A Suffolk-based distillery has made history by winning a prestigious award for its rum.

Alkemy is made from locally grown sugar beet instead of sugar cane meaning it cannot be classed as traditional rum. 

The drink, which is distilled in Bury St Edmunds, has become the first UK-grown rum to be awarded with a gold medal at the Rum and Cachaca Masters 2024. 

Co-founder Rob Tapster said: "This medal mars a bit of a landmark occasion for the category of 'sugar beet spirit', and hopefully makes people a bit more open to where it can fit in within the world of rum.

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"It's the first time a product of this kind has been recognised at a competition like this, and it shows that sugar beet can not only compete with traditional rum, but do very well."

The competition, organised by The Global Spirit Masters, attracts nearly 300 entries from 94 different companies across the world. 

The competition is judged by specialists who choose winners based on how they taste in a blind tasting.