Hitchhiker, a small batch botanical rum developed and produced by two hospitality strategists/designers, James Van Tromp & Nathan Aylott, has recently launched in the UK.
The British brand, which is made in Bristol, currently has three premium rums in the portfolio; they have been developed and crafted to celebrate the unique essence of the voyage, each one depicting their own unique journey to the British coastline and each with its very own Hitchhiker*. The individual sku’s are a blend of the finest aged five year old rums sourced from Guyana & Trinidad & Tobago. The three expressions are:
SICILIAN PINE ( ABV 40%)
Paired and gently blended with a meticulous selection of Mediterranean herbs & British coastal botanicals. Beginning with fresh citrus notes, developing distinctive herbaceous undertones and finishing with a flash of saffron and black pepper, the result is a fresh, vibrant and utterly unique botanical rum.
BRETON SEA SALT ( ABV 40%)
Paired and gently blended with a meticulous selection of stone fruits, soft spices & British coastal botanicals. A rich, sumptuous rum that balances stone fruit and soft warming spice, evoking notes of apricot and almonds combined with the floral highs of honeysuckle, all contrasted with the tang and touch of Breton sea salt.
AZOREAN ORANGE BLOSSOM (ABV 40%)
Paired and gently blended with a meticulous selection of Azorean fruits & British coastal botanicals.
A soft, easy drinking rum that delivers big toasty chocolate orange notes combined with pineapple and cassia to create a drink that is smooth and decadent.
The complex flavours within the bottles, which have been created under the guidance and expertise of Circumstance Distillery, have been purposely curated to capture the chain of ports, shores & coastlines that the rum discovers along its route from the Caribbean, with each voyage adding its own specific nautical note, ‘*the hitchhiker’, before finally beaching on the British coast.
Co-founder & director James Van Tromp comments “The premium rum market continues to grow in the UK and internationally. According to Grand View Research, the current global rum market is worth $11.3Billion and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.2% from 2022 to 2028 to reach $16.08 billion by 2028. Consumers are continuing to look for new and innovative flavours, we felt that by creating a boutique rum offering, we can assist in the evolution of the rum category, and bring the product to a wider audience and new demographic.”
Co-founder Nathan Aylott concludes “Hitchhiker is about bringing quality liquid together with the utterly carefree nature of travel. The destination of the rum’s journey is tied together with the British coastal botanicals we use; a nod to the brand origin, & a celebration of Great British horticulture.”
HitchHiker Rum is available from www.hitchhikerrum.com priced from £37.50 and is currently seeking distribution.
