Havana Club, the dark rum brand owned by Cuba Ron SA and Pernod Ricard , has recorded a 15 per cent year-on-year increase, taking it past the 3 million nine-litre case mark.

Havana Club International says the rum is set to make 5 million cases by 2013. The company exports to 124 countries, excluding the US where Cuban-made products are banned.

Havana Club International operates the new rum distillery that specialises in dark, aged rums. It is also responsible for domestic distribution in Cuba along with Pernod's key international brands.

Over the past 10 years, rum has been the number -two growth contributor to the international spirits sector and has been growing nearly twice as fast as other spirits, according to IWSR statistics.