More than 50 venues around Australia have created cocktails for for the inaugural Plantation Rum Cup and Drinks Digest has the lowdown on where to try them.

Plantation Rum Cup teams entered into the event are promoting their drinks at their venues until late August. And they’re out to prove there’s more to rum mixology than Pina Coladas.

Rum is one of the world’s most diverse spirits. Each country or production zone is its own unique “terroir” with unique characteristics, a particular soil, traditional growing patterns, and specific techniques.

Plantation Rum sources rum from all over the world – from the Caribbean to South America and to Asia Pacific – to express their unique terroirs with ‘savoir-faire’ by master blender, Alexandre Gabriel.

Rum cocktails are among the earliest created in mixology history. A 19th century pirate from Puerto Rico called Roberto Cofresí invented the Pina Colada. Cofresí gave his crew a drink containing white rum, pineapple and coconut milk to raise their morale. And the rest, as they say, is history!

Every year, Drinks International asks 100 of the best bars in the world to rank their biggest selling cocktails. In 2021, the Daiquiri – featuring rum, lime juice, and simple syrup – came in at No.3, making it the world’s top rum tipple. The Mojito – made with white rum, lime and mint – came in at No.10.

Teams competing in the Planatation Rum Cup will be hoping to add a new classic to that line-up.

Participating venues

Show your support for the competing venues and enjoy their Plantation Rum Cup 2021 cocktails at these bars:

South Australia & Northern Territory 

Maybe Mae
Westward & Chandelier Bar 
Fumo Blu
Remy’s deep dish pizza bar
Ounce Bar

Memphis Slim’s House of Blues
BRKLYN
Hains & Co
Westward
Hains & Co
Clever Little Tailor
 
Queensland 

The Woods
Cobbler
Electric Avenue
Canvas
The Walrus Club
The Gresham
Osbourne Hotel
The Captains Daughter
Santé cocktail bar
Maker
Suzie Wong’s Good Time Bar
Savile Row
Backlane Bar & Street Food
 
NSW & ACT 

Rum Diary Bar Newcastle
Neighbourhood Bondi
Jacoby’s Tiki Bar
Blue Kahunas
Cantina OK!
The Lobo
Grain 
Old Mates Place
Marble bar 
The Exchange Hotel
Loft Byron Bay
Shorty’s

Victoria & Tasmania

1806
Moosehead Whisky and Blues Bar
Union Electric
Sherbini Bar
Evolve Spirits Bar
Wheelers food trucks and bar
The Rum Diary Bar

Black Pearl
Curious Bar 
La Madonna
Bar Clara
Collection Bar
Western Australia
Tiki as Fk

Auckland & surrounds

Liquorette
Bedford Soda & Liquor
Baduzzi
Ghost Donkey
Saxon + Parole
The Poni Room
The Bramble
Rooftop at QT Hotel
Bellini Bar at Hilton 
Fitzroy Lounge Bar

Queenstown, Christchurch & surrounds

Cork Bar
Reds
Zanzibar Dunedin
Harbar
Mama Cod
LaLaLand Lounge Bar
Casa Publica

Wellington & surrounds

Hawthorn Lounge
Bitters & love

About the Plantation Rum Cup

Any COVID closures will be taken into account throughout the Plantation Rum Cup judging process. Venues are recommended to consider how their cocktail could feature on takeaway menus if COVID restrictions continue or are implemented in their states. 

Each cocktail will be made and judged in an off-location setting, to ensure a fair assessment is made to each recipe by all teams across Australia & New Zealand. Points will be awarded on the cocktail recipe, cocktail sales and in-venue and social media promotion.

Finalists will be announced via the Plantation Rum Asia Pacific Facebook & Instagram page on September 1.

On Monday, September 20, the finalist teams will compete against each other for the first major title of Plantation Rum’s kind, a luxury experience provided in the winners’ home location and a ‘Welcome to Summer’ Party in the winning venue on December 1.

Top 10 biggest selling cocktails 2021

Pictured main (left to right): The Gresham – Brisbane; Lobo – Sydney; Westward & Chandelier Bar – Adelaide.