Rum: the next big trend to float your ice cube
Are we about to follow rum's journey from pirate to premium? We aargh, say experts
When KwaZulu-Natal rum maker Tapanga began bottling its cane juice liquor a year ago and Cape Town restaurant Seabreeze Fish & Shell opted for a specialised rum bar to accompany its seafood menu when it opened this year, both were banking on the same thing: a local rum revolution. Hot on the heels of the craft gin boom, rum is set to be the next spirit to trend in South Africa. The barrel-aged booze is gaining greater popularity in the US and parts of Europe and is shedding its Pirates of the Caribbean image as consumers seek premium products with craft stories. Triya Govender, Pernod Ricard South Africa's marketing manager, said consumers were beginning to appreciate rum as a finely crafted drink. "South Africans have a penchant for the well-crafted, finer things in life and premium rum definitely ticks this box. "Historically, rum has been pretty mainstream in South Africa, but as we see consumers' palates 'premiumise', we see them experimenting with premium rums." The rising glob...
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