PARCE Rum chalks up five victories at San Francisco's 2015 World Spirits Competition

What began four years ago as a dream to create the world's the finest rum has become a bona-fide reality: Newcomer PARCE (pronounced "PAR-say") Rum has taken home five top honors at the 15th Annual San Francisco World Spirits Competition, held in March at the Hotel Nikko. More than just a California gold rush, PARCE's unprecedented performance was described by festival organizers as "a huge success by a new spirit." More than 1500 entrants were judged: the largest turnout ever at the most well-known spirits tasting event in the United States. For the hard-working PARCE team, it's like winning Rookie Of the Year and the Super Bowl. "My brothers Patrick, Brian, and I, along with our friend Jaime Uribe, are very honored to receive these awards from the 2015 San Francisco World Spirits Competition—especially since we're so new to the American public," says PARCE co-founder Jim Powers. "We started PARCE with the belief that an obsessive, consistent attention to quality and detail will yield something truly special." The 41 international judges certainly agreed. PARCE's 12 Year Old Rum ($60) beat 169 spirits in its category to win Best in Show: Aged White Spirit award. Check out PARCE's passel of awards: PARCE Rum 12 Year Old: Winner, Double Gold Medal Winner, Best Extra Aged Rum Winner, Best Rum Winner, BEST IN SHOW: Aged White spirit PARCE Rum 8 Year Old: Winner, Gold Medal Packaging Design Award: PARCE Rum 8 Year Old and 12 Year Old (Designer Michael Renaud): Winner, Gold Medal "We are thrilled," Powers adds. "To have PARCE recognized by these talented spirits professionals. Parce is available at select independent craft spirits retailers, as well as Binny's Beverage Depot and Whole Foods stores throughout the Chicago area. Plans are also under way to distribute PARCE beyond Illinois, Colorado, New York and British Columbia (not to be confused with Bogotá, Colombia). Speaking of Bogotá, it's the home of PARCE's master blenders, Arthur Fernandes and his son Brojen Fernandes Domecq. In their skilled hands, PARCE 8 Year and 12 Year Colombian rums are 100% real aged and crafted to their satisfaction. PARCE uses natural spring water and homegrown yeast for optimal fermentation. Our carefully proportioned blend of sugar cane juice, fresh-crushed from three cane varieties, is brought to a flavorful finish through mellowed aging in charred oak whisky barrels. And it's not just about making stellar rum, but making a difference as well. For each bottle of PARCE Rum sold, we plant a native species tree in the Colombian rainforest through the Colombian environmental organization Contreebute and their reforestation initiative. "PARCE" (PAR-say) is Colombian slang for "buddy" or "pal," used among good friends in good times. Colombia is also the happiest country on Earth, according to a 2013 poll by WIN/Gallup International Association. Maybe it's the rum.