The rum industry, which long found success with production in the Americas, might be experiencing the onset of a new guard. Philippines-based distillery Tanduay has topped the list of the world’s best-selling rum brands since 2018. For the past few years, other rums from India and Africa have been nipping at the heels of second and third ranked Caribbean-produced rums Bacardí and Captain Morgan.
The Spirits Business Brand Champions Report ranked the top-selling rum brands based on the number of 9-liter cases sold in 2024. Philippines-based Tanduay bounced back from last year’s plummet with a 1.9 percent increase in sales. Havana Club prolonged its steady downward trend with a 13.8 percent decrease in cases purchased. The report suggests an across-the-board teetering: Eight brands sold fewer cases than in the previous year, whereas four felt an uptick.
Here are the 12 most popular rum brands in the world for 2025.
12. Kraken
Kraken is a Caribbean-style rum distilled in Trinidad and Tobago known for its particularly inky color. The rum pulls inspiration from nautical folklore and is blended with 13 spices. Kraken experienced stability in 2024 — with just a minor drop in sales of 2.9 percent from 2023.
11. Kenya Cane
This triple-distilled rum is crafted from sugarcane grown and fermented in Kenya. The brand’s flagship rum is Kenyan Cane Smooth, but its line also includes additional flavors like pineapple and citrus. Among the top brands, Kenya Cane experienced the greatest increase in purchases by percentage in 2024 with a 39.5 percent hike from 2023’s sales.
10. Contessa
Owned by Radico Khaitan, Contessa is an Indian dark rum distilled from fermented sugarcane. It doubles down on intensity with its “12 Year” expression, which is aged in oak. Between 2021 and 2023, Contessa consistently sold roughly 1.3 million cases, but it felt a bit of a sharp decline in 2024, reporting a 13.4-percent decrease.
9. Old Port
Old Port is an Indian rum from Amrut Distillers. Molasses is distilled then aged in oak barrels. In 2023, Old Port boasted the most significant increase in cases sold — but 2024 was a different story. It felt the strongest ding of the list, with purchases decreasing by 43.7 percent.
8. 1965 Spirit of Victory
1965 Spirit of Victory is an Indian dark rum owned by Radico Khaitan, featuring a subtle, warm sweetness. 1965 Spirit of Victory saw a major hike to its sales by 31 percent in 2023 and continued the momentum in 2024, marking a 5.2 percent leap.
7. Božkov
Produced in Czechia, Božkov is the only European rum on the best-selling list. Božkov distills sugar cane from the Caribbean islands to produce its liquor. Apart from Božkov Original, the brand’s flagship rum, other expressions include flavors like almond and coffee. It remained relatively steady going into 2024, decreasing sales by just 0.7 percent.
6. Barceló
Barceló produces their rum with juice from estate-grown sugarcane. The Dominican Republic-based distillery, which has been praised for its eco-conscious production site, offers 12 varieties of rum differing in age, distillation process, and ingredients. After falling slightly in 2023, Barceló rerouted itself with a 0.2 percent increase in purchases in 2024.
5. Havana Club
Though not legally available in the U.S., Havana Club is known as one of the world’s highest quality affordable rums. Havana Club sources molasses from across Cuba before aging the distillate in white oak barrels. The reserve expressions rest in older barrels for deeper, more nuanced flavors. Havana Club has been in decline since 2022, though 2024’s 13.8 decrease in sales was less drastic than that of 2023.
4. McDowell’s Rum
McDowell’s Rum was the highest-selling Indian rum in 2024. Owned by United Spirits Limited, a subsidiary of Diageo, the brand produces two primary expressions: a dark rum and a Caribbean-inspired white rum. Though McDowell’s reported a 27 percent dent in purchases in 2023, it leveled out the downward slope with a smaller 5.7 percent decrease in 2024.
3. Captain Morgan
The Diageo-owned Captain Morgan crafts its rum in St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Its signature product — Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum — blends vanilla from Madagascar with spices like cinnamon and clove. Captain Morgan’s case sales dropped by 5.2 percent in 2024, but its market remains massive at 11.5 million cases sold.
2. Bacardí
Bacardí produces its renowned rum in Cuba but sources molasses from around the world. The product line is best known for white rum but also includes spiced and dark versions. Though Bacardí finished 2024 with a 4.2 percent drop, it remains second in the world among best-selling rum brands with 19.7 million cases sold.
1. Tanduay
The highest-selling rum brand worldwide maintains its title. Tanduay is produced in the Philippines and specializes in dark rums, though it also offers a white variation. After dropping in sales last year by 14.7 percent, the brand is back in the green. It reported a 1.9 percent jump in 2024, totalling 23.8 million cases sold.
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