Once again, let’s add a short disclaimer: We do not like these best-of lists for several reasons. Furthermore, note first and foremost that this list only contains the Rums we have reviewed on this page in this year. There have been several other amazing Rums which may very well have made the list but we either didn’t taste them (yet) or we did but haven’t written a review (yet). So for what it is worth:

Recent Bottlings (Released in 2019/2020)

1. Rum Artesanal Enmore (Versailles) “REV” 1994 25YO (51,4%) – 94/100
2. The Rum Cask Hampden 1990 30YO (55,6%) – 94/100
3. Silver Seal Uitvlugt (Port Mourant) 1989 30YO (55,8%) – 93/100
4. Velier Hampden 2010 9YO “<>H” -LMDW- 9YO (69,2%) – 92/100
5. Monymusk “Guiseppe Begnoni” 1997 22YO “EMB” (67,9%) – 92/100
6. Rum Artesanal New Yarmouth 2009 10YO (66,9%) – 91/100
7. Corman Collins J.Bally 2000 18YO (56,8%) – 91/100
8. Savanna Grand Arôme 2005 13YO (56,4%) – 91/100
9. Flensburg Rum Company Enmore (Versailles) 1992 27YO (59,8%) – 91/100
10. Kill Devil Bellevue 1998 20YO (58,8%) – 91/100

Older Bottlings (Released prior to 2019)

1. Velier Uitvlugt 1988 17YO “ICBU” (52,9%) – 96/100
2. The Rum Cask Hampden 1990 26YO (61,9%) – 95/100
3. Velier Caroni 1992 20YO (60,21%) – 95/100
4. Velier Diamond “SVW” 1996 15YO (64,6%) – 95/100
5. Velier Caroni 1994 18YO (62,59%) – 94/100
6. Rendsburger Bürgermeister Rum Port Mourant 1975 32YO (56,9%) – 94/100
7. Velier Uitvlugt 1985 27YO “UF30E” (60,7%) – 94/100
8. Cadenhead’s Enmore (Versailles) “KFM” 1991 12YO (66%) – 94/100
9. Rumclub Hampden 1990 26YO (60,4%) – 94/100
10. Blackadder St. Lucia 1999 12YO (68,2%) – 93/100

Bonus: Favorite Non-Rum of the Year

L’Encantada La Frêche 1990-2020 #49 (52,4%) – 91/100

What we’ve noticed is that 2020 was clearly a better Rum year than 2019 as I had quite a few other bottlings in mind that I feel should easily have made this list. While we’ve also had a few real gems last year, this year was definitely “deeper” with many more excellent bottlings – something 2019 was missing. That’s good for us, but bad for our purses. I wonder what 2021 will hold for us but from what I’ve heard so far, it is heading in a similar direction.
The featured image comes once again from our buddy Vintage Sugar Cane Postcards aka our dear correspondent Johannes.