The Latest and Greatest Flavored Rums are Revenue-Ready

Pull your flavored rum bottles and notice the alcohol content. According to government regulations I found, I am guessing some of the bottles you pulled are not rum. Rum has to be bottled at no less than 80 proof, and flavored rum has to be bottled at no less than 60 proof.
    Per federal regulations, flavored rum must be bottled at not less than 60 degrees proof. Some of your bottles will give you a little clue in small print after the words “rum” and “with.”
    Now, don’t get me wrong, I am not saying these products are anything short of great cocktail ingredients. I just want to clear up any ignorance about the subject. I will be including both flavored rums and rums with flavorings below 60 proof in this article.

Opening Statements
    So, the flavored rums are coming, hot on the heels of the flavored vodka explosion. They already are here, you say? Expect to see double what we have now in new products before long. These are questions to ask and factors to consider when evaluating what’s in and what’s arriving:
    • How do you tell a great flavored rum from a fair flavored rum? Great rum should be aromatic and pleasant to the nose.
    • How does it taste alone? Is it palatable? Does the alcohol taste overpower the flavor? It should be smooth from your lips to your stomach.
    • Does it mix well with other ingredients: juice, soda, etc.?
    Ask your spirit purveyors for taste tests for your staff and your customers. They all want your business, and they should jump at the suggestion.

Proper Introductions 
    With this continued influx of available flavored rum products on the market. Let’s make the proper introductions and meet the labels.

Bacardi
    Bacardi, the biggest name in rum, would like to corner the flavored rum market, as well, and the spirits giant’s offerings include the following: Coconut, Orange, Limon, Razz, Vanilla and Big Apple. You should expect quality from Bacardi’s new offerings; it’s a trusted lineage. Bacardi also ecently has released a spirit marketed to the calorie counters — Bacardi Island Breeze. With flavors of Coconut, Key Lime and Wildberry — and half the calories of traditional spirits — it’s been a direct hit.

Cabana Boy
    Cabana Boy Flavored Rum from White Rock Distilleries, a family-owned company in Lewiston, Maine, has been making a mark for itself in certain markets since its introduction in 2000. It is nice to see some unique flavor offerings here. Cabana Boy comes in Citrus, Wild Cherry, Raspberry, Banana, Kiwi/Strawberry, Coconut, Pineapple/Coconut, Vanilla Spice and Orange.

Captain Morgan
    Our first introduction to flavored rum for most of us was by the Captain. Introduced to the United States in 1983, Captain Morgan was the first mass-produced and mass-marketed flavored rum. It since has held the No. 1 seat for flavored rum.
    Enter the Parrot. Captain Morgan has introduced the Parrot Bay flavored rum line of Coconut, Pineapple, Mango and Passion Fruit. They all are worthy and well-awarded by the Beverage Testing Institute and by the World Spirits Competition. Also, Captain Morgan has introduced Tattoo, a uniquely flavored black-spiced rum with a sweet-to-heat taste spectrum.

Cruzan
    Cruzan has come to market with eight flavors: Banana, Pineapple, Orange, Coconut, Vanilla, Mango, Citrus and Raspberry. They all are well regarded for their individual flavors. I have to admit I make close friends with Banana Daiquiris featuring Cruzan Banana Rum.

Malibu
    Malibu’s portfolio is the same as Parrot Bay’s Coconut, Pineapple, Mango and Passion Fruit, although Malibu was first to bring us coconut rum. Because of that, it has a substantial following.

RedRum
    This distinctive spirit hit the scene a few years back and is distilled from pure Caribbean sugar cane and infused with natural mango, pineapple, coconut, and cherry flavors. RedRum is made by Three-D Spirits Inc., which also offers VooDoo Spiced Rum and Jolly Roger.

Other Key Players
    Other players integral to the flavored rum market include Mt. Gay, which introduced Mango and Vanilla to operators last year. There also is Marimba, which offers Tropical Tease, Spiced Breeze, Orange S’cream and Lemon Squeeze. The famous Whaler’s Rum brand now includes flavors of Vanilla, Coconut, Pineapple and Banana. Last, but certainly not least, Beachcomber Rum’s Apple, Pineapple and Coconut Spiced have made a nice home for themselves on bar shelves coast to coast.

Stephen Cunningham is an independent author, mixologist and veteran Boston bartender. He can be reached by e-mail at