This rum is wicked great

Cape Coral entrepreneur JoAnn Elardo launched her distillery barely one year ago, but her rum is already taking some top prizes.

Cape Spirits recently won the silver medal from the American Distilling Institute's blind-taste competition in Denver for its Wicked Dolphin Artisan Rum. It won that award in the “best white/silver rum” category.

The competition was tough: 140 distillers submitted 317 spirits for consideration. But distillers underestimate Elardo at their own peril.

This is Elardo's second entrepreneurial venture. She retired to Cape Coral after building one of Eastern Europe's most successful distributors of U.S.-made athletic shoes. When she sold her Warsaw-based company in 2008, the company was notching $30 million in annual sales.

When pressed for the key to success, Elardo told the Business Observer in April 2012: “You can't take no for an answer.”