We’re all familiar with rum as a drink – a spirit that has become synonymous with the Caribbean, where the first modern varieties were distilled on local sugarcane plantations way back in the 17th century.
But it seems as though the drink may perhaps be a little less well understood than other spirits, despite this long and illustrious history.
Speaking to the BBC, Peter Holland – rum consultant and World Rum Awards chair of judges – explained that re-educating the market about rum must take place, given that the drink itself has “enormous potential and a level of complexity, attained through different distillation and ageing techniques, that is currently not well marketed or understood”.
It seems as though the spirit is becoming more popular, with rum distillery numbers increasing around the world, which is taking it in a new direction, one of low-volume, premium production – much like the journey that gin has been on over the last ten years, with the number of independent producers on the rise, in line with demand.
Figures from IWSR Drinks Market Analysis show that total global sales by volume of standard or value-priced rum grew 0.6 per cent between 2014 and 2019. But over the same period, high-end rum bottles costing £22.50 or more grew by 8.3 per cent.
Scotland appears to be the setting for the rum revival in the UK. The first distillery was opened in the north-east of the country back in 2015 and since then a host of new brands and distilleries have opened their doors.
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