Taste of Rum 2026 (Puerto Rico International Rum Festival & Conference)

Taste of Rum 2026: Puerto Rico’s Flagship Rum Festival

Taste of Rum 2026, officially branded as the 16th Puerto Rico International Rum Festival & Conference, is confirmed for Saturday, March 28, 2026 at the Puerto Rico Convention Center in San Juan. With hundreds of rum expressions to sample, education-led conference programming, and a distinctly Puerto Rican mix of music, food, and culture, it’s one of the most exciting island events to plan around if rum is even slightly on your travel wish list.

Puerto Rico calls itself the “greatest rum island of the Americas,” and Taste of Rum is designed to prove it in one immersive night. The official ticket listing describes the event as one of the biggest rum festivals in the world, featuring more than 2,000 attendees and presenting Puerto Rico’s culinary, musical, and cultural richness alongside premium rum education. It’s also positioned as welcoming multiple audiences, including rum connoisseurs, casual consumers, and industry professionals eager to explore and learn.

From an island-traveler perspective, that blend is the magic. You can arrive as a visitor, leave with a deeper understanding of rum craftsmanship, and still feel like you attended a true San Juan nightlife experience rather than a formal trade expo.

Key Dates & Venue Information

Verified Date, Venue, and City for 2026

Taste of Rum 2026 is confirmed for Saturday, March 28th, 2026. The confirmed venue is the Puerto Rico Convention Center, San Juan P.R. A Puerto Rico travel resource also lists Taste of Rum 2026 at the Puerto Rico Convention Center in San Juan on March 28, 2026, reinforcing the same details.

This location is ideal for visitors because it places you in the capital region, close to the waterfront energy of San Juan and within easy reach of neighborhoods that make the island’s food and cocktail scene so memorable.

What to Expect: Tastings, Twisted Daiquiris, and Premium Brands

The official ticket listing states the festival features over 40 award-winning premium rum brands and around 200 distinct rum expressions available for sampling either neat or in a “Twisted Daiquiri.” It also emphasizes the event’s boutique-style focus on “education and premiumization” of the rum category, which is a strong signal that the experience goes beyond casual sipping.

In practical terms, expect:

• Sampling across a wide range of rum styles and flavor profiles.
• An atmosphere that feels celebratory but still structured.
• A crowd mix that includes locals, visitors, and industry folks.

Rum Conference and Masterclass Energy (Education is Central)

Taste of Rum 2026 is presented as both a festival and a conference, and the official ticket listing ties VIP tiers to R.S.V.P. invitations for the Rum Conference, noting that seating is limited and availability is first come, first served. This detail matters if your goal is learning, not only tasting. Arriving early, choosing a tier that supports conference access, and planning your day around seminars can radically change your experience.

The official listing also frames the overall concept as rum education driven by a team with deep category knowledge, describing The Rum Lab as a producer of multiple rum events in major cities. For attendees, that signals a curated approach to programming and a higher likelihood of well-structured tasting sessions and educational value.

Tickets and Pricing

Sessions and Start Times (Verified)

Taste of Rum 2026 is organized into three ticketed sessions with clearly stated entry times on the official ticket page:

• Session #1: VIP Rum Experts (Grand Tasting & Conference), 5:00 pm – 11:00 pm.
• Session #2: VIP Rum Enthusiastic (Grand Tasting Session), 6:00 pm – 11:00 pm.
• Session #3: GA Intro to Rum (Grand Tasting Session), 7:30 pm – 11:00 pm.

For visitors, this creates a simple planning rule: earlier entry equals more time, less crowd pressure, and better chances to join education sessions.

Taste of Rum 2026 Ticket Prices (Verified)

The official ticket listing provides presale pricing (Preventa) for 2026:

• VIP Rum Experts: $69.99 + IVU + c.s.
• VIP Rum Enthusiastic: $59.99 + IVU + c.s.
• General Admission: $49.99 + IVU + c.s.

The same official listing notes that food is not included with the ticket. This is important for budgeting because you’ll want to set aside extra for any food available onsite or for a pre-event meal in San Juan.

Island Culture Pairing: Food, Music, and San Juan Nights

Taste of Rum is described as a feast of Puerto Rico’s joyful energy and culinary and musical richness, indicating the atmosphere is designed to feel culturally alive rather than purely transactional. For travelers, this is where the event becomes more than a tasting. It becomes part of a Puerto Rico itinerary where rum, music, and nighttime San Juan energy naturally fit together.

To make the most of it, plan your day like a true island day:

• Keep the afternoon light and relaxed.
• Hydrate and eat before your session starts.
• Treat the festival as the main evening plan, not a quick stop.

Practical Travel Tips for Taste of Rum 2026

The venue being the Puerto Rico Convention Center in San Juan makes logistics relatively straightforward for visitors. A few planning notes based on verified event structure:

• Choose your ticket tier based on your priorities, since earlier sessions include longer program time and additional access.
• If rum education is the goal, arrive early, because the conference access is described as limited-capacity and first come, first served even with invitations.
• Budget extra for food because it is explicitly not included with tickets.

Make Taste of Rum 2026 the Centerpiece of a Puerto Rico Trip

Taste of Rum 2026 is confirmed for Saturday, March 28, 2026 at the Puerto Rico Convention Center in San Juan, with presale tickets starting at $49.99 + IVU + c.s. and sessions running until 11:00 pm. With hundreds of rum expressions to sample and education woven into the VIP experience, it’s built for anyone who wants to explore Puerto Rico not just as a beach island, but as a world-class rum destination. Mark March 28 on your calendar, pick the session that matches your style, and come experience San Juan at its most flavorful, where the island’s rum culture turns into a night you’ll talk about long after the last pour.

Verified Information at a Glance

Event Name: Taste of Rum 2026 (16th Puerto Rico International Rum Festival & Conference)

Event Category: Rum festival and conference (grand tasting + education)

City/Island: San Juan, Puerto Rico

Confirmed Date: Saturday, March 28, 2026

Confirmed Venue: Puerto Rico Convention Center, San Juan P.R.

Confirmed Ticket Presale Prices: VIP Rum Experts $69.99 + IVU + c.s.; VIP Rum Enthusiastic $59.99 + IVU + c.s.; General $49.99 + IVU + c.s.

Confirmed Sessions and Times: VIP Rum Experts 5:00 pm–11:00 pm; VIP Rum Enthusiastic 6:00 pm–11:00 pm; GA 7:30 pm–11:00 pm

Confirmed Tasting Scale: Over 40 premium rum brands and around 200 rum expressions available for sampling

Food Inclusion: Food is not included with the ticket