GOSLING'S Black Seal has been ranked the number one rum in a blind taste test against some of the world's better-known brands.

Noted Canadian sommelier and magazine columnist Craig Pinhey ranked five of the world's greatest dark rums, judging them on their appearance, odour and, of course, taste, on Frog's Pad, his web site devoted to the excellence of wines, beers and spirits.

"For you rum rookies," wrote Mr. Pinhey, "rum is a spirit made by distilling a fermented batch of sugar and water. The sugar comes from the sugar cane, using pure cane sugar, concentrated cane sugar, or molasses.

"Rum made from cane sugar is smoother than molasses-derived rums. Just in case you wondered, all rum comes out of the still clear as water. Colour additions and/or barrel ageing give it colour." From best to worst, the sommelier's results were as follows: Gosling's Black Seal Rum, Havana Club 7 Year Old, Captain Morgan's Black Rum, Captain Morgan's Deluxe Dark Rum and Bacardi Black Rum.

Dark Rum, he said, was "richer rum", and often made through a process using oak aging.

"The good ones are great straight, but can be expensive (while) cheap dark rum is low-quality molasses-based rum with caramel added for colour and flavour.

"I blind tasted five dark rums, including 'The Captain' as well as Bacardi Black and three premium rums. (Gosling's) is a very dark rum, with a pleasant nose of banana and maple syrup. Complex in taste, with orange peel, spice and a lingering finish."

Paul Sofianos, Bermuda of Gosling's Export (Bermuda) brands manager, said the company was pleased with the result.

"This just adds to the accolades Gosling's Black Seal has been winning overseas recently," he said. "Stuff magazine gave it five out of five stars; at the Rum Festival in Barbados, it was given a gold medal in the premium rum category - the highest achievement possible; at the International Rum Festival it was given a gold medal. At the World Spirits Championships - the largest international spirits judging event in North America - it received 96 out of a possible score of 100, and a platinum medal.

"And, of course, it's the largest selling spirit in Bermuda.

"Each month (Mr. Pinhey) picks a category of wine, spirits or beer to judge and puts the results on his website. We didn't know anything about it until we discovered we'd won."

In addition to his work as a sommelier and columnist, Mr. Pinhey is a respected judge of beer, wine and spirits.