Scottish spiced rum startup Brass Neck had hit a significant milestone – by selling its 1000th bottle just months after launching.
Now the delighted founders say they are in the best possible shape for a predicted global boom in rum sales, which they have dubbed the "rumnaissance".
The trio behind the spirit – distilled in Scotland and not imported from the Caribbean – now hopes to play a defining role in establishing Scotland as a new centre of global rum production. The name relates to having to have a brass neck to distill a sunshine spirit in Scotland!
Freddy Drucquer, 31, said: "Scotland has an incredible distilling heritage thanks to whisky, and in the past 10 years, Scotland has also come to make its mark on the gin scene. We believe it is likely to become a new centre for rum production with substantial economic potential with those credentials."
Freddy and his colleagues are in "advanced discussions" with an international distributor, which would see their rum given a toehold in both the US and Europe. The rum is also stocked in many bars and restaurants.
Freddy and his co-founders Dougie Jeffries, 58 and Chris Dowdall, 39, are rum aficionados whose dream was to create a distinctly Scottish spiced rum distilled, bottled and distributed in their homeland. They launched Brass Neck in December 2020. It includes exotic ingredients like tonka beans, cacao nibs, and orange peel, tempered with distinct Scottish botanicals, including nettles and milk thistles.
Freddy said: " "It also goes with just about any mixer, and new rum cocktails are being invented every day. We also urge our customers to try Brass Neck in a hot chocolate, which is delicious. There is a way for just about anybody to enjoy rum."
Freddy added: "There are now at least 25 serious rum brands in Scotland, which is another sign of how rum is mirroring the explosion we saw in gin production a few years ago. What's great about all of these different brands is that they are a real community."
The Wine and Spirits Trade Association (WTSA) reported in 2018 that 35 million bottles of rum were sold in the UK, a £1billion market. While white rum sales are falling, growth is being driven by demand for dark and spiced rums. Drinkers aged 25-34 favour premium rums like Brass Neck.
The premium-feel bottle features a brass neck, while the label shows a fox in a brass collar breaking its chains against a distinctly Scottish cityscape backdrop. The artwork was the brainchild of a Glasgow based tattoo artist. Brass Neck Spiced Rum retails for £38.95