Islay’s first rum distillery has celebrated a major milestone after The Original Islay Rum Barrel Aged was awarded three stars at Great Taste 2026, the world’s largest food and drink awards. The judges praised the spirit in glowing terms, calling it “astonishingly exciting” and hailing its layered flavour, balance and length.
Great Taste is run by the Guild of Fine Food and judged blind by more than 500 chefs, buyers, writers and retailers. Only a small fraction of entries receive the highest accolade each year, making the three-star result a significant achievement for the young distillery.
The judges said: “The flavours burst on to the front palate with coconutty, toasty sweetness underpinned with the smoky, oaky notes. We adored it. It intrigued us, inviting us back time and time again to find new points of interest. The flavours kept on developing, with a finish that is balanced and lengthy. It is an exquisite rum.”
Barrel Aged is lightly matured in oak casks that were previously used to age peated Islay single malt whisky, giving the rum a distinctive character that bridges the island’s whisky heritage with rum-making. The result is a spirit shaped by gentle smoke, vanilla, and coastal salinity.
The award completes an impressive run of international recognition for the distillery in 2026. Barrel Aged previously picked up Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, while The Original Islay Rum Overproof won Gold Outstanding at the International Wine & Spirit Competition, with both scoring 98 points.
Caroline James, co-founder of The Islay Spirits Company, said the blind tasting result proved the liquid “speaks for itself”. She added that the whole team was “so, so proud” of the achievement.
You Might Also Like:
Based in the restored 1959 art deco Old Lemonade Factory in Port Ellen, the distillery uses a copper pot and twin retort still designed by head distiller and manager Ben Inglis. The setup creates a triple distillation effect in a single run, while Islay’s cool maritime climate slows maturation and lends a distinctive island influence to the spirit.
Inglis said the three-star win showed “the spirit we set out to make is the spirit in the bottle”, adding that the ex-peated casks, slow maturation and salt in the air all leave their mark on the rum.
The Original Islay Rum Barrel Aged is bottled at 46% ABV and retails at £49.
