UPDATE: THEY WON!!!!
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Newport Craft + Distilling Co. has been nominated nominated for USA Today’s Top 10 Rum Distilleries in America.
Thomas Tew Rums are named after a famous Rhode Island pirate who once lived in Newport. The dark amber Single Barrel Rum is distilled in a traditional copper pot still and aged in oak barrels to impart richness and complexity. Distillers hand-select spirits one barrel at a time, and each bottle is labeled with the barrel it came from.
Sugarcane plantations in the Caribbean began distilling rum during the 17th century from molasses, an inexpensive byproduct of the sugar refining process. The spirit came to the U.S. in 1664 with the opening of the first rum distillery on Staten Island and continued to grow in popularity through the Revolutionary War. Rum has come a long way since those early days, and distilleries across the nation are experimenting with how to craft the finest variations.
USA Today asked a panel of American spirits experts to nominate 20 of the best craft rum distilleries in the USA. Many of these distilleries work in small batches using locally-sourced ingredients. Many are family-owned. Many painstakingly distill their spirits using a blend of traditional and modern techniques. All take pride in crafting unique rums worthy of sipping as well as mixing.Which is your favorite?
Help crown the winner of our fourth annual Readers’ Choice Best Craft Rum Distillery contest by voting once per day until polls close on Monday, September 23 at noon ET. The 10 winning distilleries determined by your vote will be announced on Friday, October 14
