Black Tears spiced rum returns to UAE
Island Rum Brands has partnered with SL Beverages to relaunch Black Tears Dry Spiced Cuban rum in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Black Tears has made its way back to the UAE market with Maritime and Mercantile International (MMI), a beverage distributor, retailer and marketing organisation.
In the first six months of 2025, Black Tears Dry Spiced secured numerous listings in both on-trade and off-trade channels across the UAE.
Notable listings included Hard Rock Café Dubai, Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Heights, Hakkasan Abu Dhabi, Coya Abu Dhabi, Conrad Dubai, and Premium Cellars in Ras Al Khaimah, as well as Richmond Cellars in Abu Dhabi and MMI stores in Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah.
Samrat Latkar, owner of SL Beverages agency, said: “The projected growth for the craft rum category in the UAE is 7.6% from 2025 to 2030, and Black Tears, the first spiced Cuban rum, is well-positioned to gain traction within this trend.
“Since the beginning of the year, we’ve been rapidly gaining ground within the spiced rum category on the market, where tourism and expat community growth are both positively influencing rum consumption.”
Black Tears’ signature cocktail, Spiced Cuba Libre, has been prominently featured in promotional trials throughout the on-trade channel, accompanied by exclusive creations from local mixologists.
Helena Zakmane, international commercial and marketing director of Island Rum Brands, explained: “UAE is an incredibly interesting market for up-and-coming craft authentic spirit brands – many trends are originating from there now.
“With the help of Samrat we are strongly supporting the efforts of our partners at MMI with promotional activities and Black Tears introduction to many new customers across the Emirates.”
Earlier this year, the brand partnered with Force Trade Service in Kazakhstan and debuted in Germany with distributor Kammer-Kirsch.
In February 2025, the Island Rum Company, owner of Black Tears and La Progresiva rums, successfully closed a private investment round to drive global growth.
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