A COCKTAIL COMPETITION FINALE WILL BE HELD AT THE PIGEON ISLAND NATIONAL LANDMARK ON SUNDAY.

Saint Lucia’s 2018 Food and Rum Festival, held from January 12 – 14, will not only showcase the island’s unique culinary and rum heritage, but will be the backdrop for the first annual Caribbean Rum Awards.

The Rum Awards is being undertaken in collaboration with Caribbean Journal, which has, throughout 2017, been sampling rums from Caribbean and international suppliers and distillers, and has selected a shortlist to participate in the awards.

The Rum Awards consist of several components including rum displays and samplings throughout all of the festival events, a bartender’s workshop where local bartenders will be educated about the serving and pairing of fine sipping rums, judging of the rums by a panel of experts including a few VIP judges, and a People’s Choice Competition based on all the nominated rums.

“The first annual Caribbean Rum Awards is a celebration of the Caribbean’s most famous spirit,” said Alexander Britell, editor and publisher of Caribbean Journal. “At its core, this is a way to show the public the sheer diversity and quality of rum, something that is essential to the Caribbean experience.”

Complementing the Caribbean Rum Awards will be the Chairman’s Reserve Spiced Cocktail Competition. The competition will feature the best Saint Lucian bartenders preparing their finest spiced rum cocktail over a first round of competition with the best of the best taking the stage at the Pigeon Island National Landmark on Sunday, Jan. 14 for the finale competition. Challenged with the task of making a drink from their mystery bar in only 20 minutes, the Chairman’s Reserve Spiced Cocktail Competition will produce a winning drink which will become Saint Lucia’s national cocktail.

Details of the Saint Lucia Food and Rum Festival including schedule and pricing can be found at www.stlucia.org