African distilling is by no means a new phenomenon, but spirits from the continent are continuing to gain traction in the UK market. At the Signature Serve theatre at this year’s London Wine Fair, a panel hosted by Carly Foxwell of Fox in the Well consultancy, alongside three founders of African spirits brands, demonstrated the heady potential of spirits from the continent. Damola Timeyin of Spearhead Spirits, Eileen Twum of Asoro and Rohan Shah of Imizi rum highlighted the exciting proposition of their brands for the British market.
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Published: 26 March, 2025
Rum officially broke the £1bn sales barrier in the UK in 2018, just one year after gin, while riding high on a reputation for being a bartending favourite and the high-energy drink that takes partying to the next level.
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Published: 05 March, 2025
The upcoming London Wine Fair will showcase the best and brightest of the UK's spirits industry, with an inaugural section dedicated to artisan gin, rum, vodka and whisky.
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Published: 21 March, 2024
Opening its doors in Edinburgh next week, Ruma (Scots Gaelic for Rum), will offer Scotland a wider selection of rum than ever before.
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Published: 20 February, 2024
Mondial du Rhum 2024, which took place 13-15 February in Paris, has declared its first edition a success, attracting 3,000 attendees through the doors, with a strong international spread among the delegates.
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Published: 02 January, 2024
With a great story behind it, Cargo Cult Spiced Rum looks set to raise the premium for the category. Andrew Catchpole meets the man behind the mission.
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Published: 16 October, 2023
When it comes to this point of the year, customers start turning their thoughts towards Christmas. I know we say this every year, but Christmas 2023 really is going to be one of the most important festive seasons of the last ten years. While a great season won’t solve the various problems put upon the industry by government (duty hikes, rail strikes, and soaring energy costs, to name but a few) it’ll certainly go some way to protecting against the inevitable quiet months in early 2024.
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With the rum revival being forecast for the best part of 25 years, it’s great for us mystic megs of the industry to finally be able to say, it’s happening. But why now, after all this time, and is it here to stay? Whether you’re a professional in the on or off-trade, or just a seasoned spirits lover looking to learn – here’s how to navigate this brilliant and booming category.
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Published: 08 December, 2022
Jo Gilbert catches up with the brothers behind the first internationally exported Seychelles rum brand about launching their cane rum programme and the future of Indian Ocean rum.
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Published: 17 October, 2022
In the latest of our new critical mini-series, Mangrove UK’s MD calls for clarity over rum.
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Published: 28 April, 2022
A report by Campari Group UK explains why rum is a key growth area in the on and off-trade, as the category plays into central consumer and shopper trends influencing the market.
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Published: 22 March, 2022
Ian Burrell, the co-founder of African and Caribbean rum brand Equiano, makes the case for protecting Caribbean rum as a local and authentically made protect
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Published: 19 March, 2022
The blossoming of a British rum industry builds on the history of rum as a truly international spirit that increasingly finds its strength in both geographically blended and GI-protected areas of identification. Jo Gilbert reports.
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Published: 31 January, 2022
Once known by its ‘slammer’ reputation, tequila is carving out a new niche in UK spirits with optimistic sales as a premium sipping drink, writes Jo Gilbert.
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Published: 31 August, 2021
On the first anniversary of former Pernod Ricard executives Patrick Venning and Laurent Lacassagne’s creation of Market Row Botanical Rum, Andrew Catchpole meets Venning at their Brixton-based distillery to find out how their novel approach to the category is going.
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The great and the good of the rum world are gearing up for World Rum Day, taking place this Saturday 10 July in order to spread word of rum, which was named by the WSTA as the most loved cocktail spirit during 2020’s first lockdown.
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Published: 28 January, 2021
Harpers’ recent consumer tasting panel revealed a category that is yet to emerge from its mixology-focused reputation. But rapidly growing awareness and availability of quality liquid mean it could soon sit on a par with top-level Cognac and whisky. Jo Gilbert gets the 360° view.
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Published: 16 December, 2020
Master of Malt has unveiled its first own-brand collection spanning blended Scotch whisky, London dry gin, rum and vodka.
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Published: 30 October, 2020
The Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) is gearing up to launch its first virtual event to tap increasing thirst for the spirit across Europe, including the UK, as highlighted in a new report release by the body today.
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Published: 26 October, 2020
The WSTA has crowned rum the "drink of lockdown" with the spirit enjoying the biggest growth across all spirits during the period, according to new WSTA data.
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