and emerging rum brands to the UK market. Rounding off the week is the ninth annual RumFest. The huge two day rum celebration is on course for its best year yet featuring tastings of over 400 rums, cocktail making competitions, seminars, workshops, a Christie’s rum auction, incredible food and the party atmosphere of Carnival Hour.

Gerry’s Wine & Spirits will be the official Rum Shop for the Rum Experience Week featuring a RumFest Takeover from Monday 12th – Wednesday 14th October where customers will be able to sample a selection of the exclusive rums that will be hitting RumFest and Boutique RumFest later that week, as well as speak to representatives from the various brands. With daily themes visitors will also be honoured with 10% off all rum purchases during Rum Experience Week to anyone who produces a valid RumFest ticket.

The Rum Experience Week will also celebrate the classic cocktails by giving it a Rum twist; each day bars will celebrate a different Cocktail of the Day. Monday is all about the Mojito, Tuesday the sweet Daiquiri, Wednesday plays with Mai Tai, Thursday is the exotic Pina Colada and finally Friday is Planter’s Punch day. Rum fans visiting the Rum Week bars, which include: Artesian, Mahiki, Trailer Happiness, Merchant House, Rum & Sugar, Portside Parlour and London Cocktail Club will also be in with a chance of winning bottles of rum by posting a photo of themselves drinking the cocktail of the day across socials tagging #rumweek. Merchant House are also offering 50% of ALL rums across the week as hosting their weekly rum masterclass for only £20 rather than £65!

Ian Burrell, Global Rum Ambassador and Rum Experience Week Founder comments, “We are less than a week away till the first ever Rum Experience Week hits London and the excitement is building. We’ve paired up with some of the most pioneering and exciting partners and will be seeing events pop up all over the capital for the very special week of tastings, seminars, dinners, master classes, live twitter tasting and parties. Rum is an incredibly versatile spirit and there will be no better way to celebrate this than at the first ever Rum Experience Week. See you there!”

RumFest Founder and Global Rum Ambassador Ian Burrell is the leading name in rum. Dedicating his life to promoting rum and rum culture around the world, over the years Burrell has been recognised with a number of industry awards as well as regularly appearing as a rum expert at events and on television shows like Sunday Brunch, the Alan Titchmarsh Show and more.

Rum Experience Week Programme

Monday 13th October
Caribbean Hands on Cookery Class
Tickets available September | Website www.divertimenti.co.uk/cookery-school | Divertimenti Cookery School, South Kensington / Knightsbridge, 227-229 Brompton Road,  London, SW3 2EP

RumFest Takeover @ Gerry’s Wine & Spirits
1PM – 6PM | 74 Old Compton St, London W1D 4UW

Cigar & Rum Pairing
Sautters Knightsbridge: 106 Mount St, London, Mayfair W1K 2TW

Alfred Lamb’s Secret Store
VIP sampling session & Rum Experience Week Launch Party | Voltaire | From 7PM RSVPs iga@wearefullfat.com

Rum Appreciation Masterclass with Peter Holland and Matugga Rum
Lounge at Library Private Members Club.

Tuesday 14th October
Cigar & Rum Pairing
1A St James’s: London SW1A 1EF

The Rum Masters Tasting & Dinner
Bourne & Hollingsworth | Rathbone Pl, London W1T 1JF | For tickets click here

Wednesday 14th October
RumFest Takeover @ Gerry’s Wine & Spirits
1PM – 6PM | 74 Old Compton St, London W1D 4UW

Cigar & Rum Pairing
La Casa Del Habano: 76 High St, Teddington TW11 8JD

Rum & Sugar Rum – Rum Cocktail Masterclass
Suitable for beginners | 6.30PM – 8PM | Rum & Sugar, Docklands

Thursday 15th October
Cigar & Rum Pairings
James J Fox: 19 St James’s St, London SW1A 1ES

Tiki on the Thames
Festival Pier departure 1.45PM – 6PM (stop off at 4PM) | £22 via Eventbrite

Rum & Sugar Live Music Gig
8PM – 11.30PM

Friday 16th October
The Rum Experience University
ILEC Conference Centre | Tickets announced soon

Boutique RumFest
ILEC Conference Centre | Trade only | Registration essential here

Rum & Rococo Chocolate Pairing
Two sittings: 5pm & 7:30pm | 3 Moxon Street, W1U 4EW | Tickets £25 & booked by contacting Sam 07469 853 957 / events@rococochocolates.com

Rum & Sugar Live Music Gig
8PM – 11.30PM

Saturday 17th October
RumFest 2015: the world’s premier rum festival
Tickets £49.95 / £75 (VIP) | rumfest.co.uk/purchase-tickets

Sunday 19th October
RumFest 2015: the world’s premier rum festival
Tickets £49.95 / £75 (VIP) | rumfest.co.uk/purchase-tickets

With less than a week to go, the UKRumFest 2011 promises to be bigger and better than ever. Back for its 5th year and with over 400 rums to see and sample, RumFest is the biggest rum festival on the UK drinks scene, if not the world. In the words of the Global Rum Ambassador and founder of the UK RumFest, Ian Burrell, it’s “Probably the greatest rum festival and selection of rum, rhums & rons under one roof..”

Organised by The Rum Experience, ‘UK RumFest is an international celebration of rum & cane spirit’. Headed by Ian Burrell, The Rum Experience aims to promote rum & cane spirits in both the UK and around the world. And if the continued penetration of premium rum and Cachaça in the UK is anything to go by, I’d personally say that they’re succeeding in that aim.

Still misunderstood by many, rum and cachaça continue to enjoy a rise in popularity both in the trade and retail sectors and show’s like RumFest continue to promote the positive range and versatility of cane spirits.

So over the weekend of the 15th to 16th October 2011, between the hours of 12pm and 6pm, Kensington’s Olympia 2 will be transformed into a tropical island paradise. Along with the rum tastings; rum masterclasses; live cocktails demonstrations; live Caribbean music; competitions and the opportunity to be among the first to try new rums to the UK market, several new additions this year include a new Tropical Food Market, the Tiki Bar Tender of the Year competition, as well as the trade-only Boutique Rumfest.

This year’s exhibitors include: Angostura, Appleton Estate, Atlantico, Bacardi, Banks, Ron Barceló, Ron Botran, Bristol Classic Rum, Ron Brugal, Bundaberg, Captain Morgan, Chairman’s Reserve, Rhum Clement, Cruzan, Doorly’s, Ron Diplomático, Don Q, El Dorado, Flor de Caña, Germana Cachaça, Green Island Rum, Havana Club, La Mauny, Lamb’s, Leblon Cachaça, Koko Kanu, Mahiki, Mount Gay, Mount Gilboa, Myers’s, Pink Pigeon, Plantation, Pusser’s, Pyrat, Rhum J.M, Ron de Jeremy, Ron Santa Fe, St Barth, Rum Fire, Sailor Jerry, Santa Teresa, St Aubin, St Nicholas Abbey, Toz, Trois Rivieres, Wray & Nephew, XM Royal, Ypioca Cachaça and Ron Zacapa. This isn’t an exhaustive list and I’d certainly expect to see many other brands on show between the Boutique RumFest and RumFest itself.

With RumFest being such an important event on the rum calendar, you can expect to find many of the top people in the rum industry attending, including many of the rum brand ambassador’s, distributors, a number of master distillers and of course several of my fellow rum bloggers. With many of the brands showcasing their latest bottling’s at RumFest along with the many rum tastings and seminars, the Tiki Bar Tender of the Year competition live on stage and the results of the Golden Rum Barrel awards, it really is the place for any rum-lover to be.

Of course, tropical culture isn’t just about drinking rum and in true Caribbean style, the weekend will also feature live bands, playing a mixture of reggae, salsa, samba and zouk. For those who find the tropical beats and rhythms too much, relax with Bacardi at the Dominoes and Daiquiri Zone and try your hand at one of the tropics most relaxing pastimes. To complete the party why not head to the new Tropical Food Market, featuring some of the finest delicacies and cuisine from the tropics. Here you’ll find chef’s competing in the Rum Experience Chef of the Year competition, hoping to win an all expenses trip to Barbados, as well as demonstrations and seminars from the highly acclaimed rum chef Paul Yellin. Having travelled the Caribbean discovering many tropical dishes, let Paul show you how to use rum in your cooking.

Tickets are available in advance online at £22 per day or for a weekend pass at £32 per person. Tickets purchased on the day will cost £25 on the door. For your money you will recieve “Access to the world’s biggest Rum Festival, with over 400 rums to sample, 5 Rum sampling vouchers, Live musical entertainment, cocktail master-classes and demonstrations, Free rum master-classes &  rum seminars*, salsa lessons and your exclusive goody bag with branded 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 per day, giving: fast track entry into the show; entry into the V.I.P Aged Rum Experience room; an exclusive Rum tasting masterclass; an exclusive rum & chocolate master class; a V.I.P goody bag, including a world exclusive new ‘Burrell Rum Glass’; Caribbean Canapes from Cottons Camden Restaurant and Cocktails from Appleton Jamaica Rum.

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, as well as attend seminars and tastings such as: Santa Teresa Tasting; Let’s Talk Rum; Diplomatico Tasting; Don’t Fear the Blender; The Art of Distillation; The Grand Tasting; El Dorado Tasting and the Bacardi Legacy Seminar. So make sure you register for the show and head down to the Hilton Olympia between 12pm and 9pm, on Friday 14th October.

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 UK RumFest 2011.