Rum bottlers
As the global appreciation of rum grows, the demand for rum from independent bottlers is on the rise
Why independent bottlers are embracing cane spirits
In the world of whisky, independent bottlers do a roaring trade – launching exclusive liquids to avid drinkers, fetching prices at auction to rival luxury single malts, and reviving long-lost distilleries through limited-edition bottlings. With demand for premium sipping rums growing, some in the industry have wagered that such a business model could work with cane, as well as grain, spirits.
One of the most established names on the block is Italian bottler Velier. Founded in
1947 as a wine and spirits importer and distributor, it was purchased in 1983 by worldrenowned rum aficionado Luca Gargano. He began importing rums from the Caribbean in the 1990s, building relationships with distillers and collaborating with them on joint bottlings. To date Velier has worked with producers including Foursquare in Barbados, Appleton and Worthy Park in Jamaica, Damoiseau in Gaudeloupe, and Demerara Distillers in Guyana. As well as aged releases, the company has launched a number of unaged bottlings and experimental batches.
In 2017, Velier and France’s La Maison du Whisky joined forces to facilitate a collective move from distribution into production. Their joint entity, La Maison and Velier (LM&V), distributes to 30 countries around the world and has a product range including the Spirit of Haiti line of clairins, Habitation Velier, and Hampden Estate rums.
Due to the closeness it fosters with partner producers, the company describes itself as a ‘dependent (rather than independent) bottler’. LM&V’s export manager, Daniele Biondi, says part of this bond is the insistence that liquids for its bottlings are aged at source. “Ageing is part of the terroir,” Biondi explains, “like the raw materials, fermentation, distillation and, in general, the cultural skill of the producer… Velier co-bottlings are a tribute to producers that recognise this and love partnership. This also gives value to the cultural history of rum, from the field to the bottle.”
Biondi believes the fast-growing popularity of independent bottlers stems from their ability to release smaller, tailored batches from a variety of distilleries, making it easier to keep pace with rum connoisseurs’ needs. Their growth is particularly prevalent in Europe, with independent bottling companies now operating in Italy, England, France, Denmark and Belgium.
“Many big names in independent bottling have cottoned on to the growth in rum...”
Many big names in independent bottling have cottoned on to the growth in rum: Berry Bros. & Rudd has a selection of Caribbean and Central American rums among its Own Selection Spirits; historic Scottish bottler Cadenhead, best known for its whiskies, has a selection of rums in its roster including Demerara and Classic expressions; and Cask 88 entered the rum space in 2021 with the launch of three single-cask expressions, a 20-year-old and a 21-year-old from Guyana and a 19-year-old from Nicaragua.
Cask 88 director Patrick Costello said, “Our Scotch whisky-drinking clients are always looking for something new to excite the palate and so we’ve had our eye on rum producers in the Caribbean for some time.”
UK-based Atom Brands, owner of independent bottlers That Boutique-y Whisky and Gin Companies, launched That Boutique-y Rum Company (TBRC) in 2018. It works directly with producers, as well as brokers and rum merchants, to source liquids from around the world and aims to build a suite of products that reflects the global diversity of the rum category.
Rum consultant, judge and writer Peter
Holland, who came on board early as an ambassador, says education was one of the new brand’s founding principles: “Rum is a big, and at times confusing category, and while [Atom] had gin and whisky covered, they wanted someone who could talk the talk for rum,” he says. “We don’t do anything other than adjust the strength with the addition of water, and use polypropylene filters to catch the splinters. No caramel colouring, and certainly no sugar or flavourings. We want to show the world that rum is a really diverse and interesting place, and whilst we have some really rather approachable rums, we also have some big flavours that those starting their rum journey might not be ready for.”
For TBRC, challenging drinkers with powerful and distinctive flavours is key to helping them progress on their rum journey. Holland acknowledges there is still some “wide-eyed wonder of sweetened rum”, but foresees a bright future for independent bottlers as drinkers’ palates expand and adapt. “Quality of education is going up across the board, as is the number of pairs of ears that want to hear it. The topics of conversation are moving on, becoming more appropriate at the higher levels. In many respects the future feels pretty good,” he says.
Wherever they operate from, independent rum bottlers are trying to shine a light on the great work of producers; however, Biondi at LM&V believes some confusion is created when consumers focus on who is holding the light, rather than what it is shining on. “The confusion is due to the fact that, for example, a Barbados rum can be aged in Europe and still [be] considered from Barbados. This would never happen to a Scotch whisky, to a Cognac or to a Champagne,” he says. “I really hope consumers will start appreciating original producers’ brands, which on their side are working better and better on new trends and marketing.”
Meanwhile, Holland at TBRC issues a warning against “chancer brands” that piggyback on the success of the rum category to sell inauthentic products. It echoes a hard line taken by the Gin Guild against products marketing themselves as ‘gin’ that don’t meet regulatory standards. Holland says such brands are “undoing the good work that is done [and] undermining the reality in which rum needs to be seen”.
That said, he sees scope for the independent bottling sector to grow and support the world’s rum producers: “Companies and people will want to cash in… but it’s the intent behind the company that I think is important. What are the underlying messages? Is there a sense of bringing things on?”