In this article, we are going to discuss the 20 countries that export the most rum in the world. You can skip our detailed analysis of the global rum market, the recent acquisition in the rum industry, and the new rum RTD in the market, and go directly to the 5 Countries that Export the Most Rum in the World.
The Caribbean islands are famous for producing many of the best rums in the world. Sugarcane was introduced to that part of the globe in the late 1400s by Europeans, and it quickly took root. Colonialists started sugar plantations that used forced labor by enslaved people from Africa, and from these plantations came rum. The spirit’s popularity quickly spread to Colonial North America and it is estimated that prior to the American Revolutionary War, the men and women of the American colonies were drinking an average of three imperial gallons of rum each year.
Rum is building momentum and getting more popular in America. Today, the category is one of the most steadily growing and continues to benefit from several intersecting popularity shifts. In recent years, distillers have experimented with flavored rums, making the category much more versatile in offerings, and so today, flavored and spiced offerings account for over 57% of all rums sold.
This highly mixable spirit also provides a key function in cocktail culture. While rum is a staple of on-premise tiki bars, it is also one of the only spirits for which it’s common to blend multiple varieties in the same cocktail. According to Bacardi’s 2022 Cocktail Trends Report, four of the top-10 best-selling cocktails are rum drinks, making the spirit a must-have for all on-premise programs.
Recent Acquisition in the Rum Industry:
The growth of premium rum has been reflected in the merger and acquisition space in the past few years. It was announced last year that the Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE:BF-B) has completed the acquisition of the Diplomático Rum brand and related assets from Destillers United Group S.L. (Spain), for an estimated $725 million. The spirits giant announced its agreement to purchase the brand in October 2022, giving it an entry into the growing super-premium rum category.
As part of the acquisition, Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE:BF-B) added a Panama-based aging, bottling, and shipping production facility to the company. Destillers United Group S.L. will continue to produce and age the unique, carefully-crafted, and complex Diplomático Rum in their original distillery at the foot of the Andes mountains. Distributed in over 100 countries, Diplomático Rum is a super-premium rum brand from Venezuela.
Ready-to-drink beverages continue to make headlines as the fastest-growing alcohol beverage category. RTD cocktails grew 325% between 2011 and 2021, with 68 new drinks hitting the market in 2021.
A new RTD offering that popped up in the market this February is Captain Morgan Sliced, a line of canned malt-based cocktails with 5.8% alcohol by volume. Owned by Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO), the spiced rum brand is seeking a greater presence in the growing canned spirits space. Available in four flavors, Captain Morgan Sliced cans are now available nationwide in a 12-count variety pack priced at $19.99. Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) also launched another product of the rum brand last month – Captain Morgan Sliced Up. Available in 23.5oz and 16oz can offerings of Long Island Iced Tea and Tropical Hurricane, these 8% ABV cocktails are available in local convenience stores and wherever you can find Captain Morgan.
With that said, here are the Top Rum Exporters in the World.
20 Countries that Export the Most Rum in the World
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Methodology:
To collect data for this article, we have referred to the UN Comtrade Database, looking for the Largest Rum Exporting Countries in the World. The following countries have been ranked by the total dollar value of their exports of rum and other spirits obtained by distilling fermented sugar-cane products (HS Code 220840) in 2022.
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20. Latvia
Total Rum Exports in 2022: $14.54 million
Latvian rum exports grew almost 19% in 2022 compared to the previous year, when it stood at $12.22 million. Riga Black Balsam, a popular tipple in the Baltic country, represents a magnificent blend of herbal infusions, dark Caribbean rum, orange and vanilla notes, laced with a mix of spices.
Rum is the second-most popular spirit in Austria and is consumed more frequently than even whisky. Among the most famous Austrian brands is Stroh, renowned for its unique taste and high alcohol content. The brand produces a variety of rums, ranging from white to barrel-aged, and is exported to over 40 countries around the world.
18. Denmark
Total Rum Exports in 2022: $17.83 million
Danish rum is not as famous as, say, Caribbean rums, but it is making its mark around the world. The country’s cooler, less humid climate affects how the rum matures in barrels. This slower aging makes the spirit smoother and adds more flavor.
17. India
Total Rum Exports in 2022: $18.71 million
Despite not being exactly world famous for its rum, India is the country that consumes the most rum in the world, both in terms of consumption per capita and in terms of most rum drunk each year. India is one of the fastest-growing alcoholic beverages markets globally, with an estimated market size of $52.5 billion in 2020, according to the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations. Rum contributes 11% to the total volume, mainly because it’s cheap and easily available.
India also sits among the Countries that Produce the Most Rum.
16. Brazil
Total Rum Exports in 2022: $20.08 million
Brazil is the world's leading producer of sugarcane, with production approaching 569 million tons. The country also produces more than a billion liters of cane alcohol per year and less than 1% of that production is exported.
15. Panama
Total Rum Exports in 2022: $24.54 million
Panama's nutrient rich volcanic soil makes it a fertile growing ground to grow sugarcane and rum production is a tradition deeply intertwined with the nation's rich history and culture. One of the most renowned rum producers in the country is Ron Abuelo, a family-owned distillery that has been producing the spirit for over a century. The Diplomático Rum brand also bottles at least some of its rum in Panama.
14. Nicaragua
Total Rum Exports in 2022: $36.93 million
Boasting an impressive portfolio of slow-aged, barreled rums, Flor de Caña is Nicaragua's best-known export. Present in over 40 countries worldwide, Flor de Caña is also one of the fastest growing premium rum brands in the United States.
Nicaraguan rum exports witnessed a massive uptick of 31.8% in 2022, when compared to the previous year, putting it among the Largest Rum Exporters.
13. Belgium
Total Rum Exports in 2022: $40.62 million
While Belgium is renowned for its chocolates, waffles, and is also placed among the Best Beer Countries in 2024, there's an emerging player in the nation's gastronomic scene – Belgian rum. Rum Nation is a popular international brand that has a range of rums aged in Belgium, taking advantage of the country's unique climate.
12. Barbados
Total Rum Exports in 2022: $43.06 million
Often considered the birthplace of rum, Barbados has a rum-making history that dates back to the 17th century. Barbadian rum, known for its smooth and well-balanced flavor profile, is typically aged in oak barrels, which impart a rich, complex character. Mount Gay, the oldest continuously operating rum distillery in the world, produces some of the finest examples of Barbadian rum.
11. Jamaica
Total Rum Exports in 2022: $56.42 million
Today, Jamaica has the most rum bars per square mile in the world and the reputation and standard of its rum is rightly regarded. The style is known to be heavier, owing to the fact that there are more pot stills in Jamaica than any other Caribbean island.
The island nation has the capacity to produce up to 50 million liters of rum annually and Jamaican rums are presently sold in over 70 countries around the world.
10. Guyana
Total Rum Exports in 2022: $58.66 million
Guyana rums are very fruity and rich, among the fullest in body of all Caribbean rums. The area is known for the famed Demerara River, around which grow the finest sugar canes.
The South American nation’s rums are smoky and flavorful with notes of vanilla, honey, and baking spices. They tend to be thicker than other rums, for a viscous mouth and tongue feel. Most are distilled in wooden coffey and pot stills.
Guyana is counted among the Top 10 Leading Countries in Exports of Rum.
9. Germany
Total Rum Exports in 2022: $65.38 million
Rum arrived in Germany in the 17th century with the first voyages of Dutch merchants to the Caribbean. The northern port town of Flensburg, nowadays advertised as Germany’s rum capital, has a long history of rum imports from the islands of St Croix, St Thomas, and St John.
The German Rum Festival is one of the largest fairs in the field of rum, rhum, and cachaça worldwide.
8. Guatemala
Total Rum Exports in 2022: $68.61 million
Although it is far from competing with Jamaica, sugarcane, and the rum produced from it, are some of Guatemala's main exports. Among the most popular producers of Guatemalan rum is Ron Zacapa, a brand that has become synonymous with premium quality and exceptional craftsmanship.
7. United Kingdom
Total Rum Exports in 2022: $82.93 million
Despite a climate that is not conducive to sugarcane cultivation, rum production in the United Kingdom has witnessed massive growth over the last few years, from importing and blending or redistilling, to making it from scratch. Two Drifters is a popular rum brand from the country.
With $9.33 billion of spirits exported in 2022, the U.K. is the Largest Exporter of Alcoholin the world.
6. France
Total Rum Exports in 2022: $129.9 million
Although France is famous for its rhum agricole within the enthusiast world, the combined output of its overseas territories is roughly 60% molasses rum versus 40% cane juice rum. While mainland France has recently seen a surge of small-scale distilleries, the French overseas departments and territories like Martinique, Réunion, French Guiana, and Mayotte, each produce their own distinctive rums.
France ranks 6th in our list of Top Rum Exporting Countries in 2024.
