Rum’s journey to premiumisation 20th May, 2021 by Tom Bruce-Gardyne Rum has had an uphill battle to be taken seriously by spirits aficionados. But now producers are determined to capitalise on a renewed interest in the sector and take the drink into the premier league, writes Tom Bruce-Gardyne. First-year volumes of Brewdog Distilling’s Five Hundred Cuts Rum exceeded expectations despite a loss in bar sales As lockdowns started to take effect around the world a year ago, Miguel Riascos, managing director and co-founder of Colombian rum La Hechicera, was braced for the worst. “Back in March [2020], the feeling was people were going to be extremely cautious and shrink down to brands they knew very well,” he recalls. “But what we’ve seen is actually the opposite. I think people can’t travel physically, so they are travelling through their tastes, and they’re looking to buy new brands from exotic places.”