Whisky broker and independent bottler Cask 88 is targeting Scotch drinkers with the launch of its new range of single cask rums.
The Cask 88 Rum Collection includes three expressions from South and Central America. The range includes a 20-year-old rum distilled in Guyana in 1999, a 21-year-old distilled in Guyana in 1998 and a 19-year-old rum distilled in 2000 in Nicaragua.
The rums from Guyana are made at the Demerara Distillery, which has three of the last operational wooden stills in the world – two pot stills and one coffey still.
Meanwhile, the 19-year-old rum is from Compañía Licorera de Nicaragua, which lies at the foot of the active San Cristóbal Volcano. The distillery produces the world’s first carbon neutral, Fair Trade-certified spirit, Flor de Caña.
The 20-year-old rum carries an ABV of 64.7% ABV and is limited to 55 bottles, priced at RRP US$150. The 21-year-old is bottled at 60.9% ABV with only 149 bottles available, priced at RRP US$149. Finally, the 19-year-old is bottled at 66.6% ABV and is limited to 190 bottles, priced at RRP US$149.
Cask 88 said the new rum range is a “natural development” for the company.
“Our Scotch whisky drinking clients are always looking for something new to excite the palate and so we’ve had our eye on rum producers in the Caribbean for some time now,” said Cask 88 director Patrick Costello.
“We feel the category shows a level of complexity and refined flavour that is reminiscent of Scotch whisky, and has the potential to command the attention of the world.”
Cask 88 also noted that rum could be poised to enjoy similar growth to Scotch whisky, boosted by premium variants. According to IWSR Drinks Market Analysis figures cited by the firm, global volume sales of standard or value priced rum grew by 0.6% from 2014 to 2019, but high-end rum bottles (priced US$28 or above) rose by 8.3% over the same five-year period.
The rum collection is available to buy globally from the Cask 88 website and Whisky Foundation.