Rum Is Where Whisky Was in 2010. Most People in the Industry Have Not Noticed Yet: A Conversation with Seth Benhaim, Founder and President, Mainland American Rum Co.

Seth Benhaim does not use folklore. Mainland American Rum Co. has no pirates on its labels, no coconuts, no invented heritage. The packaging is clean. The production details – where it was distilled, which casks, what strength – are on the front label. This is not an aesthetic choice. It is a commercial argument.

The argument is that American rum is not being taken seriously, that the category has been held back by its own presentation for decades, and that the same consumer who was willing to pay serious money for craft whisky in 2010 is now ready to apply that same thinking to rum – if someone gives them a product that warrants it.

What Has Actually Changed

A few years ago, Seth observes, it felt like everything in the drinks industry was expanding simultaneously. Capital was easier to access. Distributors were more open to taking chances on new brands. Growth seemed almost formulaic if you had a compelling story and a marketing budget.