According to The Grand View Research industry analysis report, the global craft rum market was worth USD 1.06 billion in 2019 and is expected to grow at a 5.2 percent CAGR between 2020 and 2027. Rum is on the upswing.

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Rum is the only liquor that is derived from sugar cane. The botanical genus Saccharum is considered to be the origin of the name "rum."

In Asia, molasses is popular and is a cheap spirit-making substrate. The cane is either raw pressed juice, which must be processed quickly, or molasses, which is a by-product of sugar refining and has a long shelf life.

Here are the top 5 Craft Rum Distilleries In The States :

1. Lyon Rum // Windon Distilling

In the annual USA TODAY 10 Best contest, Lyon Rum was awarded the 2020–2021 Best Craft Rum Distillery. Windon Distilling Company's flagship spirit, Lyon Rum, is made in Saint Michaels, Maryland. The distillery, which opened on December 7, 2013, with a signature range of rums paying homage to the Eastern Shore's rich, spirited traditions, was founded in 2012. Jaime Windon, CEO & Founder, spent years working as a bartender in the hospitality industry, developing a great taste for a truly balanced cocktail. Living in South America and Kenya, as well as traveling across Europe, India, and the Caribbean, honed her knowledge of and appreciation for exotic and rare flavors.

Initially captivated by the renaissance of small-scale artisan distilling and always inspired by the ambition to produce something new and noteworthy, Jaime is proud to help resurrect the legendary history of Maryland distillation. The goal is to create a unique and expressive American spirit while also attempting to establish the category of "New American Rum" and experimenting with inventive (and often esoteric) finishes. A rum made from 100 percent Louisiana sugarcane using traditional pot stills. 

 

Image Source: Lyon Rum

2. Muddy River Distillery 

Muddy River Distillery manufactures the best rum in Belmont, North Carolina by employing premium ingredients, unique formulas, and custom-built stills.

Muddy River Distillery has a well-deserved reputation for producing award-winning spirits and is one of 20 distilleries competing for the USA Today Readers' Choice Best Craft Rum Distillery Award.

Caroline Delaney and her husband Robbie are the driving forces behind Muddy River, North Carolina's first rum distillery and the first of its kind in the Charlotte market. Thanks to the couple's efforts, Muddy River has grown without the need for outside funding. Its sales growth enables the purchase of new equipment and the development of new items.

Their rums are all gluten-free. Sugar cane molasses and sugar are used. Queen Charlotte's Reserve is matured in fresh American white oak barrels, ensuring that there is no scope for contamination from previous spirits in the barrel, while the spiced Caroline Rum has hints of cinnamon and vanilla, and it is blended with spices. 

Image Source: Muddy River Distillery 

3. Wicked Dolphin

Wicked Dolphin Distillery, founded by JoAnn Elardo in 2012, is located in Cape Coral, just miles from Florida's lush sugarcane fields. Wicked Dolphin has received numerous accolades, including gold prizes at the International Rum Competition in Madrid.

Wicked Dolphin Rum arose from the desire for an authentic Florida rum. Their rum is handcrafted in small batches using 100 percent Florida-grown sugarcane in traditional American copper pot still, and the rum is then matured in used Kentucky bourbon barrels made of American white oak. Wicked Dolphin's Cold Brew Coffee Rum is a limited edition rum made with their spirits and mixed with a special combination of locally manufactured cold brew coffee.

Image Source: TropRockin

Wicked Dolphin Rum received recognition for its Gold Reserve, Black Premium, Double Hidden Barrel Reserve, and Brewer's Series. The Gold Reserve was aged for three years and received gold medals from the American Distilling Institute and the Miami Rum Renaissance.

4. Elgin Distillery, Arizona

Since 2014, Elgin Distillery has been producing rum in Elgin, Arizona.

To create elegant rums, pure cane sugar is juiced and blended with a particular yeast strain. To add richness to the ultimate product, they are matured in used whiskey and wine barrels.

They are currently manufacturing some of the following rums:

Regalo de Vida Ron Imperial is a double retort pot-distilled, fresh cane juice-based rum matured in repurposed bourbon barrels for five years and proofed to 101.5 proof with locally produced limestone-filtered water. Sugarcane is cultivated in Sonora, Mexico, then crushed at the distillery. There are no additional sugars, tastes, or colors.

Four Monkey Silver Rum is a double retort pot-distilled, fresh cane juice-based rum proofed to 80 proof with locally obtained limestone-filtered water and bottled unaged with no additional sweeteners, flavors, or color. Sugarcane is farmed in Phoenix, Arizona, then crushed at the distillery.

Four Monkey Quad Black Rum is a variation of the Double Black Rum that is aged in Syrah wine barrels before being bottled at 80 proof.

Image Source: Elgin Craft Rum Distillery 

At the World Spirits Competition in San Francisco in 2018, Regalo de Vida Ron Imperial earned Best of Class for Dark/Gold Rum, and in 2019, it received Best of Class for Extra Aged Rum.

5. Three Roll Estate 

Three Roll Estate, situated in Baton Rouge, opened in spring 2017 stands out among the various Louisiana distilleries that use local sugar cane in their rums. According to USA Today Reader Choice 2020, this Louisiana single estate distillery is one of the ten best rum craft distilleries in The States.

Three Roll Estate distills its cane to glass rums using sugarcane farmed in Louisiana's alluvial flood basin. Montanya Distillers, a craft rum distillery and Certified B Corporation®, has teamed up with Three Roll Estate to help satisfy rising demand. As demand for Montanya Rum began to outstrip capacity, founder and owner Karen Hoskin set out to find a one-of-a-kind solution to increase the company's rum inventory without sacrificing quality or her commitment to environmental sustainability, transparency, social responsibility, gender equity, and American-grown ingredients.

Each Three Roll spirit represents a unique aspect of their rich history, terrain, and techniques. The Parade Spiced Rum, which combines mild vanilla tastes with the terroir of Alma Plantation, is one of Three Roll Estate's other products. Their interpretation of a five-time filtered Cuban light rum is named Argenté. Three Rolls' Red Stick Cinnamon Rum pays homage to the town where Three Roll is headquartered (Baton Rouge is French for "red stick"). It's an excellent mixer for spiking up your favorite specialty cocktail.

Image Source: Three Roll Estate Instagram

Rising millennial consumer interest in the authenticity of alcoholic beverages has fueled the market for handmade spirits, especially rum. Craft rum is preferred over commercial rum by consumers because of its smooth taste, high-end quality, and authentic flavor. Moreover, the industry's increasing number of product launches is drawing new customers and raising product demand.

Article by Aakriti Rawat, Beverage Trade Network

Header Image Source: Lyon Rum, Muddy River Distillery, Wicked Dolphin, Elgin Craft Rum Distillery, Three Roll Estate