SETH BENHAIM: Founder of Mainland Rum

Seth Benhaim is a spirits entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in the vodka, American whiskey, and, most recently, American rum industries. As the founder of Mainland Rum, his mission is clear: to redefine what American rum represents both nationally and internationally. Moving away from traditional pirate and tiki cocktail clichés, Seth is committed to positioning rum within the universe of high-end spirits to be enjoyed slowly.

His work combines curation and storytelling, selecting exceptional aged rums from different regions of the United States and bottling them at barrel strength, just as they were intended. With passion and vision, he aspires to become a key figure in promoting and recognizing American rum within his country. Let’s learn more about him in this interview!

TRL: What was the biggest challenge you faced in launching your rum brand, and how did you overcome it?

The biggest challenge has been approaching people, both consumers and trade, to try American rum. Most whiskey drinkers can be hesitant to try a new spirit, and many rum purists scoff at American rum (partly because of how it’s been presented at large). Other rum drinkers still prefer sweet or flavored rums (43% of the rum sold in the US is flavored). Rum in the U.S. has long been typecast as sweet, fun, and tropical. To overcome that, I focus on authenticity and transparency: single-barrel releases, cask strength bottling, and detailed provenance. I let the rum speak for itself in blind tastings. Once people tried a Mainland Rum at 120+ proof, aged from California all the way to Florida, the conversation began to change.

TRL: How do you see the rum market developing in the next 5-10 years, and what trends do you think will shape the future of the industry?

I see a renaissance for rum, much like what bourbon and mezcal experienced. Consumers are looking for provenance, craftsmanship, and bold flavors. American drinkers, especially whiskey (and bourbon) drinkers, are proud, patriotic and passionate about provenance and history. There’s a growing appreciation of aged rum, particularly cask strength and single barrel expressions. Transparency will become non-negotiable, and consumers want to know where, how, and by whom their spirit was made. I also expect to see more experimentation: alternative casks, regional styles within the U.S., and collaborations or blends becoming more regular. Mainland Rum is positioned right at the center of that movement.

TRL: Can you share a personal experience or moment that significantly influenced your brand’s direction?

On a barrel-hunting trip in the Northeast, I came across a closing distillery with 15-year-old American rums maturing quietly in bourbon barrels. Tasting those rums was a revelation; they were intense, layered, and completely distinct from anything I’d imagined. And the distillery was flavoring and diluting these rums to make a quick buck with a well-rum in one-liter bottles. That moment crystallized the idea for Mainland Rum: find the oldest casks, from the diverse climates and terroirs of America, and bottle them like a scotch or independent bottler would. That experience showed me that great rum was already here; I just needed to bottle it and tell its story.

TRL: How do you balance tradition with innovation in your approach to rum-making or marketing?

I like to try to honor tradition by focusing on rum’s essential qualities: the type of sugarcane source, time in wood, barrel size, barrel type, content around the craftsmanship at the distillery, and integrity in bottling and labeling. Mainland Rum challenges conventions with bold, cask-strength releases, offering several rums that, while from known and operational distilleries, have never been commercially available before. Example: I’ve released the oldest rum ever from a distillery that’s putting out thousands of cases per year of rum. They’ve also never released their rum at full cask strength, so there’s still much to be desired from that producer in my mind. Other barrels we have come from shuttered distilleries and present unique opportunities to taste something you may never see again.

TRL: What are some recent initiatives or products you’ve launched that have been impactful?

Our single-barrel program is gaining momentum- with several barrels earmarked for August 2025 as “store picks” or club-releases. It allows retailers and bars to select a unique barrel of Mainland Rum—whether it’s a 8-year California 30-gallon cask or a 7-year full sherry matured 500L barrel aged in Florida …Each barrel tells a different story, appealing to whiskey drinkers and rum aficionados alike.

TRL: How do you educate consumers about your rum, and what’s the most important lesson they should take away?

I host guided tastings, create educational content around climate-aging and barrel selection, and partner with clubs, bars, and bartenders who act as ambassadors. The key focus is: America is expansive, and so is its rum. It’s as diverse and complex as any fine spirit, and I believe America’s rums can join the ranks alongside Caribbean and South American rum giants.

TRL: How do you manage quality and consistency as your brand grows and enters new markets?

Every barrel we bottle is hand-selected and meticulously evaluated. While the brand embraces the natural variation of single-barrel releases, it maintains a consistent standard of quality. I serve as the Master Blender to a few brands, so you could say I have a professional palate, or at least one people pay for an opinion from! As Mainland scales, I am building relationships with distilleries across the U.S. to secure a pipeline of aged rums that meet Mainland’s strict criteria.

TRL: Can you share a collaboration or partnership that helped elevate your brand to additional levels?

Our partnership with Superlative Spirits for distribution opened doors across our home state, California. Additionally, collaborations with top-tier restaurants like Bluewater Grill, or events like the Rum Curious Summit, and club partnerships with Boston Rum Social Club and Rum Curious Club, have all helped showcase Mainland Rum in a unique context, elevating perceptions of what American rum can be.

TRL: What is your long-term vision for your rum brand, and how do you see your role in the evolution of the rum industry?

My vision is for Mainland Rum to be recognized as the quintessential American rum, the brand you think about when you think about American rum. I want to inspire a new wave of appreciation for rum as a luxury sipping spirit that stands firm next to bourbon or scotch as a sophisticated and elevated staple that every bar and home shouldn’t think twice to have on hand. My role is to be both a provocateur and a steward: pushing boundaries, but also preserving the craft and integrity of American rum.

TRL: What’s one piece of educational advice you would give rum lovers to better understand the spirit?

Taste it neat, at cask strength if possible. Appreciate the barrel’s influence, the climate’s effect on aging, and the complexity of the distillate itself. Forget the mixers for a moment. Rum deserves the same reverence as a fine single malt or bourbon.

TRL: How can people learn more about you? Website? Social media page?

Website: www.mainlandrum.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/mainlandrum/ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/seth-benhaim-989b6b25/