2 minute read
RUM FEATURE
Don’t Overlook High-End Rum
As the Total Rum Category Struggles, Top-Tier Brands Thrive
The tequila and mezcal categories are on fire, consumer interest in bourbon isn’t likely to wane anytime soon, and no doubt we’ll soon catch up to the rest of the world in realizing a gin renaissance on our shores. But often overlooked is what’s happening with rum.
To be fair, the total rum category in this country has been declining (according to figures from IWSR Drinks Market Analysis, total rum volume in the U.S. was down -4.6% 2014-2019), however, when you look at rums priced $30 or more, that volume has grown a whopping +85.5% during the same period, 2014-2019. By 2024, IWSR forecasts that superpremium-and-above rum will grow +47.7% – that’s a faster growth rate than even that of super-premium+ whisky.
Clearly consumers are excited about high-end rum, and smart producers are taking note.
“There are some very good rums in the U.S., but few are truly standouts,” says Luis Fernandez, Founder and President at Yotomo Imports in Houston, the company behind ultrapremium Ron Inmortal Colombian rum that has generated considerable industry attention of late. “There’s huge potential at the super-premium level in this category, particularly for rums like Ron Inmortal. I’m from Colombia, some of the finest rums in the world are produced there, yet the number of Colombian rums available in the U.S. is extremely limited. With Ron Inmortal, we have a real opportunity to educate people about the quality and sophistication of top-shelf rum, especially Colombian rum.”
Ron Inmortal was introduced in the U.S. just a few months ago and has already found a loyal following among consumers and bartenders. It’s produced in the port city of Barranquilla, where the region’s tropical climate creates the ideal conditions for rum production. The rum is aged in American white oak barrels for 12 years to impart a naturally rich aroma and flavor notes of vanilla, peach and citrus.
Another top-tier rum brand that has earned its share of praise and consumer interest is Don Papa from the Philippines. Globally, the brand does almost 200,000 cases (up +19% in 2020), and in the U.S., where it’s now distributed nationally thanks to a recent supplier partnership with Zamora Company USA, Don Papa posted +131% volume growth last year.
“Even people who don’t typically drink rum, they’ve discovered how much they enjoy the taste profile of Don Papa,” says Matt Appleby, Director of Marketing at Zamora Company USA. “Brands like Don Papa are important growth drivers for the rum category, bringing more people in, especially whiskey drinkers.”
Led by Don Papa 7-year-old and Don Papa 10-year-old, Don Papa is one of the fastest-growing super-premium rum brands in the world. It’s produced on the sugarcane-rich island of Negros Occidental in the Philippines, known colloquially as “Sugarlandia,” and aged in bourbon barrels. The highly versatile rum is characterized by its sweeter signature style, and the distinctive Don Papa label is inspired by the animals and plants of the island. Later this year, Don Papa is introducing in the U.S. a limited-production rum finished in sherry casks.
As the high-end of the rum category continues to grow, no doubt expect to see more interesting and innovative brands and products make their way to the top shelves of the bar.
