THE journey of a premium rum from the Caribbean all the way to West Fife has seen it pick up two prestigious awards.

Rumburra Scotland Ltd landed the Lux Life ‘Best Rum Award for 2020’ while the Kelty-based Company also scooped the organisation’s Customer Service Excellence Award 2020 at the same time.

Owner Garry Wilson set up the venture three years ago with wife Shona and friend Stephen Macintosh.

They are delighted that their premium rum product, which twins the best of Barbados with Scotland’s finest water, has attracted such success.

“Within three years, we have picked up two awards and have been nominated for a third – our customer base is growing exponentially, we are creating a real, substantial rum family," he said.

“Our market has changed in the last year, seeing more investment and emphasis in on-line sales. We are pleased to be linked with two of the drink industries largest on-line platforms as well as investing more in our own social media promotions.

“Our on-line message is all about creating a lifestyle image. Born in Barbados. raised in Scotland, enjoyed in front of a roaring fire – splendid ice-olation."

Capturing the taste and spirit of Barbados has been something which the Rumburra team have been keen to ensure happens.

“We carefully selected a choice of two blends – a five year old and a three year old, distilled in a combination of column and pot still distillation," said Garry. "We also very carefully chose the ageing process, tropical maturation is a sought after trait in modern rums.

“Myself, Shona and Stevie also enjoy a malt whisky and it was important to us that we had a Rum that possessed a slight but unique whisky note and our ageing process delivers this, taking away some of the sweetness normally associated with Rum and offers a nice peppery bite."

“What gives me pleasure, when we’re working farmer’s markets, is our conversion rate. We offer our Orach samples, cocktail samples as well as hot apple rum and convert many non-rum drinkers to rum enthusiasts.

“It’s never a hard sell for us – selling something you’re passionate about and love – it’s not selling, it’s sharing.”

Key to their success, adds Garry, has been creating a strong brand and linking the brand to a Scottish/Caribbean story where they have focused on the history of the 17th Century Scottish Privateer, Captain William Kidd.

He hunted pirates and was wrongly convicted and hung as a Pirate in 1701 with evidence proving his innocence being hidden from the court.

The story goes that when Kidd was captured, his silver and gold was recovered but his loot of exotic rums were never found and lost to fable until they were washed up on the wet shores of Burra in Scotland.

Rumburra is now promoting an ongoing campaign to gain a pardon for Captain Kidd.