Women Leading Rum has announced the expansion of its organisation to now include those involved in spirits, becoming Women Leading Rum & Spirits.

IQ Spirits, a new distributor dedicated to premium independent spirits in France, has announced its launch.

Jez Carreon of Employees Only Bar in Singapore has been crowned the World’s Most Sustainable Bartender by Flor de Caña, after competing with 18 mixologists from around the world.

Fortitude Drinks has gained the exclusive distribution rights for Venezuelan rum Pampero in the UK.

UK distributor DrinksOne Brands, has partnered with African and Caribbean rum Equiano, to serve as the sole agency distributor for the brand across the UK.

Isle of Man drinks producer The Fynoderee Distillery is expanding its operations to mainland Europe in a move to boost the island’s growing food and drink sector.

Diageo has agreed to sell Pampero rum to Gruppo Montenegro for an undisclosed sum.

Spirits distributor Speciality Brands is adding Takamaka to its rum portfolio, alongside signing an exclusive partnership with Chichibu Distillery, taking over from Speciality Drinks.

The House of Rum, a new boutique rum bottler has announced its launch, specialising in exclusive single-vintage, single-cask, cask-strength rums.

BrewDog Distilling Co has released its first ever rum casks for sale as part of an annual online auction with specialist spirits auctioneer, Whisky Hammer. 

Plantation Rum has launched ‘Sealander’, consisting of a blend of rums from Barbados, Mauritius and the Fiji Islands.

Scarfes Bar at Rosewood London is partnering with Appleton Estate Rum for an exclusive cocktail menu this month.

Ergo at The Dubai Edition is travelling to Mahé in the Seychelles this August, the island home of Takamaka Rum, for a month-long residency at ‘The Rum Shack’. 

Chairman’s Reserve Rum of Saint Lucia has announced the 10 UK finalists of ‘The Chairman’s Spice Lab’, a program designed to showcase the abilities and understanding of the spiced rum category by bartenders around the world.

The IWSR Drinks Market Analysis reported that the global spirits category grew 5% in volume in 2022, driven by whisky, rum and brandy. 

Takamaka Rum from the Seychelles has released the second iteration of Pti Lakaz and Grankaz, two of the most popular expressions from its St Andre Series.

Chairman’s Reserve Rum has announced the return of its competition: The Chairman’s Spice Lab.

Bacardi Rum has announced the launch of its new Bacardi Caribbean Spiced, the brand’s first premium spiced aged product, created with pineapple, coconut, vanilla, and cinnamon. 

Two Shores Rum, the sustainably sourced rum created with pure sugar cane and distilled in Central America, is launching in the UK market.

Matugga Distillery has launched its private cask ownership programme, Pamoja, to the public, offering people the chance to tap into the emerging market of rum cask ownership.

Diageo has announced it has reached an agreement to acquire Don Papa Rum for an initial €260 million.

Since Devon-based husband-and-wife team Russ and Gemma Wakeham launched the carbon-negative Two Drifters rum in 2019, the brand has gone from strength to strength – despite not necessarily doing things the easy way.

Trois Frères Distillery, the makers of Takamaka Rum in the Seychelles, has announced that it is launching into Taiwan through boutique importer and distributor Bring The Rocks.

UK-based rum brand Two Drifters has announced its partnership with British Airways, where its Signature Rum is available to pre-purchase on all short and long-haul flights through the High Life Shop.

Big brand Bacardi tops the bestsellers for the fifth year in a row – and manages second on the trending list too.

As rum grows, diversification is inevitable. Clinton Cawood reports on the innovations in style.

Duppy Share Rum has announced it has secured £2m in investment as the UK-based brand turns its sights to the US. Drinks International caught up with founder George Frost.

After a week in Sugarlandia with Don Papa, Eleanor Yates explores the history and production of Filipino rum.

In the summer of 2020, after the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin sparked protests and conversations about racism, Maison Ferrand announced it would be renaming Plantation rum, two years on and the name persists, Drinks International caught up with Alexandre Gabriel for the update.

Innovation in the category is aimed at attracting younger consumers, especially through cocktails.

Dominican rum producer Brugal has unveiled its newest and most exclusive expression to date, Andrés Brugal.

Over the last few years, Kuala Lumpur has emerged as a cocktail city to watch. Drinks International caught up with Divyesh Chauhan, co-founder and director of JungleBird, one of the bars putting Malaysia’s capital on the bartending map.

White rum has long been a star ingredient of cocktails and with consumers now demanding better quality drinks, it is ripe for premiumisation. 

On 1 July The Balvenie launched the latest in its Stories range, a 27-year-old single malt finished in Caroni rum casks, Drinks International caught up with brand ambassador Alwynne Gwilt to talk about the distillery's unique relationship with rum.

The West Indies Rum & Spirits Producers' Association (WIRSPA), a grouping of Caribbean rum producers, welcomed several new members at its annual general meeting (AGM).

Plantation Rum has announced the launch of a limited-edition bottling with all proceeds going to BudmoUA, a charity that delivers meals to those in need in Ukraine run by members of the country’s hospitality industry.

From the bartenders’ handshake cocktail to being sold in cans in supermarkets and restaurants, the negroni continues to dominate menus across the globe. Millie Milliken takes a closer look at the evolution of the Italian classic.

When it comes to the production of rhum agricole, terroir is key to quality. Oli dodd meets those at the forefront of this lesser-known spirits category.

The House of Angostura has launched its limited edition Angostura Zenith rum, joining its Private Cask Collection of mature rums.

Mount Gay has announced its Mount Gay Silver blend is the first rum to be Bonsucro certified in Barbados.

St. Lucia Distillers has launched its ‘spiritourism project’ the Saint Lucia Rum Experience, a continuation of development for the single rum distillery on the island.

Gǒng at Shangri-La The Shard, London, has partnered with Diplomático Rum and Canaïma Gin this summer, two sustainable, smallbatch Latin American spirits brands.

To celebrate Earth Month, Flor de Caña, a carbon neutral and Fair Trade certified rum, is launching a year-long, global reforestation campaign that aims to ensure a greener future for generations to come.

Puerto Rican rum producer, Distillería Serrallés has launched its portfolio of aged Don Q Rums in the UK and European markets.

Cuban rum brand Ron Santiago de Cuba has announced the appointment of Antonio Naranjo as new global brand ambassador.

Bacardi has announced that it will be extending the availability of its bottled cocktails range, Tails, to the off-trade.

Last year’s launch of Panther M*lk, a vegan oat milk RTD made with gin, rum, brandy and overproof spiced rum, shows just how quickly the pre-mixed cocktail industry has evolved since the days of mediocre Gin & Tonics.

Panther M*lk, the world’s first ready to drink alcohol cocktail made from oat milk, spirits and liqueurs, has launched in the UK in two flavours.

The usual crowd have populated this year’s bestselling rum list. In fact, nine of the 10 brands remain a constant, with the first seven in the ranking identical to the previous year. 

Tidal Rum aims to raise at least £150,000 after launching an equity crowdfunding campaign on the Seedrs platform.