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We will explore the top 15 rum brands across the globe in this article. If you want to bypass our comprehensive analysis of the international rum market, the recently introduced rum RTD, and sustainability practices in the rum sector, you may want to head straight to the 5 Best-Selling Rum Brands in the World.

The finest rums are predominantly produced in the Caribbean region. The sugarcane crop was brought to this zone in the late 15th century by Europeans and swiftly became well-established. The settlers started sugar plantations, employing forced labour from African slaves. These plantations became the birthplaces of rum. The drink quickly gained popularity, even making its way to Colonial North America. It is believed that on average, every man and woman in the American colonies consumed about three imperial gallons of rum each year before the American Revolutionary War.

As we pointed out in our previous post –12 Countries that Produce the Best Rum in the World – it is projected that the worldwide rum market, which stood at $17.4 billion in 2023, will grow to $24.5 billion by 2033. This is expected to happen at a CAGR of 3.5% during this forecast period.

Rum is gaining popularity and making its mark more substantially in the USA. The category is showing consistent growth, thanks to a few intersecting trends of increasing popularity. In the recent past, rum producers have begun experimenting with incorporating flavors into rum, which has made the segment far more diverse in terms of the offerings. Break it down, and you will find that flavored and spiced rums currently make up over 57% of all rum sales.

This highly mixable spirit also provides a key function in cocktail culture. While rum is a staple of on-premise tiki bars, it is also one of the only spirits for which it’s common to blend multiple varieties in the same cocktail. According to Bacardi’s 2022 Cocktail Trends Report, four of the top-10 best-selling cocktails are rum drinks, making the spirit a must-have for all on-premise programs.

Ready-to-drink beverages continue to make headlines as the fastest-growing alcohol beverage category. RTD cocktails grew 325% between 2011 and 2021, with 68 new drinks hitting the market only in 2021.

A new RTD offering that popped up in the market this February is Captain Morgan Sliced, a line of canned malt-based cocktails with 5.8% alcohol by volume. Owned by Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO), the spiced rum brand is seeking a greater presence in the growing canned spirits space. Available in four flavors, Captain Morgan Sliced cans are now available nationwide in a 12-count variety pack priced at $19.99. Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) also launched another product of the rum brand earlier this year – Captain Morgan Sliced Up. Available in 23.5oz and 16oz can offerings of Long Island Iced Tea and Tropical Hurricane, these 8% ABV cocktails are available in local convenience stores and wherever you can find Captain Morgan.

Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) sits among the Best Brewery and Distillery Stocks to Buy Now.

The modern consumer has become increasingly aware of the climate emergency we unfortunately find ourselves in, and actively seeks out sustainable brands, even if it means paying extra. So, as rum manufacturers find themselves in an increasingly competitive market, committing psychologically and economically to reducing their impact on the planet may also be the only means to make their businesses sustainable in the long run.

In October 2023, Bacardi Limited, the Largest Privately Held Spirits Company in the World, announced the opening of a new Combined Heat & Power (CHP) system at its rum distillery in Puerto Rico that will cut the greenhouse emissions of its Bacardí rum brand in half. The new system will produce 100% of the energy to run the distillery, as well as its surrounding facilities, by replacing the heavy fuel oil with propane gas.

The move is part of the Bermuda-based company’s broader Good Spirited global sustainability program, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. As part of the program, Bacardi aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at its production sites by 50%, water consumption by 25%, and using 100% recyclable product packaging and 40% recycled content of product packaging materials. In addition, the spirits company is also aiming for zero waste to landfill at all of its production sites across the world.

With a portfolio of more than 200 brands and labels under its belt, Bacardi Limited is one of the Largest Alcohol Companies in the World.

Here are the Most Popular Rum Brands in the World.

We’ve gathered information for this article from The Brand Champions 2023 magazine by The Spirits Business. We searched for the Top-Selling Rum Brands in the World. The magazine only provided details for the top 10 best-selling rum brands, which we’ve ranked according to their 9-liter case sales volumes in 2022. Due to lack of reliable data for the remaining brands, we resorted to estimating sales based on popularity. Brands that were frequently mentioned on sites such as VinePair, Liquor, and Men’s Journal etc., were assigned a score of 1 each time they appeared on these platforms. The scores were then added together to rank the brands.

By the way, Insider Monkey, an investment website that monitors corporate insiders and hedge fund activities, uses a similar consensus system to determine the top stock picks from over 900 hedge funds investing in US stocks. Hedge funds’ top 10 consensus stock picks have outpaced the S&P 500 Index by more than 140 percentage points over the past decade (see the details here). Whether you are a novice or a seasoned investor looking for the best stocks to buy, you can gain insights from the strategies of hedge funds and corporate insiders.

Insider Monkey Score: 3

Don Q is a rum brand that is very proud of its Puerto Rican heritage. The brand has been produced by Destilería Serrallés since 1865, which is known as the oldest continuously running distillery on the island. To this day, it remains the island’s top-selling rum. The brand began distributing in the United States in 2009.

The distillery in Ponce was given the ‘Green Award’ from The Drinks Business, an accolade awarded to those who demonstrate exceptional environmental practices in the beverage industry.

Insider Monkey Score: 4

Created by Proximo Spirits in 2010, The Kraken is a blend of Caribbean rums that should certainly suit any fans of rich, navy-style rum. Named after the Caribbean sea beast of myth and legend, the spirit is distilled in Trinidad and Tobago where it is blended with 13 secret spices to create a strong, rich, black, and smooth rum.

With over 500,000 9-liter cases sold in the American market in 2021, The Kraken is counted among the Most Popular Rum Brands in the U.S.

Insider Monkey Score: 5

Fully owned by William Grant & Sons since 2008, Sailor Jerry is blended with the finest rums from the Caribbean and a recipe of natural spices.

Owner of some of the Most Popular Scotch Whisky Brands in USA, William Grant & Sons boasts distilling and bottling operations in Scotland, Ireland, Iceland, India, the US, and Mexico, with a team of over 2,600 employees at 48 global locations.

Insider Monkey Score: 6

Despite not being exactly world famous for its rum, India is the country that drinks the most rum in the world, both in terms of consumption per capita and in terms of most rum drunk each year. Old Monk has been the most popular rum brand in the South Asian nation for decades. This inexpensive, best-selling dark rum has come to define what rum should taste like for generations of Indians.

Insider Monkey Score: 7

Although it is technically a liqueur, Malibu is called a ‘flavored rum’ by its owner Pernod Ricard, which is permissible by local laws. This original coconut-flavored rum is a staple in iconic cocktails such as piña coladas and daiquiris.

Pernod Ricard became the owner of Malibu when it acquired Allied Domecq in 2005, in a deal worth $14 billion.

9-Liter Cases Sold in 2022: 1.1 million

Appleton Estate is the oldest and most famous of all of Jamaica’s sugar-cane estates. It makes some of the Highest Quality Rums in the World with characteristic Christmas cake and butterscotch flavors and is known for its long-aged editions.

Gruppo Campari acquired Appleton, including the Wray & Nephew and Coruba Rum brands, in December 2012. This acquisition was part of the Italian conglomerate’s purchase of the Jamaican firm Lascelles deMercado & Co for a price tag of $409 million.

The exceptional Appleton Estate 15 Year Old Black River Casks has found its place among the Finest Rums to Enjoy Neat.

Sales in 9-Liter Cases for 2022: 1.3 million

Božkov Original, a traditional Czech rum with a smooth palate and subtle notes of caramel and spices, is easy to drink. Despite remaining in the Top 10 Most Sought-after Rum Brands, Božkov saw a drop of 9.9% in sales in 2022 compared to the year before.

9-Liter Cases Sold in 2022: 1.3 million

Owned by Radico Khaitan, this Indian rum is matured in wood to make it warm and mellow. The Contessa rums have won several international awards and are especially popular among the Indian military.

Radico Khaitan is among the Largest Liquor Companies in India, boasting a revenue of around $383.9 million in 2022.

9-Liter Cases Sold in 2022: 1.5 million

Old Port is distilled and aged at Amrut’s distillery in Bangalore, India, using 100% native Indian sugarcane. The brand saw a stunning 40.6% rise in sales in 2022 compared to the year prior, with it selling 1.1 million cases. Because of this, it is listed among the Fastest-Growing Spirit Brands in the World.

9-Liter Cases Sold in 2022: 2.7 million

Ron Barceló is considered the top Dominican rum and the most exported dark rum in the world, produced entirely from sugar cane juice from the distillery’s own fields. Majorly owned by Spanish spirits firm Grupo Varma, Ron Barceló is a carbon-neutral brand, having been certified in 2019 by the SGS Group for both its product life cycle and the organization itself.

Ron Barceló takes 6th place in our list of the World’s Most Popular Rum Brands.

Click to continue reading and see the 5 Best-Selling Rum Brands in the World.