Margaret Ayala
Margaret Ayala, Executive Editor
Rum is on the Rise
I have seen a major growth in the past few years of new rum events being held all over the world. Not only has there been an expansion in events, but the quantity of participants and consumers has increased significantly as well.
A few years ago, it was not uncommon to walk up to booths where companies promoting their products would have only one or two rums available for sampling. Today many of these companies have extended their portfolios to include many more offerings.
The industry is reacting to consumers who want to experience new flavors and expand their choices in and out of their homes. I’m not only speaking of “flavors” as in fruit flavors or even spices, but also of aged rums that bring out the toasted or charred oak into the rum.
Today, I see more premium rums on the market ranging from 12 to 25 years old, some of these products retailing for over $200 USD. As an industry, we are also seeing companies introducing rums that have been aged in sherry and cognac barrels, in addition to the usual American and French oak.
Modern consumers are developing an appreciation for variety and high quality rums. This is where rum plays the most important role in the beverage industry: it is the only distilled spirit that offers consumers choices ranging from white rum to aged, flavored and spiced! And all of this is RUM!
Last month Luis and I had the pleasure of attending and judging at the American Distilling Institute’s 9th Annual Craft Distilling Conference in Louisville, Kentucky. I was amazed at how large of a group of people were present. Attendance at the conference has doubled each of the past years. The same thing happened in April at the Rum Renaissance Festival in Miami, Florida: the event had to be moved to a much larger room to accommodate all of the new booths and public traffic.
Looking across the ocean, this year will mark history with the very first ever rum conference, Congreso del Ron, in Madrid, Spain in early June. Spain has become the largest rum market in all of Europe. I am very excited about seeing who the exhibitors will be and how many consumers will be in attendance.
These are just a few examples of how our industry as a whole is expanding and how consumer awareness is growing. There is no doubt that rum is on the rise and is gaining the respect and appreciation it deserves.
Cheers!
Margaret Ayala, Executive Editor