5 Rum Brands Owned by Artists (Part One)
It’s well known that once you get to know Rum, you will fall in love. Not only with its flavor, but also with its history and the stories that this spirit can bring to life for those who want to embark on this adventure.
Rum has inspired many artists, including musicians, writers, and actors. In this series of articles, we will discuss how these individuals have been influenced by the essence of rum.
The following list introduces brands created by artists who made an interesting move into the world of rum with innovative blends.
Selva Rey by Bruno Mars
Let’s start with Mr. Bruno Mars and his Selva Rey!
Selva Rey is not only a rum collection; it’s a whole experience, from the flavor to the playlist created by the brand.
Unlike other rum brands, the team behind Selva Rey has complete control of the production process: harvesting the sugarcane, pressing the juice, fermentation, distillation, aging, blending, and bottling.
All this journey has hundreds of collaborators, guided by one of the most renowned Maestros Roneros: Don Pancho. So quality is in every bottle and sip.
In each sip, you can taste the perfect climate dance from the lands of Panamá, a concept that brings the sense of convergence of the north, the south, the Caribbean, and the Atlantic Sea. Ground, air, and water that cultivate the perfect sugarcane for the next expressions:
Expressions
White Rum
This is a revelation. Smooth, vibrant, and perfect for sipping or mixing. A blend of young and aged rums crafted with care using the finest ingredients that evoke notes of vanilla, key lime pie, citrus, and pineapple. It’s perfect for classic cocktails or sipping neat.
Chocolate Rum
This is a harmonious blend of natural chocolate and rum. A premium five-year-old spirit with notes of chocolate-covered espresso beans, toffee, and cardamom. It’s also designed for sipping neat or in cocktails.
Coconut Rum
Experience a velvety infusion crafted with a vibrant two-year-old rum, offering a tropical paradise in every sip, where the coconut water, pineapple, key lime pie, and tres leches have a tasting performance.
Owner’s Reserve Rum
Indulge in the Owner’s Reserve, a rare blend of the finest rums from Panama’s most exceptional vintages, selected by the Maestro Ronero Don Pancho.
A rum crafted with passion and precision to create a flavored fusion of pears flambé, baking spice, dried apricot, and baked apple.
Crossfire Hurricane: A Taste of Rock N’ Roll by The Rolling Stones
Created by The Rolling Stones, Crossfire Hurricane is a Caribbean blend of rums from Jamaica, Barbados, and the Dominican Republic, aged in oak barrels.
“To us, the Caribbean is more than just a beautiful place. It’s a part of our story. This aged, blended rum is our tribute to the islands that have inspired us for decades. Enjoy it neat, on the rocks or in the cocktail of your choosing – but never in silence.” – Mick Jagger and Keith Richard form The Rolling Stones.
Up to this point, it’s just one expression. It’s a blend that offers a smooth and flavorful experience with notes of caramelized bananas, tropical fruit, and a hint of oak. It’s perfect to drink on the rocks or with the list of cocktails recommended by the band.
As the band’s first-ever product, Crossfire Hurricane is a must-have for fans and rum enthusiasts.
Bumbu Rum by Lil Wayne
Bumbu Rum Company is a rum brand owned by the rapper Lil Wayne and presents a selection of premium blends of Caribbean rums.
These spirits are distilled in Barbados and Panama using high-quality sugarcane, balanced and smooth, maintaining the complexity that makes our distilleries in
The bottle is adorned with a tarnished metal “X” in front and a map of the Caribbean across the back. Elements that give a particular distinction to the brands. The cork is intentionally oversized to create a satisfying “POP” when opening a bottle.
Expressions
Bumbu Original
With every taste, Original Bumbu exposes its rich and colorful history through a blend of premium Barbados rum and carefully chosen spices that recreate the vibrant past of the West Indies.
Bumbu XO
Bumbu XO is a limited-edition rum distilled in Panama, aged in bourbon barrels, and finished in white oak sherry casks for a perfectly balanced, endlessly sipping rum.
On the palate, this rum evokes flavors like orange zest, spicy peppercorns, and a faint coffee undertone.
Bumbu Créme
Bumbu Crème is a combination of hand-picked spices and dairy cream. This concoction was designed to be enjoyed cold, straight, on the rocks, or mixed into a drink.
With its sleek packaging and bold taste, Bumbu Rum has become a favorite among rum enthusiasts and hip-hop fans alike.
Blue Chair Bay by Kenny Chesney
Country singer-songwriter Kenny Chesney’s Blue Chair Bay® is a tropical escape in a bottle.
Inspired by Chesney’s love for the island lifestyle, this award-winning premium brand offers smooth and flavorful rums crafted by Mike Booth, one of the world’s great master blenders.
Expressions
This brand offers more than 10 expressions to the market, all characterized by tropical, fresh, and creamy flavors, especially for sipping neat or mixing into your favorite cocktails.
Today we’re going to talk about three of them:
Coconut Spiced
An aromatic blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove, perfectly balanced with the creamy notes of coconut.
Mango Rum Cream
It’s a mix of tropical flavors like mango, peaches, coconut, and lime, with a touch of real cream that elevates the drinking experience.
Key Lime Rum Cream
This one is a concoction that should transport you to the Florida Keys. A rum cream with tart key lime notes balanced with a creamy meringue sweetness. Hints of cinnamon, almond, and amaretto.
Sammy’s Beach Bar by Sammy Hagar
Escape to a slice of paradise at Sammy’s Beach Bar, the brainchild of legendary rocker Sammy Hagar.
This vibrant brand offers a range of high-quality products, including Beach Bar Rums and Sparkling Rum Cocktails. In a nutshell, it’s an interpretation of Hagar’s love for tropical vibes and elements of nature that have surrounded him along his adventures.
Its rums are distilled on the island of Puerto Rico and have been awarded by San Francisco Spirit Competitions.
On the other hand, the brand is committed to taking care of the environment by supporting charities behind beach and ocean clean-up initiatives, muse, and inspiration for Sammy’s Rums.
Expressions
Made out of molasses sourced from farms and co-ops worldwide, distilled in Puerto Rico, and aged in American oak barrels, these are the Sammy’s Beach Bar Rums:
Platinum Rum:
This premium, award-winning blend features well-balanced tropical notes with a hint of coconut and banana.
It is a versatile choice that can be enjoyed in various cocktails, such as Mojito, Daiquiri, Piña colada, or Mai Tai. (Winner at the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Silver)
Red Head
This blend features the perfect mix of macadamia nut and cherry flavors.
It is aged for one year in medium-char oak bourbon barrels, and it’s ideal to try it in a Mai Tai or sipped neat.
Kola Spiced
Aged for one year in medium-char oak Bourbon barrels, this particular spiced rum is created by infusing Sammy’s unique blend of spices, which includes real kola nut extract. It pairs exceptionally well with a classic Rum & Cola.
Sammy’s Lost Cask
This rum has a cool story. According to the website, Sammy’s Beach Bar’s original Hawaiian rum was aged in Maui, a few thousand feet above sea level in Makawao, on the slopes of Haleakala.
Curiously, Sammy’s nickname for this specific batch was “Rested in Paradise” (RIP). Years later, the production moved to Puerto Rico, and the Hawaiian rum-filled casks were lost—a decade later they were rediscovered and bottled into this limited-edition blend.
So, Sammy’s Lost Cask is a rediscovered 10-year-old aged rum made out of pure sugar cane juice, harvested on the island of Maui and converted into golden sugar, before it was distilled in the mountain at the Haliimaile Distillery.
As you can see, the rum industry is a space where everyone can enjoy themselves.
Seeing the growth, passion, and new generation of consumers that these brands bring to the market makes rum, once again, a promising beverage.
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The article image is courtesy of 5PH on Canva
