A rum business

There was a time not so long ago when admitting to liking rum was like saying: "You know, there is something to be said for the music of Chris de Burgh." For anyone outside the black British population, rum was a treacle-like drink mixed with blackcurrant. Even the biggest-selling brand wasn't considered as a rum.

That was then. Today, premium rum is hot.

Mojitos are hip, and there's a revival in Mai-Tais and well-made Daiquiris, while aged rums are (rightly) seen as ideal partners for fine cigars. The classic spirit that the trade forgot finally appears to be making a belated arrival on the UK bar scene.

Premium rum may be small beer, but it's outperforming the spirits category and improved sales by 11% in 2000. Brands such as Mount Gay (up by 18% year-on-year) and Havana Club (up by 42%) are becoming serious players.

Why rum? "The key words are premium, versatility and flavour," says Crispin Stephens, brand manager for Havana Club. Deirdre McMenemy, brand manager for Mount Gay at Maxxium UK, adds: "People are moving away from their traditional repertoire. When that happens, they tend to trade up, and premium rum becomes an alternative." So it's time to appreciate that rum has as much heritage as malt whisky.

Rum can be split into two main families - the fragrant rhums made from cane juice (in Guadeloupe, Martinique and Haiti), distilled in small column stills; and those made from molasses (everywhere else), distilled in either tall column stills or pot stills.

Needless to say, there are an infinite number of variations within these two camps. The terroir of each island produces subtly different types of sugar cane, giving different flavours; the length of fermentation will also influence aroma; the type of still used will have a huge impact; while ageing, mostly in former Bourbon barrels, will help to produce complex spicy aromas, although the humid Caribbean climate means blenders have to be highly skilled to avoid their spirit becoming nothing more than a mouthful of wood.

Each distiller plays different tunes on those basic themes and, while you can identify some broad regional similarities - Cuban rum tends to be sweet and rich, those from Barbados (Mount Gay, Cockspur, Doorly's) are elegant and fruity, Jamaica traditionally makes boldly flavoured rums, while Guadeloupe and Martinique specialise in more aromatic, floral distillates - it is the distiller and blender who dictates the house style.

For example, Wray & Nephew produces a "traditional" aged rum in the bold Appleton Estate, but also makes the greatest high-strength white rum, Overproof. It's confusing for the beginner, but also gives an insight into the huge range of flavours, styles and approaches which are out there.

Expect increased activity this year. Havana Club and Mount Gay are both gearing up for a major push in cocktail bars, much to the irritation of Bacardi, whose hegemony over the category is at last being challenged. "There are great opportunities for premium rums," says Stephens. "People want variety in their drinks these days, something different. There's room for us all."

The danger is that rum could become nothing more than a fad. It's up to the suppliers to start educating the trade into the subtleties, heritage and quality of top rum and exploit this new-found interest.