Lessons from this year's rum silver medal winners

As the IWSC’s global spirits judging continues to highlight excellence across categories, this year’s Silver medal-winning rums offer a revealing snapshot of quality, innovation and style. With over 120 Silver medals awarded, the judging panels encountered a vibrant range of rums that reflected both tradition and the category’s evolving direction.

A Silver medal is defined by the IWSC as “an accomplished spirit with personality and character. A classic example of its style.” These medals are awarded to spirits scoring between 90 and 94 points out of 100.

For rum specifically, Ian Burrell, IWSC Spirits Judging Committee member, seeks “a balanced rum, something that can be sipped, savoured and enjoyed, and really characteristic of the rum category. Something that's elegant, long in the finish and warm in what's going on the palette.”

While Silver medals span a wide spectrum of styles, they are far from average. Each represents a carefully judged spirit with real merit, and many this year came close to achieving Gold. Here’s what stood out from the 2025 Silver medal-winning rums.

Cane or Molasses? Both Delivered, But One Dominated

Molasses remains the dominant base material among producers, with nearly two-thirds of this year’s Silver medal-winning rums made from it. These entries spanned a broad stylistic range, from the rich fruitcake depth of aged Spanish-style extra añejos to the fresher, brighter notes of younger pot still bottlings.

The highest score awarded at silver medal level is 94 points and eight rums achieved this in 2025. Of these six were molasses rums. The oldest was Fruitful Spirits 40 YO Varela Hermanos Distillery Single Cask Rum. Rum's with an age statement dominated, but there was one molasses rum, Nusa Caña Tropical Island Rum from the Netherlands, that received 94 points with no age statement. 

Rums made from sugar cane were fewer but no less impressive. A focused group of agricoles stood out for their aromatic freshness and structure, offering floral, herbal and gently grassy profiles. From youthful unaged expressions to complex 12-year-old single casks, these entries showcased the diversity and quality within the agricole style.

More than 40 cane sugar rums were awarded silver medals the highest achievers were East Neuk Spirit Company Dorchadas Washed Ashore Single Cask from Mauritius and Mt. Uncle Distillery Fnq Iridium 5 YO Rum from Australia, both receiveing 94 points and both made in pot stills. Four brands also stood out for the number of silver medals they received were Trois Riveieres, Oxenham, Neisson and St Nicholas Abbey. All received a minium of three silver medals for their sugar cane rums.

A Balance of Tradition and Innovation

One of the most striking features of this year’s Silver medal rums was their stylistic diversity. While traditional age statements and classic column still rums were well represented, a notable number of flavoured and infused entries highlighted the category’s growing confidence in more creative approaches. 19 infused, flavoured or spiced rums received a silver medal and the top 4 amongst this group were all molasses rums, with two from Infinity Spirits Venzuelan brand Bolivar (8 YO and XO), one from Casa Santana Ron y Licores from Colombia and one from NB Distillery / Company of Dark Spirits a spiced rum from Scotland, each recieving 93 points.

Both column and pot still methods were widely used, but a rising number of rums employed a blend of the two. These hybrids often delivered greater depth, combining the clarity of column distillation with the texture and character of pot stills.  Nusa Caña Tropical Island Rum, already mentioned, was the top molasses rum made using this method, closely followed by two cane sugar based rums from Foursquare in Barbados: Fidelitas 20 YO Rum and Magiesterium 16 YO Rum, both receiving 93 points.This diversity did not compromise quality. The judges consistently found thoughtful blending, skillful cask integration and a growing ability to balance innovation with structure.

Are Silver Medals Following Market Trends?

Many of this year's silver medal winners reflected flavours and styles that resonate with consumers. Common tasting notes include fruit, vanilla, caramel and spice, flavours equally suited to sipping or mixing.

Unaged and younger rums stood out, particularly those with tropical fruit or bold spice notes. These vibrant, versatile styles are increasingly favoured by bartenders. This trend has parallels to the wider spirits market, as dicussed in our recent blog on Single Grain Scotch Whisky, which touched on how how brands were producing younger, more approachable drams, often with mixed drinks cocktails in mind.

Overproof entries also made a strong impression, especially in the unaged and under-5-year categories. Their intensity and clarity of flavour align with growing demand for bolder spirits among enthusiasts.

Finally, while the Caribbean remains at the heart of rum production, Silver medals also went to producers in Taiwan, Japan, Australia, the UK and beyond, signalling rising global quality and a broader international reach. Many judges commented on the excellence, and in some case surprise, in Rum's from less expected parts of the world. For example Ortis Deley shared "Taiwan really impressed me with their offerings. I will definitely look out for them going forward." and Roger Barnes who said "I found several very interesting new rum producers as Germany and Japan start doing very decent prodicts."

A list of this year’s silver medal winning rums follows. The full IWSC results can be found on our website.