JUDGING PROCESS & AWARDS:
The quality of judges makes the reputation of a spirits competition. At the Australian Rum Awards, our judges are second to none. The panel is made up of diverse rum industry experts from distillery owners and brand ambassadors to bartenders and die-hard rum enthusiasts from across Australia.
This elite panel are some of the most respected and experienced experts within the rum category. The calibre of judging adds a level of prestige and sophistication never before seen in the Australian rum sphere.
The judges will blind taste submissions and award points accordingly. This will ensure that judging is impartial, rigorous and adheres to consistent standards. The Australian Rum Awards run a tightly structured tasting process. We use the “double-blind” method in which samples are tasted in pre-poured, numbered glasses to ensure our experts don’t see a bottle before their judgements are passed.
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The Elite Judging Panel
Recruited for their unparalleled rum expertise, these sophisticated judges are the heart of ARA.
MEET THE EXPERTS -------------
ARA Scoring System
Judges assess the quality of a spirit with respect to its category first, then consider nose, palate, finish and balance.
At ARA, we put the integrity and accuracy of our scoring system above all else. The most important thing is to label a good rum as a good rum and a fantastic rum as a fantastic rum.
We don’t hand out tens to everyone, but we also don’t withhold them in case something better comes along. If a spirit meets the category criteria and has no obvious flaws, it will receive the points it deserves.
ARA is here to celebrate rum as a craft. We wish to only determine if an entry meets its category criteria and has a quality taste that is expected by the public. This is not about gatekeeping according to personal taste.
Before we judge a flight of spirits, we nose and taste each glass to compare and determine if any are Gold Medal worthy. Then, we assign scores in each sensory area that break down exactly what makes it worth Gold.
Points are measured out of 100 and awarded medals in the following format:
20 Points
40 Points
20 Points
20 Points
MEDALS
90+ POINTS
80+ POINTS
70+ POINTS