For some bar professionals, rum is a tropical treasure that just keeps on giving. One recent study from Persistence Market Research predicts the market will be worth $35.5 billion by 2033. It further indicates that it is projected to grow at a 3.9% CAGR by 2033, thanks in large part to millennial consumers who respond to its ABV and value even with premiumization impacting other categories.
Persistence Market Research’s study also points out significant growth in recent years, driven by a resurgence of interest in craft and premium spirits. Increasing consumer curiosity about unique and exotic flavors has led to a surge in artisanal and small-batch rum production. Furthermore, the market has benefited from the rise of cocktail culture, positioning rum as a versatile and indispensable spirit. With the exploration of aged and vintage variations, the rum market is poised for sustained expansion, appealing to both traditional connoisseurs and adventurous enthusiasts.
Beverage Dynamic’s 2023 study also points to premiumization and consumer preference for spirits that reflect authenticity about their points of origin. It also highlights several related pre-pandemic trends that are once again picking up momentum, including barrel finishes and canned cocktails. Rum distilleries promoting sustainability and a “craft” approach to production also appeal to Millennial and Gen Z drinkers.
However, it’s not all smooth sailing ahead for the rum category. According to Andre Benjamin, VP of Strategy at HundredX, which tracks consumer perception based on thousands of pieces of feedback, “Americans feel less inclined to consume more rum now than they did over the summer and fall,” he says. “Seasonality likely plays a part, as [our research reveals that] rum has strong ties to warm weather and tropical drinks. [Rum consumers HundredX spoke with] also feel their drink of choice is becoming harder to find, even with premium and affordable brands available, and Millennials over 40 generally happy over the price of alcohol. This means bars and restaurants should keep track of and stock customers’ favorite rum brands to keep their attention.”
Even as Las Vegas “Tiki tequilera” Todo Bien focuses on agave spirits, lead mixologist Rylen Komeiji says it moves a lot of rum cocktails. “Both Gen X and Gen Z have come to the realization that rum is a more versatile and accessible drink,” Komeiji explains. “While Gen X grew up with the belief that whiskeys like scotch, bourbon, rye, etc. were the go-to drinks after a long day of work or a nice dinner to help them relax, their minds have opened up. As for Gen Z, they take inspiration from millennials and embrace the beach vibes that come with enjoying rum. It's become quite popular for them, almost like a cool and trendy Barbie accessory.”
Gui Jaroschy, bartender for Crossfire Hurricane Rum, says that across different generations, rum offers a mellower, easier alternative to the high-proof, spicy, and intense craft whiskies that many consumers begin with when exploring brown spirits. “Gen X has been enjoying rum for years, drawn to the vast array of flavor profiles from different producers and its mixability in cocktails, which exploded in the late 2000’s,” Jaroschy says. “Gen Z is all about authenticity and quality. As people develop a taste for aged spirits, their palates open up to a wider variety of options.”
Taking the Bitter with the Sweet
Even with robust debates on changing consumer tastes and habits (the zero-proof movement, premium vs. affordability, etc.), bartenders and managers across the country still see rum worthy of good real estate on their back bar.
“Rum is a misunderstood, often stigmatized category,” assesses Nora Furst, of Izzy’s on the Peninsula and the WestBev team in San Carlos, Calif. “Its [production] regulations are very loose, which means that it can be challenging to make cost-committing decisions on bottles or pours if one is not educated about the spirit and the many producers out there. Rum has always been underpriced for what it is, especially as cane farming and processing is an incredibly hard job. However, it is one of the few categories where you can find a bottle that's been aged for 12, 14, or even 23 years for under $50. That would be unheard of in cognac, Scotch or American whiskey.”
Reisler Morales, Global Corporate Mixologist at Richard Sandoval Hospitality, observes that—even with a huge presence of mezcals and tequilas—rum plays a large role in the way Latin American gastronomy continues to influence cocktail menus of restaurants and bars ranked by Michelin and 50 Best Bars across genres.
“There is a rule which I apply to create new trends in my industry...that eras or fashions are cyclical and repeat themselves every 30 years,” Morales says, noting customers are drawn to products that are not only from “strange and different places” but also times in history. “[Bartenders over time] knew how to take advantage of this since different rums and processes have emerged from places all around the world, and that has helped enormously. While the trend in previous years was to consume attractive, high-end products...people are now drawn to rums that are easy to obtain. Instant connection and social networks have made us look for immediate stimuli.”
Danielle Zig, co-founder and CEO of Coconut Cartel, says that barrel aging and interesting cask finishes appeal to the whiskey/bourbon crowd even as these practices had been mastered in the aged rum industry over hundreds of years. “Rums offer these consumers familiar taste profiles they love while also delivering a differentiated experience from their usual go-to sips,” she says. “We’re seeing a lot of cross-over of the categories in industry events where rum brands are showcasing at whiskey tasting events, and ex-whiskey makers are trying their hand at aging rums in whiskey barrels. I believe in the United States, this alignment of categories is just beginning and will be a key driver in dark rum sales.”
Alan Dean, concept beverage manager at Whiskey Cake (with locations across Texas and Oklahoma) believes that rum fills the role of some whiskeys thanks to its high-ester flavor profile balanced by rounded sweetness. “They are excellent for splitting the base liquor of a cocktail into part original spirit and part rum, resulting in more character and depth,” he says. “Furthermore, dark and flavorful rums lend themselves beautifully to fat-washing techniques that can often soften a lighter bodied spirit to the point of being the backdrop of the cocktail.”
Bartenders have been experimenting by subbing in dark and aged rums for other brown spirits in classic cocktail recipes.
Gabriel Urrutia, brand specialist for Brugal 1888, stands firm on his view that aged rums are always in the conversation. “Rum uses some of the same barrels that we see in whisky and other categories,” he says. “For Brugal 1888 Rum, we use first-fill American bBourbon barrels then double age in first-fill Oloroso sherry-seasoned barrels from Jerez.”
Dark, Light, and Shades Between
HundredX’s research reveals that brown liquor is having a moment, which during the summertime drives consumption of rum and whiskey. Even with the strong influence of small-batch and premium brands in the past few years, however, rum’s popularity isn’t always consistent. According to its surveys, rum drinkers gravitate toward mid-range, familiar brands such as Captain Morgan as it provides the mix of price, accessibility, and quality. However, rum drinkers like Bacardi’s prices, values, and promotions better.
Of course, bartenders and managers on the front lines are going to have their own opinions, and not all of them will match up.
“I can only speak to what I've seen, but I've found the average rum consumer is finding that there are plenty of fantastic, high-quality rums at the mid-tier price point,” affirms Whiskey Cake’s Dean. "With the way drinking habits are going, shelling out $30 or higher for that 23-year-old rum is beginning to make less sense for the vast majority of bar patrons. Due to its generally lower cost of production, snagging a stellar 15-year-old rum can run you half the price of a bourbon or scotch with the same age statement and leave you feeling more economical about your choice. It all comes down to preference, and the mid-priced rum arena is putting out juice that can fit the bill of almost any premium label.”
Denver-based Henry Ottix, beverage director of James Beard Semifinalist Lucina Eatery + Bar and the soon-to-open Xiquit, has favorite distilleries that he feels deserve recognition for both pushing the envelope as well as keeping traditional practices near and dear to their hearts. “Rivers Royale, a rum from Grenada, is a great example due to their commitment to producing rum almost identical to the way they have been since 1785,” he says. “Their newest piece of equipment? A waterwheel installed in 1840 for the crushing of the sugarcane. Another growing sector of rum production is American rum, such as the expressions from Balcones out of Texas or Privateer out of Massachusetts, both of which neither sweeten or filter their rums to retain the purity and flavor of the spirit itself.”
Karl Goranowski, beverage director at BATA in Tucson appreciates the Foursquare line of rums, originating from a distillery in Barbados that does an amazing job aging its rums in different barrel finishes, which gives their different editions unique flavors. He also praises Hamilton Ministry of Rums, which sources the best quality rum from all over the world to create distinctive expressions with equally interesting back stories.
Popularity of one spirit category can help bolster another based on what Keena Hanson, training & development manager for Dallas’ Ida Claire, sees with her restaurants’ customers. The popularity of tequila is influencing the sales of higher-end artisanal rums and dark rums in general. She reasons that as consumers become more knowledgeable about spirits and explore new tastes, they're drawn to the complexity and depth offered by aged rums, much like the interest in aged tequilas.
“Terms like añejo are becoming more familiar among both guests and staff, reflecting a growing appreciation for the aging process and nuanced flavors in spirits,” she says. “This shift indicates that people are increasingly adventurous in their spirit choices, embracing aged artisanal rums as part of their exploration into the world of brown liquors."
Though brown spirits are in vogue, white rums still have a place at the bar as they are integral to contemporary cocktail menus as the backbone of a classic daiquiri or a clear base for a clarified rum punch, according to Dean. “White rum also plays a foil to the bold flavors of overproof and dark rums in mixed base cocktails to prevent the final product from being unbalanced,” he says. “White rum also often lends itself better to infusions than it's spiced or aged counterparts, as it allows the infusing ingredient to shine more prominently.”
“We create a base rum that is tailored specifically to our cocktails," Furst says. “We love a white rum (an agricole or clairin) from Haiti that has beautiful, grassy notes, and [we] blend that with a Jamaican four-year-old rum and a few others, together which make a genuinely delicious and balanced rum base, with a very good price point. Henry Ottix, meanwhile, argues that although aged rum has more complex flavors and can be sipped, white rum has the distinct terroir. Furst says white rum is an integral part of her venue’s rum blends.
Coconut Cartel’s Zig has taken notice of the way Mexican small-batch rums are generating excitement in the bartending community. These are often not aged expressions, but, “rather funky and interesting white rums that are great for cocktails” and “have the potential to be a great educational tool for the category as a whole because they show a really unique dimension of rum, and their provenance is helping to put rum on the same playing field as agave spirits, which consumers are really into right now.”
Clarified cocktails, such as punches and updated Tiki drinks, are also gaining momentum as the process of clarifying cuts back on the sweetness.
Is it ‘Tiki’ time? Or are you just being ‘Old Fashioned’?
“Tiki is the darling style of bartenders across the country, and innovations are happening all the time to keep things interesting,” affirms Dean on the timeless cocktail genre. “Orgeat, an almond-based syrup present in some of the most classic Tiki cocktails, is being tinkered into exciting new flavor profiles by the use of new bases such as pistachios, sesame seeds, chickpeas, poppy seeds...you name it!”
“Modern and molecular Tiki cocktails are definitely having a moment,” agrees Jaroschy. “Tiki, which was once all about recipes from the 1920s to 1950s, is being reinterpreted with modern techniques and modern ingredients for some really fun and delicious cocktails. With the variety of flavor profiles and the affordability of aged rums, it becomes a natural fit for creative cocktails. The rums themselves can completely change the experience of a cocktail where all other mixing ingredients are the same. Pair that with the lower cost compared to whiskies and añejo tequilas and it opens up so many options for experimenting with creative cocktails.”
Rum continues to be a favorite spirit in Tiki cocktail recipes.
Hanson also finds that rums are fueling creativity in cocktail recipes by offering bartenders the opportunity to experiment with spirit-forward concoctions. She also says that the approach of summer has sparked a resurgence in Tiki drinks, and her team is witnessing exciting new riffs on traditional favorites. Ida Claire’s spring menu submissions also included a big increase in mojito and rum swizzle riffs.
“These cocktails offer a fresh take on Tiki drinks, promising exciting flavor combinations and new experiences for our guests,” she says, enthusiastically. "At Ida Claire, the longstanding tradition of Tiki cocktails is being complemented by a surge in bartenders crafting robust rum-based drinks. Classics such as the old fashioned or Manhattan are undergoing a transformation as whiskey is swapped out for premium, aged rums, introducing a new depth of flavor and complexity to these recipes. This shift showcases the versatility of dark rums, inspiring bartenders to push boundaries.”
Dean adds that another warm weather favorite, the piña colada, gets updated when coconut cream is swapped for whipped goat's milk, mascarpone cheese, and Cool Whip. Lucina Eatery + Bar’s Ottix, meanwhile, observes that perennial tropical drinks are being transformed into spirituous drinks when ingredients are swapped. His team replaces the juice components with oleo saccharum or a liqueur to mimic the acidity you would usually get from the juice.
Furst says that at her venues, dark rums are regularly swapped in for other brown spirits, citing a rum old fashioned as a personal favorite, as well as a great way to showcase a beautifully aged rum. “I like mine with lots of Angostura bitters, a little Demerara syrup, and a lime peel,” she details. “We also like to add rum to cocktails which we call a split base, meaning we take a classic whiskey cocktail, such as a Manhattan, and we swap out half the amount of whisky for an aged rum. While it doesn't work in every cocktail, it can create a dynamic and interesting flavor profile.”
According to Urrutia, mixologists at some of Brugal 1888’s Miami accounts serve up inventive twists on familiar classics, including Beans & Barlour’s Brugal 1888 Negroni Affogato and The Sylvester’s Que Lo Que espresso martini made with orgeat and pineapple Greek yogurt. “As consumers look to discover different rums, they work their way through the category through word-of-mouth and price,” he says. “Once they are loving a certain style or brand, they can dig deeper into their other offerings.”
“It's a double-headed spear,” concludes Ottix, based on the complex and sometimes contradictory nature of rum trends. “The trick is to find where your client base is comfortable and really streamline the trends that you see in any point-of-sale that tracks consumer reports. Once you have a blueprint of what works, you just have to have the creativity and people to make sure those concepts are translated properly.”
RECIPES
Mexican Zombie
By Reisler Morales, tán, Richard Sandoval Hospitality, New York City
Ingredients:
1½ oz Gosling black rum
1 oz Tequila Patron platino
1 oz Vermouth Rosso
2½ oz Watermelon Shrub
Directions:
- Add all the ingredients and ice to shake.
- Serve in a Tiki mug.
- Garnish with six mint leaves & watermelon.
Clarified Piña Colada Rum Punch
By Danielle Zig, Coconut Cartel
Ingredients:
1 750 ml bottle Coconut Cartel Añejo Rum
12 oz Pineapple Juice
12 oz Coconut Syrup
8 oz Lime Juice
16 oz Chamomile Tea
16 oz Milk
Garnish: 2 Pineapple Leaves
Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients except milk in a large container.
2. Warm milk on the stove over medium-low heat until steaming, but not boiling.
3. Pour milk into the storage container with the other ingredients.
4. Set a large cheesecloth lined colander or strainer over a new container and pour off slowly.
5. Let drip through the colander undisturbed.
6. When all liquids have run through, store in the refrigerator.
7. For a single serve, pour 5 oz over a large cube into a rocks glass.
Monkey in a Tree
By Rylen Komeiji, Todo Bien, Las Vegas, NV
Ingredients:
1 oz Plantation Xaymaca
1 oz Bumbu Rum
¾ oz Lime Oleo saccharum
¾ oz pineapple juice
½ oz house made coconut syrup
Directions:
- Clarified using coconut milk
- Topped with a Midori foam
Laughing Jackalope
By Rylen Komeiji, Todo Bien, Las Vegas, NV
Ingredients:
2 oz Elijah Craig Small Batch
1 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth
½ oz St Elizabeth Allspice Dram
1 oz homemade peach puree
¾ oz oz lemon juice
½ oz house-made orgeat
Pinch of Sumac
Two Licks
By Crossfire Hurricane Rum
Ingredients:
2 oz Crossfire Hurricane Rum
Garnish: 2x Black Cherries on a Cocktail Pick
Glass: Old Fashioned
Ice: Cubed Ice
Directions:
- Pour 2 oz Crossfire Hurricane Rum into an ice-filled old-fashioned glass.
- Garnish with 2 black cherries on a cocktail pick.
Gold and Stormy
By Crossfire Hurricane Rum
Ingredients:
1½ oz Crossfire Hurricane Rum
¼ oz Lime Juice
Top with Fever Tree Ginger Beer
2 dashes of Angostura Bitters (float)
Garnish: Black Cherry and Lime Wheel on a Cocktail Pick
Glass: Collins
Ice: Cubed Ice
Directions:
- Pour 1½ oz Crossfire Hurricane Rum into an ice-filled Collins glass.
- Add lime juice and ginger beer and stir to combine.
- Dash with Angostura Bitters and garnish with a black cherry and lime wheel on a cocktail pick.
Crossfire Mojito
By Crossfire Hurricane Rum
Ingredients:
1½ oz Crossfire Hurricane Rum
¾ oz Simple Syrup
2 oz Chilled Lager Beer
8 ea Mint Leaves
Directions:
- Place mint leaves in the bottom of a Collins glass and press gently with a bar spoon.
- Add Crossfire Hurricane Rum, simple syrup, and lime.
- Fill glass ¾ full with crushed ice and swizzle with a bar spoon.
- Top with beer and remaining space with crushed ice. Garnish with a mint bouquet.
Crossfire Espresso Martini
By Crossfire Hurricane Rum
Ingredients:
1½ oz Crossfire Hurricane Rum
1½ oz Espresso
¾ oz Agave Syrup
Garnish: Espresso Hurricane
Glass: Coupe
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker.
- Add ice and give a short hard shake.
- Fine strain into a chilled coupe.
- Garnish with a fine dusting of espresso swirled with a straw to make a hurricane
Crossfire Cooler
By Crossfire Hurricane Rum
Ingredients:
1½ oz Crossfire Hurricane Rum
¼ oz Lime Juice
4 oz Fever Tree Sparkling Pink Grapefruit
Dash of Angostura Bitters
Garnish: Black cherry and lime wheel on a cocktail pick
Directions:
- Pour Crossfire Hurricane Rum over ice in a Collins glass, add lime juice and sparkling pink grapefruit, stir gently.
- Finish with a dash of Angostura Bitters.
- Garnish with a black cherry and lime wheel.
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