20 personalities decipher the last 10 years, and provide food for thought for the next 10.
How has the rum market changed over the last 10 years?
In the US we operate in a niche market with rums from Père Labat, Alambique Serrano, Canada, Navazos Palazzi, Velier (Hampden), etc., so products that are often high proof, without additives, often funky, often at higher prices, products with a lot of personality. So I can only talk about the type of products we specialise in.
Ten years ago, there was virtually no interest in such artisanal rums. Now we feel that, little by little, a fringe of enthusiasts – typically American whisky lovers who have decided to see what’s out there beyond the Bourbon and Rye that are their favourite drinks – are beginning to open up to discovery. The market is nothing like that in France, which is extremely dynamic; in the US it’s still very timid.
A large proportion of the limited editions we sell seem to be going back to Europe one way or another, judging by the auctions… So we’re in the infancy of the category. It’s like watching water come to the boil: at some point you can feel a little stirring at the bottom… and that’s where we are.
How will it evolve over the next 10 years?
If all the players push in the same direction, if a lot of samples are used to show people around, if major educational efforts are made, if more trips are organised to bring ‘early adopters’ and trade buyers on site, if all these actions are maintained over the next 5 or 8 years, the possibilities are huge. We’re seeing a lot of super niche r(h)ums coming onto the market, Clairins and others, the diversity already exists.
But it’s still the same 200 people who are buying (well, I’m exaggerating a bit, but that’s the idea). It’s a case of pounding the pavement to get the word out/taste with the idea that nobody’s really waiting for us; no queues on the pavement outside the shops/bars with people camped out waiting to drink an artisanal r (h) um. Like everything else in the US, the area is huge, the population large, and the demand has yet to be created, but it can be done with time and discipline.
Do you have any news you’d like to share with us?
For example, we’ve been working for a number of months to register the labels for Chalong Bay le rum thaïlandais (this will probably happen in 2024), we had a rather nice chat with Saudade, the Cap Verdien grogue, whom I think Rumporter knows well (I need to find a bottle from your selection…) a few weeks ago, and so on. Generally speaking, we’re still pretty busy.
What does Rumporter mean to you?
The bible. One of the cornerstones of the development of cane distillates in French-speaking markets through the dissemination of knowledge about r (h) ums. And a magazine that should absolutely be available in English…
