Bacardi boosts premium offering with new travel retail exclusive release
Bacardi has enhanced its focus on premiumisation with the release of a new travel retail exclusive product, the Gran Reserva Especial 16YO.
The limited edition sipping rum will be available exclusively at DFS stores across Asia and North America from next month. The release is Bacardi’s response to a growing trend for premium rum across travel retail and the spirits category in general.
Bacardi Global Travel Retail Marketing Director Julie Witherden said: “Rum is the last category to premiumize in global travel retail with total premium rum sales growing at +11% (CAGR over 5 years, 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.”
Bacardi Gran Reserva Especial 16YO is created using hand-selected barrels of rum, which are aged for 16 years in American white oak barrels in the Caribbean. The warmth of the climate means the spirit ages around three times faster than whisky.
Whitherden explained: “Bacardi Gran Reserva Especialis 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.”
BacardiGran Reserva Especial 16YO will be available in 1 litre bottles, priced at US$100.