RUM
MAGIC
rum rather than trying to position ourselves
as a vodka or bourbon — a trend we've no-
ticed," Lynch says.
In March the brand announced the re-
lease of Cruzan Peach Rum, which is made
with tropical rainwater and high-quality
molasses, and has a suggested retail price of
$14.99 (per 750 ml bottle). "The release of
Cruzan Peach complements our line up of
fl avored rums perfectly, offering consumers
a well-rounded array of 14 authentic fl a-
vors to suit any mood, occasion or palate,"
Lynch says.
With a fl avor that shouts out to summer
regardless of the actual season, the new
fl avor sticks to Cruzan's "Don't Hurry" life-
style, the brand's digital campaign fi rst in-
troduced in 2013. "This year, we're bringing
the island mindset off the island closer to
where fans live," Lynch explains. "As part of
the campaign we've created a series of vid-
eos to show consumers the importance of
bringing 'The Don't Hurry' into their daily
lives. These videos, which will run online
throughout 2014, showcase the importance
of slowing down and celebrating everyday
moments."
CELEBRITY CONNECTIONS
Fifteen years after bringing his Cabo Wabo
line to the tequila category, musician
Sammy Hagar tried his hand at the rum
category. He brought his "act local" phi-
losophy to what became Sammy's Beach
Bar Rum, a premium silver rum made from
two-year-old Maui-grown sugar cane that's
only fi ltered once and distilled once. At 80
proof, the 750 ml bottle has a suggested re-
tail price of $21.99.
"We're on a real roll right now — we're
doing an awful lot," says Stephen Kauffman,
president of Sammy's Beach Bar Rum. The
brand has been on the market for a few
years, except now it's on the verge of going
national, in part thanks to a new partnership
between the brand and Imperial Brands. In
February, Imperial Brands, which is the U.S.
importer and marketer of Sobieski Vodka,
announced that they would be taking on
the sales responsibility in the U.S. and Can-
ada for the premium silver rum. Kauffman
says that includes dealing with the distribu-
tors, marketing, advertising, public relations
and point-of-sale.
Up next for the brand is a broader
rollout of its macadamia nut-infused rum,
Sammy's Beach Bar Rum Red Head,
named after Hagar's fans who call them-
selves the Red Heads. The 70-proof rum
embodies these super fans down to its red
hue, a color it gets using fruits and vege-
tables. "It's really the only macadamia nut
product out there," Kauffman says. "It's al-
most like a liqueur more than a rum when
you taste it."
Kauffman expects retailers and
Beam Suntory's top-selling rums
include the Cruzan line, which
launched a peach fl avor this spring,
and the Calico Jack line, which
debuted a new bottle design.
Serralles USA boasts the Don Q line of rums,
which range up to the superpremium Don
Q Gran Anejo, and its superpremium white
rum, Caliche.
