The Gifted Rums Guide established a panel of experts to evaluate fine rums. Their collective expertise is unrivaled in the spirits world. These noted experts on cane spirits are often invited to appraise new rum products at international rum tasting competitions.

World traveler, writer and publisher of the Gifted Rums Guide, Robert has been collecting and evaluating rums from many countries for decades.

Robert's extensive collection of fine rums is always growing and he enjoys the discovery of new and outstanding products.

In addition to the Gifted Rums Guide, Robert produces the annual Rum Renaissance festival in Miami and is the National Rum Examiner.

He often describes himself as the younger, smarter and better-looking version of his father.

Rum enthusiast and Rum Scout for the younger generation, Rob appreciates the finer points of quality rum and cachaça products.

Rob is always experimenting with cocktail recipes, often inventing his own unique concoctions. He travels the world discovering variations on old classic cocktails and seeking out the latest new trends in mixology. Together with his father, they write the National Rum Examiner site and the Gifted Rums Guide.

His well respected rum bars and restaurants in London, "Cottons" attract an eclectic mix of world travelers, celebrities, adventurers and rum enthusiasts.

As the promoter of RumFest UK, The Rum Experience, Ian is setting the pace for the promotion of the unique rum lifestyle in Europe.

Dave Broom has written a classic book about Rum -- understanding, making, buying and drinking it.

Clearly explained, comprehensive, and brilliantly illustrated with gorgeous photos, it's the next best thing to actually being in the Caribbean.

Not only a comprehensive study of the manufacture and history of rum, but also a characterful travelogue of a fascinating region.

This book was one of reasons Dave won the Glenfiddich Spirits Writer of the Year award.

Before becoming a fulltime writer on food, drinks and destinations, Bill spent more than four decades as a newspaper journalist in New York, Maryland and Pennsylvania, most of them in senior management roles.

Jeff is the author of four books on vintage Tiki drinks and cuisine -- Grog Log, Intoxica!, Taboo Table, and Sippin' Safari -- which Los Angeles magazine called "the keys to the tropical kingdom."

He has been profiled in the New York Times, Imbibe magazine, Salon.com and many other prestigious publications. Jeff created the cocktail menu for the Luau in Beverly Hills, co-created "Tiki+" for iPhone, a drink recipe app without equal.

Wayne is an award-winning contributor to numerous national magazines, including the New York Times, Atlantic Monthly, Preservation, American Heritage, Savuer, American Scholar, Canadian Geographic, Islands, Down East, Travel+Leisure, and Yankee. Wayne has also been featured on This American Life radio broadcast.

Wayne is a respected judge in international rum competitions.

Mike Streeter's adventure into the world of rum started nearly 15 years ago while sailing in the Caribbean. Touring distilleries, researching local brands, sampling homemade spirits in rum shops and smuggling samples back home became a passion. His collection of over 100 rums ranges from mainstream brands to home-distilled concoctions from far away.

He is the founder and editor of RumConnection.com, a website dedicated to promoting the tradition and culture of cane spirits through a daily updated news portal. He has also written articles on travel and booze for publications in the US, UK and Central America.

Jim has traveled extensively, with more than 10 years experience as a professional wine judge in many major wine competitions in the U.S.A., he brings a discerning eye and palate to the table.

His blog, Waylaid In The West Indies contains his musings on rum and more. Jim is a full time resident of Vieques Island, Puerto Rico where he continues to gain in the appreciation of Rums from Puerto Rico, the Caribbean and elsewhere.

Bob Davies has a passion for all things rum. Known as the Rumelier, Bob is widely respected as a rum expert, international rum tasting judge and blogger. His extensive collection of more than 600 fine rums includes samples from most of the rum producing nations.

He is the distribution manager for the largest liquor distributor in the Turks and Caicos Islands. While in his present job he has been heavily involved in developing the latest rum to be launched in the Turks and Caicos, Bambarra Rum.

Bob is married to a Bahamian Gal and has two beautiful daughters.

Many journeys followed over the years to the Caribbean, Central America, and Europe pursuing fine exotic rum many times right where they are made. Roger has hosted rum tastings on tall sailing ships in the Eastern Caribbean, off the coast of Panama, and in the Pacific Northwest.

His full time career is working as a mid-level manager for a large computer chip manufacture in Hillsboro, Oregon.

Over the past two decades he has made dozens of trips to the islands, tasting rum at the distilleries and immersing himself in island culture. Retired from the computer industry a couple of years ago, Dave now travels the world searching for great rum, by sailboat and motorcycle.

He is co-founder of rndrumreviews.com, and often hosts rum tasting parties somewhere on the high seas or wherever a rum shack's owner allows him to play bartender for a night.

The secret to his inclusion into this pantheon though is not his status, or knowledge (which a few people actually consider to be "more than enough..."), but rather his passion for rum.

Forrest lives a double life as a liquor specialist by day at the largest liquor store on the west coast, Hi Time Wine Cellars, and a diligent spirits and cocktail fanatic by night. Enjoy A Drink With Forrest online.

Today, his mission is to turn Philadelphians and transient vacationers into rum drinkers. Whether it is vodka, scotch, tequila, or bourbon that is your passion, he will find a way to introduce you to the beautiful spirit of rum. At his disposal? Nearly 150 different kinds of rum to influence your palate.

Adam is also the founder of Philadelphia's annual MojitoFEST, an event to celebrate the world's most popular cocktail, to promote many of the rum brands, as well as a cocktail competition unlike any other.

In addition to reviewing, he is also interested in photography and takes all the product photos for his reviews himself, which are also featured on various websites such as the Atlantico Rum website.

In the near future he will change location to Australia where he will further pursue his passion for fine spirits.

Since his first appearance as a judge on Barbados in 2000, he writes articles for several magazines and his website rumpages.com. The latest development in his career is the start of his own Rum import company called Rumpages.

He has been involved with his hobby for over 10 years, and hosts tastings and rum events in his home of Orlando, Florida. Hank has been invited to judge in rum competitions, among them the Rum Renaissance event in Miami.

Hank also loves cigars, and pairing them with rum is a special interest. He is currently building his website, Rum Island, and it should be available in the early fall.

Matt is an avid collector of rums, with over 120 in his home bar, as well as a staunch advocate of the spirit. He has served as a judge in a number of the Ministry of Rum's Tasting Competitions.

In addition to writing his own blog, Matt contributes to the Mixoloseum blog (a group blog run by a collective of cocktail and spirits writers) and TalesBlog (the official blog for Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans) and sits on the board of the Cocktails and Spirits Online Writers Group.

Spirits Review also chronicles some of Chris's adventures visiting distilleries, bars and restaurants around the world. Consultant and mixologist, he has won numerous awards in the Art and Science of Mixology and has been published in a number of books and magazines.

Chris formerly worked in mental health but found Mixology much more effective and fun.

They live in Manhattan where they maintain a collection of more than 130 fine rums and sugar cane spirits in the "Rhum Rhum Room," as their home bar is affectionately known. Their stockpile is believed to be one of the most extensive private collections in New York City.

Joe is also a passionate mixologist, with a particular fondness for classic rum-based tiki cocktails and traditional classic cocktails involving all spirits. Joe also shares his love of all things rum on several forums and is currently developing a website, www.rhumrhumroom.com

Paul comes from a drinks-media background beginning a decade ago as Publisher of Flavour Magazine. Paul has developed training and bartending projects with all of IPBartenders top clients including Diageo, Bacardi Brown-Forman, Mitchells & Butler and Coca-Cola.

In demand for his media and drinks knowledge, Paul is acknowledged as a leading rum expert and presenter, delivering training and seminars for the West Indies Rum and Spirit Producers Association in UK, Spain and Italy, as well as various shows and events from Miami to Moscow.

Ian Williams is a professional journalist and author of the acclaimed book, Rum, the social and sociable history of the real Spirit of 1776 on the forgotten role of rum in world history.

Ian's Rum Pundit blog features up-to-date news and articles about rum from around the world.

He has written about rum for the Financial Times, Cigar Aficionado, Carib News, Carib Impact, and Maxim magazine among other publications.

Ian is a presenter and host at numerous rum events and a judge in many international competitions.

Blair Reynolds is a popular blogger in the Tiki Rum community. His blog is a respected resource for rum and tiki culture fanatics.

Blair Reynolds is a Portland, OR based bartender, blogger, and tiki drink aficianado. With a focus on tropical libations, Blair has developed drinks and menus for venues and events in the Portland area and beyond for the past several years. His cocktail blog, TraderTiki.com, is renowned for information on tiki drinks and culture, and has been featured in magazines such as Mutineer Magazine, Bar Kultur, and local papers.

Blair has visited many distilleries, attended conferences, and assisted with lectures on all things cocktail, liquor, and cocktail culture. He has won or placed in many cocktail and mixology competitions, sits on various panels and boards, and lives a very spirited life.

Paul has served as a judge and seminar leader at numerous events in the USA and UK, and has written numerous columns for trade publications.

One of Paul’s current posts is rum/spirits marketing director with Spirited Adventures, with over a dozen rum and cane spirits clients. Paul enjoys sharing his enthusiasm through his rum and spirits website www.therumdaddy.com

Chip has a steadily growing collection of quality rums with an emphasis on premium brands. He also collects single malt and Canadian whiskies. Chip reviews whisky on Count Silvio's site Refined Vices.

Chip owns Cardsharks Sports Memorabilia Company which he believes features the largest selection of framed sports autographs for sale in Canada.

Arturo Sighinolfi is the Director of Mixology and Spirits Education for Southern Wine and Spirits of Florida. Mr. Sighinolfi also shares his time as a professor of a Beverage Management Course at Florida International University.

Prior to joining Southern Wine & Spirits in 2003 Mr. Sighinolfi tended bar at the Hotel Astor for 7 years in South Beach. There he was featured in many publications including the Wall Street Journal, New York Post and Ocean Drive. He did a bartending segment for a special on the Food Network entitled Midnight over Miami. He was also voted New Times Best Bartender in 1998. Recently, he has been a judge and or presenter at the International Cane Spirits Festival, the South Beach Wine and Food Festival, The Las Vegas Bar and Nightclub Show and the New Orleans Tales of the Cocktail.

Juan DelBusto is a rum collector who came interested in cane spirits at a young age due to his father and cousin's interest in fine rums long ago.

With a personal inventory of more than 300 different rums and almost 500 bottles, Juan suggests he's not done finding great rums.

Juan's passion is discovering and discerning rums from every region of the world. He has traveled extensively throughout the Caribbean region, Central and South America in search of rum knowledge and locally distilled products.

His collection includes many hard-to-find rums from Cuba, as well as the Philippines and India.

After many years in various bars and restaurants, he opened the Rumclub in Berlin in 2008, a speak-easy bar with over 250 varieties of rum.

Dirk organizes seminars and tastings for the best rums, sometimes in collaboration with fine cigars and exquisite chocolates.

He occasionally writes for magazines and consults Bars and Hotels on their drinks program.

Peter found his way into rum after marrying into a West Indian family over 10 years ago. UK born Pauline, being partly of Barbados and St. Vincent extraction and very British in almost all other regards opened his eyes to the integration of rum in the very fabric of the Caribbean. Together they are realizing just how wide and varied the world of sugar cane spirits is: stretching beyond the Caribbean and fully around the globe.

With their popular blog, TheFloatingRumShack.com, this charming couple enjoy highlighting fine rums, sharing their joy of rum discovery and engaging in rum related events.

Their shared enthusiasm for the noble spirit is truly infectious. Keep an eye on the Floating Rum Shack site for lots of reviews, events, tidbits and cane spirit treasures.

They would like to consider themselves more than a little way down the road to rum nirvana although the road is long -- it’s going to be a very pleasurable journey.

His rum habit is supported through working as a web developer and marketing consultant in Santo Domingo.  He never lets his visitors leave without participating in some sort of a rum tasting and always has a new rum infusion waiting in the fridge. 

Pavol believes that the best ideas come while sipping rum.