Bacardi has launched two sipping rums into travel retail -
Bacardi Reserva Limitada and Bacardi Gran Reserva 8 Anos Ron. Already familiar
among rum aficionados, they are now available at selected key airports worldwide for a limited time, in numbered bottles.
Created to commemorate the 2003 opening of the Casa Bacardi
Visitor Center in Puerto Rico, Bacardi Reserva Limitada, which retails at
£99.99 per one-litre bottle, is an ultra-premium rum, first developed as a
personal blend for the Bacardi family, in honour of founder Don Facundo Bacardi
Massó.
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| Bacardi Reserva Limitada |
Rum bases from barrel-aged reserve rums are blended with
Bacardi’s rarest rums that have been aged in small mature oak barrels for 10 to
16 years, resulting in an average of 12, and balanced with one-year-old rum to
develop a light freshness on the palate.
Bacardi Gran Reserva 8 Anos Ron, priced at £32.99 for a
one-litre bottle, was created in 1862 by founder Don Facundo Bacardí
Massó. It remained the private reserve of the Bacardi family for seven
generations until 1988 when it was released in certain domestic markets. The
rum is now introduced globally for the first time in travel retail in an
exclusive gift box presentation, which includes a wood-finish interior and incorporates a side-sliding mechanic. The red tone of the box is complemented by black and gold features, including gold foil and embossed text and the iconic Bacardi bat logo.
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| Bacardi Gran Reserva 8 Anos Ron comes in an exclusive red gift box |
Ian Rollason, marketing manager of Bacardi Global Travel
Retail, said: “Alongside the sublime quality of the liquid itself and the
bottle presentation, we have created stunning, heritage-led secondary packing
that adds to the brand story on-shelf, enhancing the appeal for gifting and to
rum aficionados looking to add to their own portfolio.”
Powerful vision for rum
Mike Birch, managing director of Bacardi Global Travel
Retail, explained Bacardi’s ambition for category expansion. “We have a
powerful vision for rum, driven by the category-leading position of the Bacardi
brand. As a category, rum under-indexes in travel retail compared
to domestic markets and we can change this by creating finely targeted,
authentic premiumisation opportunities. We will continue to leverage the
ultra-premium expressions of Bacardi to inspire sophisticated and intriguing
drinking occasions among rum, malt [whisky] and Cognac aficionados alike.”
Bacardi Reserva Limitada is described as a golden rum with a
well-balanced and complex character. It has a clean and dry oak flavour, the
rich sweetness of dulce de leche, earthy vanilla, mocha and toasted almond
notes and a rounded fruitiness of dried raisins and prunes. The flavours are
shaped by using a mix of charcoals to remove or reduce any dominant flavours,
to provide balance and smoothness. Ideal
for sipping neat, it is best served at room temperature, preferably in a
Cognac-style crystal balloon glass for maximum aroma and flavour.
Bacardi Gran Reserva 8 Anos Ron offers
complex, layered, deep and mellow flavours of dried fruits, spices, toasted nuts,
butterscotch, vanilla and oak. Suitable for savouring neat or over ice, it also
adds depth of flavour to popular gold rum cocktails such as the traditional Rum
Old Fashioned or contemporary classics such as the Old Cuban.
Cuban spirit pervades major airports
Meanwhile, to support its launch in global travel retail, Bacardi Gran Reserva Maestro de Ron featured in a summer activation programme running at major European airports. Each location had a Havana-inspired bar - and some airports featured performances by a Cuban-style band. With signature serves such as Bacardi Cuba Libre and Bacardi 8yo on-the-rocks, the idea was to showcase the versatility of rum in cocktail making.
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| Bacardi Gran Reserva promotion at Amsterdam Schiphol airport |
Bacardi Gran Reserva Maestro de Ron was the first spirits
brand to use the Contentainment space in the World Duty Free Group store in the newly opened Terminal 2 at London Heathrow airport, running for two weeks in July and
featuring a live Cuban band. Dedicated activations also ran in T3, T5,
Manchester, and London Gatwick North and South terminals.
Barcelona, Malaga, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Vienna
and Antalya airports all featured dedicated Cuban-themed bars, where staff offered
Bacardi Gran Reserva Maestro de Ron on the rocks served with a twist of orange
zest, alongside cocktails including Bacardi Cuba Libre. Vintage tin cups,
postcards and gift bags completed the experience.
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| Bacardi being served in a vintage tin cup at Schiphol airport |
Aude Rocourt, regional director of Europe at Bacardi Global
Travel Retail, said: “Bacardi Gran Reserva Maestro de Ron is a key innovation
launch in 2014 with an aim to drive premiumisation in rums. We wanted to engage
our key European consumer base in an unforgettable way, bringing to life the
personality of the Bacardi brand and its Cuban heritage. Many consumers are new
to rum but are quick to convert once they sample iconic serves such as a
Bacardi Cuba Libre and engage with the rich stories of the Bacardi brand.”
