Taste of Rum 2026 returns to Puerto Rico
Now in its 16th year, The Rum Lab’s annual Taste of Rum conference will return to the Puerto Rico Convention Center on 28 March.
The event, which launched in 2009, has become ‘the largest’ international rum festival and congress in the Caribbean and the Americas.
It brings together more than 40 rum brands and 200 distinct expressions alongside industry professionals and thousands of attendees. Last year’s festival attracted more than 1,800 visitors.
“Taste of Rum was created to celebrate our history and connect people with the heart of the industry,” said the festival’s founder, Federico J Hernández.
“Today, it is also a platform to project our future. The world looks to Puerto Rico not only for tradition, but for leadership.”
The 2026 edition coincides with the federal Rum Tax Cover Over programme, a US federal initiative that refunds certain excise taxes on rum made in Puerto Rico. Nine Puerto Rican producers are included in the programme for the first time in more than 15 years, impacting at least 18 local brands and expanding opportunities in the US market.
“Having these new incentives helps us be on the same playing field as other outstanding rums made in Puerto Rico,” said Augusto Ponce, the founder of Ron Boricua.
Puerto Rico accounts for approximately 70% of the rum consumed in the US. In 2025, the island produced 31.6 million gallons of the spirit. Its rum industry employs around 800 direct jobs and thousands of indirect positions.
The recent increase in the Rum Tax Cover Over rate could help annual revenues reach nearly US$500 million.
The Taste of Rum festival brings in 600 international tourists each year and contributes between 7,800 and 9,000 hotel nights to support tourism.
For the 2026 edition, guests can expect the usual bumper lineup of premium tastings and limited edition products, educational seminars, live music, culinary experiences and networking spaces.
Tickets can be purchased at the PR Tickets website. Further information about the conference can be found on the Taste of Rum site.
The Rum Lab’s schedule for 2026 also includes six events, with festivals, congresses and cocktail experiences held across the US and Europe.
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