Last Saturday saw me striding in and (not quite) crawling out of this year’s Manchester Rum Festival.

New year, new location; New Century Hall!

me

It’s been three years since my last foray into this very fine festival which is incredibly into its 8th year, and yet still, STILL, so many rums to try!

The Manchester Rum festival is the dream for those rum connoisseurs, aficionados, for those who love a rum and Coke on a Friday night, and indeed for those who are rum-curious.

With at least 50 different brands ready for the tasting last Saturday, it was the biggest line-up yet. And given it was World Rum Day, no less, the stars were truly aligned…

And I have to say, first of all the new venue was brilliant. Whilst I’ve ventured downstairs into the open food and drink market style arena, I’d yet to head upstairs to the theatre and gig space.

And organisers, it felt perfect and just the right size to host all those wonderful rum masters and brands, it had the customary stage to house the Manchester legend DJ Dom, playing some brilliant reggae reggae beats and Soca to get us in the mood, and altogether felt like the right call for staging this right royal love-letter to rum.

Let’s talk about the rum tasting itself. With each table and brand offering, I’d say, an average of 4 tasting pours of rums to try, nobody is going home thirsty (or, indeed, sober).

With festival-goers having a window of 5 hours in which to tickle their tastebuds and palates with as many rums as they can muster, I have to say I had to wave the white flag 2 hours in. I’d hit my wall but not for the want of trying. Trying, that is, as many different pours as my will (and liver) would allow.

But what of the varieties on offer? Well there were some newbies to Manchester, making their debut at the festival including O Reizinho, an agricultural rum from Madeira, Casa Tarasco from Mexico, Renegade Cane Rum from Grenada, Ron Carúpano, a Venezuelan brand with the only female Master Blender in the country and Rhum Depaz from the volcanic terroir of Martinique and Don Q from Puerto Rico.  Bristol Classic, a rum firm that produces limited quantity rums from countries including Guyana and Mauritius, as well as Trinidad and the Dominican Republic, be making its first appearance at the festival. 

Other brands included Chairman’s Reserve, Pusser’s, Worthy Park, Cockspur, Damoiseau, Don Papa, Ninefold and Aluna, plus Manchester-based One-Eyed Rebel from the Spirit of Manchester Distillery.

The official cocktail bar this year was run by MONIN and featured specially created rum cocktails as designed by some of Manchester’s finest establishments, including Exhibition, Hold Fast, Northern Monk Refectory and New Century Kitchen.

Why thanks for asking. To kick start the tasting, we went with The Manc-tai – the festival’s own creation, with a heady mix of Monin almond, Chairman’s reserve original rum, Mouse Kingdom quad-sec, lime juice (because, health), and One-Eyed Rebel black cherry rum.

And aptly, given it was essentially serving as an amuse-bouche to the rest of the day’s drinking, First Shift, as beautifully put together by Northern Monk Refectory, and containing Monin pineapple, Monin watermelon, Don O Cristal rum, lime juice (because, health) Ms Better Bitters Miraculous Foamers, and soda. It was as refreshing as it may sound.

And so I was on my way and there was no looking back.

Now, from all those tasted during my self-imposed two hour window, it would be remiss of me to pick out my favourite (Aluna). It would be like having a favourite child, or even a second, third and fourth favourite child (Renegade, Takamaka, Oualie…). But with more white and dark rums than you can shake a cocktail stirrer at, nobody was going home disappointed.

‘That’s as well be, but how on earth were you still standing, with all this glorious boozy booze on offer, lady?’, I feel you wonder with a mix of horror and admiration…

Why seeing as you ask (in a slightly judgey way, may I say), that was thanks to some pretty awesome, authentic Caribbean cuisine provided by Nyammin – an excellent addition to proceedings this year.

But when all is said, done and photographed, the proof is in the pudding and indeed the tasting, when it comes to events like this.

And with 8 years under their belt, organiser Dave Marsland, and the team, having pulled off another great celebration of rum in our very own city of Manchester, I’d say it’s a shoo-in that you’ll get to see for yourself what it’s all about next year.

To learn more about all the exhibitors from the day, visit https://manchesterrumfestival.com/exhibitors/

(hiccup)