2 Masters, 2 Golds

At The Spirits Business Masters 2026, we are pleased to announce that DropWorks Rums have secured four medals across ultra‑premium and aged rum categories, placing for every Drop entered.

Clear Drop Rum was awarded a coveted Master in the White Rum – Ultra-Premium category, placing it among a tiny handful of white rums globally to reach this level in 2026.

In the Gold Rum – Ultra-Premium flight, Distiller’s Drop #002 Bordeaux Red Wine Cask earned a prestigious Gold medal, praised for its characterful cask influence and balance at serious sipping strength. Its predecessor, the now sold out Distiller’s Drop #001 English Chestnut Cask was awarded a Masters.

Barrel Drop continued its winning streak with a Gold in the Gold Rum – Aged up to 7 Years category (bearing in mind it was the youngest in its category!), underlining its status as a go‑to modern aged rum for both sipping and cocktails.

Together, these four medals show the brand performing at the top of the game in ultra‑premium white rum, ultra‑premium gold rum and aged gold rum up to seven years, a spread that speaks to both bartender‑friendly versatility and serious rum‑lover credibility. This builds directly onto the success from last year, when all three DropWorks rums entered; Clear Drop, Spice Drop and Barrel Drop won Gold at The Spirits Business Rum & Cachaça 2025 Awards, making this the second consecutive year of multi‑category success and placing for every Drop entered.

Why this matters for bartenders and bars

For the on‑trade, these results offer a powerful signal: when a DropWorks bottle goes onto the back bar or a cocktail list, it arrives with independent validation from some of the toughest palates in the drinks world. The Rum & Cachaça Masters are judged blind by industry experts, from senior journalists to consultants and educators, with medals based purely on what’s in the glass.

Clear Drop’s Master medal was earned on the strength of a “complex, tropical nose” and a palate delivering “plenty of depth, fruit, and balanced sweetness – and alcohol, too”, with judges describing it as “interesting, fun and… easily sipped or mixed into cocktails- a big yes”. That kind of dual‑use profile is gold dust behind the bar, where one ultra‑premium white rum that can shine in Daiquiris, Mojitos and signature serves streamlines the back bar while raising quality.

The data: how big is this win?

The 2026 Rum & Cachaça Masters field was large and fiercely competitive, especially in the ultra‑premium tiers.

In White Rum – Ultra-Premium, only three Master medals were awarded worldwide, one of which went to Clear Drop, effectively putting DropWorks Rums in the top three ultra‑premium white rums in this year’s competition. Zooming out, dozens of rums from global giants and acclaimed independents were assessed, yet our rums were awarded four medals, including two of the most coveted Master‑level awards. Combined with last year’s triple‑gold success, we have now amassed a total of seven medals in two years from Spirits Business competitions alone, and we couldn’t be more proud of this achievement.

What it means if you’re drinking or stocking DropWorks

For bartenders and hospitality operators, stocking award‑winning rums is both a quality statement and a commercial opportunity. Medals like these justify rum‑led menu placements and give teams a compelling story to share with guests who are increasingly searching for what’s new and what’s genuinely high quality rum in the category. Whether it’s a Great British Mojito built on Clear Drop, a Bordeaux‑accented rum Old Fashioned showcasing Distiller’s Drop #002, or a cask‑driven Barrel Drop serve to convert whisky lovers, DropWorks now has medal‑backed answers across key rum styles.