Seychelles rum brand Takamaka is set to launch in Australia this spring in collaboration with Dispatch Imports.

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.

Cuban rum brand Havana Club has announced that Nathalie Parte is to replace Anne Martin as global marketing director.

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

 Equiano Rum, the maker of the world’s first African and Caribbean rums, has announced the launch of its first vintage release, an 11-year-old blend of Gray’s and Foursquare Rums.

Julie Nguyen from Opium Bar in Thailand has won the third edition of Flor de Caña’s Sustainable Cocktail Challenge.

Maison Ferrand has announced that its rum brand Plantation has changed its name to Planteray Rum with immediate effect.

Rum has not been without its issues in recent years, and these may still mean future rami­fications for some brands.

Trois Frères Distillery has announced a new partnership with Kirsch Import to distribute its Takamaka rums across Germany as of this month. 

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

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

RumFest, the world’s longest-running rum festival, has announced it will be returning for its 17^th year to London’s ILEC Conference Centre this October for a three-day event hosted by global rum ambassador, Ian Burrell.

UK-based independent spirits import, distribution, and marketing company has announced it has taken the exclusive distribution of Ron Matusalem.

White rum Hoolie, distilled in an old milking shed, will soon be sold in Harrods as the Isle-of-Man-based spirits company continues its London takeover.

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.

Trois Frères Distillery, the makers of Takamaka Rum in the Seychelles, has announced its launch into Belgium in collaboration with independent importer, The Nectar.

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. 

Spiribam-UK, owners of Rhum J.M and Clement, has announced the launch of ‘AgriSchool’, an in-person, category education event for bartenders interested in rhum agricole.

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.

Havana Club is reducing the weight of glass bottles across its core portfolio in a move that it estimates will save 2.2K tons of CO2 per year.

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

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.

Cuba’s Maestros del Ron Cubano, the island’s resident rum masters, have had their knowledge and expertise officially recognised by UNESCO as World Intangible Heritage last week.

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.

The new digital platform, Havana Club Create, aims to give rum drinkers the opportunity to put their own original twist on the iconic Havana Club 7 label.

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

American drinks group Brown- Forman has announced that it has reached an agreement to purchase Diplomático Rum from Destillers United Group S. L., adding the family of brands to its portfolio and acquiring a production facility in Panama.

Black Tot rum’s annual celebration is to return this year with a month-long programme of festivities and the release of the Black Tot Master Blender’s Reserve.

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.

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.

Flor de Caña has announced the opening of inscriptions in Europe for the 2022 edition of its Sustainable Cocktail Challenge. 

Nicaraguan rum brand, Flor de Caña, has announced the return of its Zero Waste Cocktail initiative, partnering with venues to produce cocktails made with ingredients derived from repurposed food scraps and leftovers.

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.

Trois Frères Distillery, the makers of Takamaka Rum in the Seychelles, will launch into 11 new markets as the brand continues its global expansion plans.

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. 

RumFest will return in person with a real life event for 2021 taking place between 15-17th October in London.

Following 2020’s successful hybrid events, RumFest has announced its physical return for October 2021.

Black Tot Rum has announced the launched of its second annual limited edition expression Master Blender’s Reserve which will be available from Black Tot Day, 31 July.

Flor de Caña has launched a global initiative called ‘Zero Waste Month’ for July which invites eco-conscious bars, restaurants and consumers to reduce food waste.

Flor de Caña has pledged to plant more than one million trees by 2025 through its own annual reforestation program called ‘Together for a Greener Future’.

Martinique-based Depaz distillery has decided to replace its traditional method of growing sugar cane with pre-germinated cuttings with the aim of increasing the producer’s yield while limiting its environmental impact.

Equiano Rum founder Ian Burrell believes the recent launch of Equiano Light will further open up the brand to the global on-trade.

Rhum Barbancourt, a family-owned distillery established in 1862, has entered a new distribution deal with MONARQ Group for Latin American and the Caribbean as well as duty free in the US.

Spanish company Beveland Distillers has launched a new range of cuban rums called Doble 9 which consists of a blanco, añejo, gran reserva ad 15-year-old.