What do you get if you cross 14 of the worlds top rum experts, 90 different rum samples and a rum bar in one of the worlds leading hotels?

The answer is the inaugural U.K. Rum Experience International Tasting Competition 2007.

The competition was held in October 2007 at the luxurious Artesian bar, part of the Langham Hotel in London. An appropriate setting, as the bar carries over 80 premium rums on its shelves and is seen as the No.1 hotel bar for rum in the U.K.

Over the course of two days, several styles of rums were tasted and judged by what can arguably be called "the best rum judging panel ever assembled." Amongst the panel were three best selling rum and spirits writers; two world renowned mixologists; three bar proprietors and managers of rum bars that stock over 700 rums between them; the publishers and editors of the Gifted Rums Guide to the world's finest rums; the head of Marketing for the biggest rhum distributors in France; a noted rum aficionado and lecturer from the U.S.A; the founders of Taste & Flavour and speaker for the W.S.E.T. certificates and the UK's very own Rum Ambassador.

The distinguished judging panel blind tasted all 90 of the rums, which were separated into 13 different categories. These were marked on appearance, aroma, initial taste, body and finish. The rums were then recommended by the various judges on whether they should be awarded a bronze, silver or a gold medal. Then finally once the scores had been totalled, the top rum from each category was awarded a "Best of Class" medal.

According to Ian Burrell, the U.K. Rum Ambassador and organiser of the Rum Experience, "there are other spirit competitions around the world but none is solely for rum and sugar cane spirits. And with the best rum panel I've ever seen assembled, any rum winning a medal from these judges must be a bloody good rum!"

Here are the results of the 2007 Rum Fest UK - Rum Experience Competition, held in London, England in October, 2007.