Julie Witherden, Marketing Director, Bacardi Global Travel Retail.

Bacardi Global Travel Retail has expanded its premium rum portfolio with the launch of Bacardi Gran Reserva Especial (16yo).

Exclusive to GTR, the new product will initially be available from DFS stores at selected Asia Pacific and North American airport locations from July 2019.

Bacardi Gran Reserva (left) is a rare, limited edition, premium sipping rum. Traditionally aged for a minimum of 16 years in American white oak barrels, the warmth and humidity of the Caribbean climate accelerates the rum ageing process – around three-times faster than whisky ageing.

Julie Witherden, Marketing Director, Bacardi Global Travel Retail, outlines the strategic importance of the new launch. She said: “Rum is the last category to premiumise in global travel retail with total premium+ rum sales growing at +11% (IWSR, 2018). As category leader, Bacardi rum is ambitious to seize that opportunity and unlock its true potential.

“We are creating a stunning new landscape with age statements for every type of rum enthusiast. Our commitment to helping consumers explore rum with greater confidence is underpinned by the quality, range and clarity of our portfolio architecture and its pricing ladder.

“Positioned above Bacardi Gran Reserva Diez (10yo), Bacardi  Gran Reserva Especial is aged for a minimum of 16 years — comparable to a 40-year ageing in whisky, making it an exceptional sipping rum and a significant premium launch in our strategy.”