Rum in the News
DON Q
Destilería Serrallés announced the release of Don Q Naranja, an exceptional flavored rum, aged in American White Oak barrels for up to 18 months with natural orange essence and flavor. Made with the finest aged rums and all-natural flavors, Don Q Naranja is the fifth expression of the brand’s flavor portfolio, joining Don Q Coco, Don Q Piña, Don Q Limón and Don Q Pasión. The flavor portfolio is inspired by the fresh, tropical fruits from Puerto Rico. Naranja’s bright citrus notes and alluring sweetness make it ideal for virtually any cocktail requiring a hint of orange with the tropical, premium taste of Don Q Rum. Mix Naranja with fresh juices or other citrus-focused liqueurs for a refreshing highball or low-ABV cocktail, including a Don Q Orange Spritz or the Don Q Mule. “We’ve been creating exceptional, dynamic rums for nearly 160 years, and Don Q Naranja is a vibrant example of how we craft our aged rums and infuse with all natural ingredients to create an unparalleled flavored expression,” says Silvia Santiago, Maestra Ronera. “Flavored spirits and low-ABV drink options are on the rise and Don Q Naranja is the perfect embodiment of both, providing more options to those that want to imbibe responsibly,” added Destilería Serrallés Chief Marketing Officer, Gabriella Ripepi. Destilería Serrallés is one of America’s oldest family-owned businesses with a rum making tradition that spans six generations and 158 years. https://donq.com/
WEST INDIES RUM AND SPIRITS
PRODUCERS’ ASSOCIATION
The West Indies Rum and Spirits Producers Association (WIRSPA) has elected Margaret Monplaisir as the new Chairperson of The Board, the first time a woman has held that role in the body’s 50-year history. Ms. Monplaisir is a 37-year veteran of the rum industry and the current head of St. Lucia Distillers. She has been a member of the WIRSPA Board of Directors for a number of years. In pledging to maintain the high standards of governance and cohesiveness which have underpinned the successful growth of the organization and of Caribbean brands, Ms. Monplaisir said, “We have many challenges to face, both in our supply chains and in the international market, but our products speak for themselves, and we see a bright future for Caribbean Rum”. WIRSPA members, who comprise all the countries of CARICOM and the Dominican Republic, met under the chairmanship of outgoing Chair Komal Samaroo, head of Guyana conglomerate Demerara Distillers, to discuss a range of issues of importance to producers. “This is our first physical meeting since the Covid pandemic”, stated Samaroo, “We are pleased to host it in Guyana, in the year of the 50th anniversary of CARICOM, and to celebrate 50 years of WIRSPA”. As the global rum market, especially in the premium sector, is growing fast, Caribbean brands are also keen to explore new markets. One of the highlights of the meeting was an exchange with the CARICOM Assistant Secretary General (ASG) for Single Market and Trade, Ambassador Wayne McCook, in which producers called on CARICOM to facilitate openings in new markets for premium rum exports. On this matter the new Chair added “The region is poised to realize the opportunities presented by new non-traditional markets, and has the quality products, packaging and production capacity to take advantage of the rapid growth in premium spirits demand in these emerging markets.” A key agenda item for producers was the effort to strengthen action to reduce excessive alcohol use by consumers, mindful of the negative effects of over-consumption., “We have already made great progress over the past few years to improve labelling and most of our products now carry advice against drinking under the legal age, drinking while pregnant, and drinking while driving, as well as information on servings and calories” stated the incoming Chair Ms. Monplaisir. “But we need to go further”, she added. “We also agreed to ramp up our efforts to implement practical measures to reduce access by underage persons to alcohol and to support government efforts around reducing drinking and driving. We have the resources and the commitment to make a difference and we intend to do so.” Also elected at the meeting, was Clement “Jimmy” Lawrence, head of the Jamaica rum producers. He will serve as Vice-Chair of WIRSPA, and will join St. Lucia, Guyana, Barbados and the Dominican Republic, the other members of the Executive Committee of WIRSPA. Directors also welcomed three new directors into the fold, Antoine Couvreur of Mount Gay Distilleries in Barbados, Graham Williams of Renegade Rum in Grenada, and Perla Perdomo of Travelers’ Liquors of Belize. A warm welcome was also extended to Laurent Shun, new head of Angostura, to his first WIRSPA meeting upon assuming the leadership role at the Trinidad company. https://www.wirspa.com/
BACARDI SURVEY SHOWS 29% OF BRITISH DRINKERS
PREFER RUM OVER BEER
New research from BACARDÍ Rum has revealed over a quarter (29%) of Brits asked are opting for rum-based drinks this summer, over cold pints of lager (15%). In fact, the Piña Colada ranks top as Brits’ favorite summer cocktail (9%), followed by Sex on the Beach (7%) and a Mojito (5%). Londoners are particularly partial to a Piña Colada, with 1 in 3 (35%) Londoners revealing Rum is their spirit of choice in Summer months. With warmer months on the horizon, the research has also seen Brits rank their top summer scents and flavors, with coconuts (31%) topping the chart along with freshly mown grass (74%) and chip shop chips (22%). In fact, over half of Brits asked (59%) confirmed to choosing the flavor of coconut as soon as the Summer sets in, with coconut (59%), pineapple (52%) and mango (43%) being the top tastes of the summer that transport them to warmer climes. The research follows the launch of the new BACARDÍ Caribbean Spiced which features pineapple and coconut as core flavors, alongside vanilla and cinnamon, it’s sure to set the nation’s tastebuds tingling, transporting them to the tropics every single sip. Marie Peyto, UK Brand Director of BACARDÍ Rum said “With a combination of aged rum, pineapple, coconut, and spices, I’m delighted that our new BACARDÍ Caribbean Spiced includes the UK’s favorite summer flavors. It’s made for mixing, perfect for the nation’s favorite tropical serves or adding the taste of the Caribbean to simple drinks. We’re opening the Caribbean Flavor Rooms to give Brits the chance to experience their favorite flavors and our new rum in a truly immersive way. With the weather warming up, it’ll be a great way to kick off BACARDÍ Rum’s series of events across the country this Summer”. To celebrate the UK’s favorite summer flavors, Londoners will be able to visit the BACARDÍ Caribbean Flavor Rooms, devised with sensory expert Natalie Alibrandi to bring the flavors to life. The unique sip-along experience will take cocktail lovers on a sensory journey designed to engage with the sensory system through sight, sound, smell, and taste. Highlighting the pineapple, coconut, vanilla, and cinnamon tasting notes of the new BACARDÍ Caribbean Spiced. https://www.bacardi.com/
PICCADILY DISTILLERS
Piccadily Distilleries is proud to announce the U.S. launch of India’s first pure cane juice rum, Camikara Rum. Through the gift of land and time, Camikara, India’s first pure cane juice rum, is an exquisite spirit that has taken form through centuries of learning and teachings, processes, and ingredients. Casked and bottled in the extreme climate of the northern plains of India, each bottle of Camikara Rum 12 YO, has been rested for 12 long years in American oak barrels. Camikara Rum dates back to 2009 in a quaint village in India, where the sweetest stalks of sugarcane were pickled, the juice distilled and placed in 956 American oak casks. The spirit then sat patiently for 12 years, interacting with the wood, thereby gaining color, flavor, and character. When the spirit was finally drawn from the barrels, the liquid was immediately named ‘Camikara,’ meaning liquid gold, a name of Sanskrit derivation, keeping true to the Indian heritage at Piccadily Distilleries. When the barrels were finally emptied, it was discovered that only 6.6% of the original cane juice spirit remained, with the rest having been usurped by the angels as their share. The leftover spirit was unique to India, with a taste and texture comparable only to the finest rums globally. “We never imagined we would inadvertently create such a rum. Our inspiration came from the history of the local households of the area where they have been distilling cane juice to make a local brew called Laahan,” said Siddhartha Sharma, Promoter at Piccadily Distilleries. “It has been part of the culture and customs of the Punjab region for thousands of years. Our goal was to revive this age-old tradition and we even went a step further by maturing it in oak casks, to bring it up to international standard. It is a testament to our land’s history, culture, and people.” Piccadily Distilleries produced 3,600 numbered bottles for worldwide distribution, with 1,200 available in the US to be imported and distributed by their exclusive partner, ImpEx Beverage. Earlier this year, Camikara 12 yr brought home a Gold Medal win and 95 points from the prestigious 2023 International Wine & Spirits Competition. Since its arrival in the US, it has received recognition from both the 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and the 2023 Ultimate Spirits Challenge. https://www.piccadily.com/
ROBB’S RED RUMM
Robb and Cindy Willard’s obsession with rum began 25 years ago when they would take sailing trips throughout the Caribbean. They visited large distilleries in Venezuela and Grenada, smaller operations on other islands and backwoods moonshine operations. After two years of collecting rums from wherever they went, they decided to try their hand at creating their own blend. However, their construction and real estate businesses got in the way. In 2020, Robb left the construction industry and focused full time of creating a premium sipping rum. Cindy would come home from selling homes to find their kitchen full of open bottles, tasting jars and wonderful aromas. They finalized the formula they wanted last year and filed for TTB label approval. This spring, with the help of the folks at Black Hat Distillery in Colorado Springs, they were able to blend and bottle their first offering, Robb’s Red Rumm, a cacao flavored rum. Their launch event was in April at the Public House at the Alexander in Colorado Springs, followed by a well-received appearance at the Southern Colorado StillFest distillery festival. Although busy with sales and marketing, Robb is already working on his next rum, Southern Cross.
HAPPY RAPTOR DISTILLING
Happy Raptor Distilling announced the expansion of its signature line of 504Syrups. The expansion includes the addition of two new varieties of 504Syrups, cucumber mint and lavender lemon peppercorn, as well as the increased availability of continental shipping throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The expansion marks the first significant step forward in the award-winning distillery’s production since Hurricane Ida in 2021. “When Hurricane Ida hit Louisiana in August 2021, this project and many others went on hold so that we could focus on keeping our doors open,” said Co-Founder & Chief Brand Officer Meagen Moreland-Taliancich, “Thanks to our community, we are here to tell the tale and we’re growing. While we can’t legally ship craft spirits in Louisiana, having the bandwidth to expand shipment of our non-alcoholic 504Syrups means sharing a piece of New Orleans and of our story with the world.” As with all Happy Raptor Distilling products, the complete line of 504Syrups is locally handcrafted in the Crescent City from 100% Louisiana cane sugar and only whole, real ingredients. 504Syrups Cucumber Mint marks the company’s first fundraising product in partnership with Sprout NOLA, a New Orleans-based nonprofit organization that provides established and developing farmers in Louisiana with technical and social support. Inspired by the abundance of Sprout’s community gardens, 100% of the profits of 504Syrups Cucumber Mint will benefit Sprout through the end of 2023. “Building an equitable food system is joyful community building,” said Sprout Community Food Manager Mina Seck, “The fact that too many families lack access to basic necessities and fresh food is heartbreaking, but the community building and joy we experience in urban agriculture is immeasurable. In New Orleans, food is the heartbeat of our city and growing food is special part of it.” Happy Raptor’s mission is to create premium rum inspired by New Orleans’ culture, community, and the moments that bring us joy. Since 2020, it has donated over $40,000 in direct funds and in-kind goods and services to the New Orleans community, and now partners with over 100 nonprofit organizations every year. For more information on 504Syrups and online ordering, visit 504rum.com or follow @504rum on Facebook and Instagram. www.happyraptor.com
DOWN ISLAND SPIRITS
Down Island Spirits is set to launch two new additions to their line of single cask rums. The latest expressions hail from Brazil and Martinique, and bring a wild array of fresh aromas and flavors. “We were thrilled by the reception of our first four rum bottlings late last year,” said Mike Streeter, the founder and owner of Down Island Spirits. “Our brand aims to truly add to the availability of top-quality cane spirits in the US and we feel that our latest casks from Martinique and Brazil will do just that. They are both exceptionally flavorful rums made by distilleries who have a long history of excellence in the industry.” Down Island’s 100% cane juice bottling from Martinique was column distilled on a 19-plate column still in 2017 at a well-established distillery in Sainte-Marie, a rural community on the French-Caribbean island. It was aged for 6 years in once-used Bourbon casks, 2 more years in Europe and bottled in Florida without the use of additives, coloring or filtration. Like the rest of the Down Island Spirits collection, this expression is bottled at cask strength, 58% abv. The Brazil Rum bottling from Down Island Spirits was column distilled in Sao Roque at Epris Distillery in 2011. It is an 80/20 blend of cane juice and molasses rum that was aged for 6 years in Amburana wood barrels and an additional 6 years in American Oak. It is free of additives, coloring and filtration, and was bottled at cask strength, 55.1% abv. The new Down Island Spirits expressions have garnered early buzz from collectors and enthusiasts due to their origin and overall unique nature of the distillate. “We have been fortunate to draw a loyal group of fans and friends from these very early days of our brand,” said Streeter. “We think that our Brazil and Martinique rums will meet and hopefully exceed the high expectations of our customer base. Early feedback has been incredible.” Distribution for Down Island Spirits currently focuses on Florida and Massachusetts with New York, Texas and California expansion in the works for late 2023/24. Online retail orders with shipping to 40+ states are available at their website, https://www.downislandspirits.com/
BHAKTA SPIRITS
BHAKTA Spirits announced its entry into the ultra-premium rum category with the launch of its BHAKTA 1990 Rum. Hailing from two singular distilleries, BHAKTA 1990 Rum couples 1985 25 Year Jamaican column still rum from Clarendon/Monymusk with 1990 23 Year Jamaican pot still rum from Appleton Estates. Unearthed by Raj Peter Bhakta, these rare rums were first blended in 2014. After enjoying a further three years aging in second-fill MGP bourbon and rye barrels, BHAKTA 1990 Rum’s aging journey culminated in The BHAKTA Method, through which this spirit earned its signature finish in casks of ultra-rare Single Vintage BHAKTA 1976 and 1980 Armagnac. “Discovering this rum was an absolute breakthrough. It’s one of the most astoundingly complex spirits I’ve ever encountered and I couldn’t be more excited to share it with connoisseurs, collectors, and all consumers who appreciate deeply-aged rum as much as I do,” says Founder Raj Peter Bhakta. “Since I exited WhistlePig, I’ve traveled the globe in pursuit of the oldest, rarest, and most exquisite spirits known to man. BHAKTA 1990 Rum is so sublime it stopped me in my tracks. It’s absolutely won its place in our oldest-in-the-world collection of Vintage Spirits.” “Ultra-premium, barrel-aged rum is becoming one of the most sought-after categories in America today,” adds Co-Founder Leo Gibson. “This expression is rich, deep, and opulent, bearing an extraordinary age statement backed up by craft pedigree. As a Jamaican rum showing a fruit-laden and whiskey-forward flavor profile elevated by the complexity of its unique finish in old Armagnac casks, BHAKTA 1990 Rum connects the best of the New World with the ancient artisanship of the Old World. It’s the perfect bridge for aged whiskey- and rum-lovers to discover Vintage Spirits in general, and their pinnacle, Armagnac, in specific.” This limited release of BHAKTA 1990 Rum, consisting of only 1,500 bottles, is now available in twelve states: New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Illinois, Wisconsin, Colorado, Texas, Georgia, Florida, Vermont, Tennessee, and Michigan. BHAKTA 1990 Rum is also now available for purchase through partners linked at their website, https://www.bhaktaspirits.com/
RENEGADE RUM
Renegade Rum announced that their Single Farm Origin: Hope (Pre-Cask) was awarded the Best In Show Medal for the category of Unaged White Spirit, Best In Class Medal within the Overall Rum and Rhum Agricole categories and Double Gold Medal at the 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. These results were officially announced at the Top Shelf Gala event that took place in Las Vegas on Saturday, June 17th. The Pre-Cask Collection for Renegade Rum was previously launched in the U.S. last summer and has also won additional awards/scores with Ultimate Spirits Challenge and Wine Enthusiast to name a few. On Grenada’s south-eastern flank, sheltered from the Atlantic Trade Winds by a narrow mangrove belt, stands Renegade’s distinctive terroir. Bright, iron-red clay, pyroclastic boulders, rich, alluvial soil and a cool, high water table ensures a humid microclimate with lush cane in the driest season. For this rum, Renegade harvested the oldest of their varieties, Cain, from Mamo Field, which stands on the terroir known as Boulders. Single Farm Origin: Hope (Pre-Cask) is a 100% pot-still rum, bottled at 50% ABV. Renegade Rum is located in Grenada, using fresh sugar cane juice rather than generic molasses (a by-product of sugar production), grown on the diverse terroirs of Grenada in the Caribbean. https://renegaderum.com/
BUSINESS RESEARCH COMPANY’S RUM MARKET INSIGHTS OF 2023
The Business Research Company released the Rum Market Insights of 2023report last month. It is an extensive and comprehensive report that provides a complete analysis of the market’s size, shares, revenues, various segments, drivers, trends, growth, and development. The report also highlights the limiting factors and regional industrial presence that may affect the market’s growth trends beyond the forecast period of 2030. The market research aims to give a complete understanding of the industry’s potential and to provide insights that will help businesses make informed decisions. The Rum Market Report is an impressive 126 pages long document that includes a comprehensive table of contents, a list of figures, tables, and charts, as well as extensive analysis. The report indicated that the global rum market is expected to grow from $13.69 billion in 2022 to $14.35 billion in 2023 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 4.8%. The rum market is expected to reach $17.68 billion in 2027, at a CAGR of 5.4%. The countries covered in the rum market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, and USA. https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/report/rum-global-market-report
