Bacardi’s Facundo Rum lands in travel retail

Luxury travel retailer DFS Group has listed Bacardi’s four-piece Facundo Rum Collection in selected US airport stores.

First launched in New York and Miami in 2013, the four blends in the Facundo Rum Collection are sourced from the Bacardí family’s private rum reserve.

The collection consists of Neo, a carbon-filtered blended white rum which is made with spirits aged up to eight years, Eximo, an expression which has been blended before a 10-year aging process in American oak, Exquisito, made from seven to 23-year-old rums and finished in Sherry casks, and finally sitting at the summit of the range is Paraiso, a rum which is aged for up to 23 years and finished in Cognac casks.

Available at DFS airport stores in Los Angeles, San Francisco and JFK until 31 August, Bacardi describes the range as a “core” part of its strategy to premiumise the rum category.

“We believe rum is the biggest long-term opportunity in global travel retail spirits. This is a premium environment and the rum category is yet to maximise that potential.” says Mike Birch, managing director, Bacardi Global Travel Retail.

“There is massive headroom to grow and as the rum category leader, we have the ability, insights and full range to drive transformational change.”

To celebrate the rum launching in the stores, DFS activated its “Mix-it-Bar” ar Los Angeles International Airport’s Tom Bradley International Terminal in March and April, allowing travellers to sample the range.

“We’re thrilled to have partnered with Bacardi Global Travel Retail to launch this premium take on rum through the Facundo Rum Collection,” said Brooke Supernaw, DFS Group senior vice president spirits, wine and tobacco.

“The collection’s fantastic sampling of some of the finest sipping rums available as well as the activation at LAX was certainly appreciated by our fans and we look forward to growing our partnership with Bacardi and delivering more of these exciting experiences to our customers.”