Golden age for aged rum.

(From Off Licence News)

The British may be some way off the Caribbean custom of blessing the foundations of a new house with rum, but the region's favourite spirit is at last starting to gain credibility in the UK .

Within the category it's golden rum that's really pulling up trees. Cocktail waiters appreciate its versatility at one end of the market, while the sipping qualities of aged rum mean it's finding acceptance as an alternative to malt whisky among serious spirit-heads.

Joy Spence, master blender at Jamaican rum producer Appleton Estate, says: "You can get the range of flavours that you would with Cognac or a malt whisky but it's probably the best value for money within the spirits category because of the speed of the ageing process. Every year ageing in the Caribbean is worth three in Scotch whisky." Jo Spencer, head of marketing for light spirits (including Havana Club) at Pernod Ricard UK, says golden rum is picking up devotees from premium lager as well as spirits. She adds: "Modern-day consumers are looking for brands which are premium, stylish, slightly out-of-the-ordinary and which make a statement . Golden rum seems to tick all the boxes." Nielsen figures to the end of December show take-home value sales of golden rum up 27 per cent from a year earlier, and, though volumes are still below those of white and dark rum, it's gaining fast. Though golden rum is being talked about as the big craze of the style bar, off-trade volumes now match those of the on-trade and the take-home market is growing seven times faster than ons in volume terms.

Scotland retains a historical affinity with golden rum, accounting for 50 per cent of all British sales, but across the rest of the nation sales are starting to catch up, with volumes in north east England up 58 per cent year on year and London up 49 per cent.

There's also a noticeable gulf in performance between the supermarkets and independents, with grocery multiples accounting for 84 per cent of off-trade sales, compared with 76 per cent for dark and white rum and malts. Volume growth of golden rum was 34 per cent in 2007, compared with just 11 per cent in the impulse channel.

Spencer says supermarket buyers have got behind golden rum in a big way .