Wicked Dolphin has collected its fair share of awards for its rum since opening in Cape Coral in 2012.
But its latest honor is the most impressive to date.
The craft rum distillery’s 3-year barrel-aged rum won the Double Gold Medal in what is widely considered the most prestigious spirits competition in the world.
“Winning Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition is a dream come true for our entire team,” Wicked Dolphin founder JoAnn Elardo said in a news release. “This award is a testament to the passion and craftsmanship that goes into every bottle of Wicked Dolphin.”
The double gold is not only the competition’s top honor, but one of the highest honors in the spirit industry.
“In the spirits world, this is like winning the Emmy, the Grammy… that big of a deal,” said Jared Pearlman, Wicked Dolphin’s creative director. “We are so honored because it’s a direct reflection of all the hard work our team puts in to create the highest quality craft rum on the market.”
While Wicked Dolphin has placed in this event before, this is the first time earning double gold.
“This means that the entire panel of spirits experts unanimously voted to give us their top rating,” Pearlman said.
The winning 3-year barrel-aged rum, which was released June 8, is crafted from Florida-grown sugarcane, then aged in American oak barrels. With notes of vanilla, caramel, and a hint of tropical fruit, it’s a smooth, complex award-winner.
Take a free tour with free samples at Wicked Dolphin
Last year, Wicked Dolphin — just off Pine Island Road between Hancock Bridge and Nicholas parkways — was voted the No. 1 craft rum distillery in the country by USA Today’s 10BEST in the U.S. readers’ poll. And it’s no stranger to that competition, taking first place for four consecutive years beginning in 2016. It was named third in 2020, second in 2021, fifth in 2022 and 2024, and sixth in 2023.
“We continue to evolve every year,” Pearlman said after last year’s win. “We continue to perfect our craft, invest in the facility and team and always research. It’s really important to have the best product on the market, and I think we do. We always strive to be the best.”
Wicked Dolphin makes small-batch rums in a traditional copper pot still (the largest in the state), using Florida-grown sugarcane. It’s aged between 3 and 14 years in American white oak once-used bourbon barrels that held premium Kentucky bourbon.
It sold just one type of rum, Crystal, when Elardo opened its doors 14 years ago. Now there are 14 rums, from premium to reserve to limited reserve, plus blueberry and strawberry rumshine and Wicked Dolphin vodka.
Learn all about Wicked Dolphin during one of its free tours, held Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
On the close-up, behind-the-scenes tour, you’ll see just what goes into making these highly acclaimed rums right here in Cape Coral.
“We are proud to bring this level of recognition home to Florida and prove that world-class rum is being made right here in the Sunshine State,” Elardo said via a news release.
Robyn George is a food and dining reporter for The News-Press. Connect at rhgeorge@fortmyer.gannett.com
Please support local community journalism and stay informed about Southwest Florida news by subscribing to The News-Press and Naples Daily News; download the free News-Press or Naples Daily News app, and sign up for daily briefing email newsletter, food & dining and growth & development newsletters here and here.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Did you know? Some of the best rum in the world is made in Cape Coral
Reporting by Robyn George, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News / Fort Myers News-Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Robyn George, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News | USA TODAY Network
