Whisky Exchange rum sales grow faster than gin

Retailer The Whisky Exchange has seen rum sales increase by 165% over the last three months, marking the first summer in five years the spirit has seen higher growth than gin.

Rum sales for The Whisky Exchange grew 165% over the last three months – faster than gin

The Whisky Exchange sells more than 500 rums, with more than 50 expressions added in the last year alone.

Earlier this year, the company released a new classification system for rum online to give consumers a better understanding of the category.

It divides different rum styles into categories based on flavour profiles and production methods, rather than colours such as white, gold and dark.

Dawn Davies MW, head buyer for The Whisky Exchange, said: “We’re very excited to see this dramatic increase as rum is one of the most dynamic spirits categories out there at the moment.

“We’re seeing more consumers searching for what we’d call ‘sipping rums’, meaning gone are the days when rum was reserved for a Mojito.

“Artisan distilleries, independent bottlers and big brands playing with production methods and ageing has increased the desire to sip rum instead of only mix it.”

Furthermore, the wholesale arm of The Whisky Exchange business, Speciality Drinks, has seen the on-trade demand for rum, including bars and restaurants, rise by 62% during the same period.

Earlier this month, Elixir Distillers, created by The Whisky Exchange co-founders Sukhinder Singh and Rajbir Singh, launched a new rum: Black Tot.

The Whisky Exchange, which also runs The Whisky Show, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

This week, The Whisky Exchange unveiled its 2019 bottlings for The Whisky Show, which have been designed with UV-sensitive labels – thought to be a first for the whisky category.