The North American Rum Spotlight Series is here
Last Updated on February 9, 2026 by Maythe Monoche
Rum is truly a global spirit. It’s been a staple of the liquor industry and a favorite of countless consumers in the UK, Europe and elsewhere for decades thanks to its unique flavor profiles and connection to local terroir.
But in the US, rum has historically taken a backseat to spirits like bourbon, tequila and even (gasp) vodka, with bourbon typically being referred to as ‘America’s spirit’. In practice it certainly is. But what most people don’t realize is rum was the first commercial spirit made in the States going all the way back to the birth of the nation. George Washington even had barrels for sipping at his Presidential inauguration. Rum truly is central to American heritage.
So why has rum been overlooked there for so long? In this humble distributor’s opinion one major factor is that the market simply hasn’t bestowed the same level of quality and variety of releases as in other regions. To be fair it does simplify the shelf-side deliberation at your local liquor store but the catch is there just isn’t as much for consumers to get excited about (with some notable exceptions). And isn’t chatting about an exciting new product with your local store rep part of what makes chasing rum fun in the first place?
But all is not lost! Thanks to a healthy number of American craft distilleries producing high quality liquid with transparency in mind and new independent bottlers taking a page out of the old-world IB playbook the seeds of change have been planted. This new rum wave truly makes it an exciting time to be a rum drinker in America.
THE BEST PART: we’ll feature many of these new-world pioneers whose artful craft makes our rum obsession possible in spotlights to come. The first will be with one of the original titans of the American Rum world Maggie Campbell! Former President and Master Distiller at Privateer and Project Leader at Mount Gay, Maggie recently launched a brand new venture called American Cane in Louisiana to bring a fresh line of thoughtful expressions to the market (and with plans to build a new distillery from scratch to showcase the Bayou’s unique terroir).
Huge thanks to Fede and TheRumLab (and to you, loyal reader!) for joining me on this journey.
🥃✨🥃
Ryan Gilbertie, Superlative Spirits
Santa Monica, CA
Stay Updated!
Don’t miss out on the conversation! Get the latest news and experiences shaping rum culture right in your inbox.
