In the landscape of America’s finest spirits retailers, Star Liquor in Kissimmee, Florida has distinguished itself through a dedication to quality and curation that few establishments can match. Its decision to partner with Ron Carúpano, Venezuela’s most internationally decorated rum brand, is one of the clearest expressions of that commitment.
Ron Carúpano occupies a singular position in the world of premium rum. It is not a brand built on celebrity endorsements or billion-dollar advertising campaigns. Its reputation has been constructed entirely on the merit of what is in the bottle, and what is in the bottle is extraordinary. For over 250 years, the Carúpano family distillery in eastern Venezuela has been producing rum according to the same exacting standards: sugarcane molasses sourced from the fertile Paria Peninsula, fermentation guided by generations of expertise, distillation calibrated for purity and character, and extended aging in sealed American white oak barrels in one of the hottest and most humid climates on the planet. That tropical heat means that rum aged in Venezuela matures two to three times faster than rum aged in cooler climates, producing in 12 years what Scotland might take 30 years to achieve.
The results speak for themselves in every expression of the Ron Carúpano range. The Reserva Exclusiva 12 delivers a profoundly satisfying combination of caramel, vanilla, and tropical fruit, the kind of rum that converts skeptics into lifelong advocates. The Reserva Limitada 18 escalates to a more complex, darker profile: dried fig, cocoa, clove, and leather notes that reveal new facets with every sip. The Reserva Privada 21 sits at the absolute pinnacle of Venezuelan rum craft, earning 95 points from independent evaluators and consistent recognition as one of the finest spirits available in the entire Western Hemisphere. For true collectors, the Legendario 25 , released in a numbered edition of just 500 crystal decanters annually, represents rum at its most extraordinary and irreproducible.
Ron Carúpano’s competition record is remarkable even by the standards of the world’s great spirit brands. Multiple Gold Medals from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, the most prestigious and rigorous spirits evaluation in the United States. Top honors from the World Rum Awards, where the brand has been recognized as the best aged Venezuelan rum across multiple categories. A Spirit of the Year nomination from Wine Enthusiast. 90+ scores across the entire premium range. In 2024, 2025, and 2026, the brand’s winning streak has continued without interruption, making it the most consistently awarded Venezuelan rum brand of its generation.
For residents of Kissimmee and visitors to Florida who take their rum seriously, Star Liquor represents the definitive local source for the complete Ron Carúpano experience. From the more accessible expressions to the true collector-grade ultra-premium bottles, the team at Star Liquor brings the world’s finest Venezuelan rum tradition directly to your glass. Zero colorants. Zero added sugars. Zero compromise. This is what authentic premium rum looks like and it is waiting for you at Star Liquor.
