Soon may the Wellerman come
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day, when the tonguing is done
We’ll take our leave and go
― From Wellerman (Sea Shanty) by Nathan Evans
Welcome to The Rum Diaries, a new column designed to champion and showcase arguably the world’s most underrated spirits category and one that we believe deserves more attention in travel retail.
Each episode tells the story in words, pictures, video and tasting notes of a different rum, exploring not only the drink itself but also its back story.
Episode 2: Dead Man’s Fingers
Prelude: Dead Man’s Fingers rum was created in 2015 at The Rum & Crab Shack in St Ives, Cornwall by entrepreneur Neythan Hayes.
The shore-front restaurant, so named for the four co-founders’ love of rum and crab, became renowned for its impressive collection of over 100 rums. Inspired by his love of premium and spiced rum, Hayes decided to curate his own in-house version.
Going against tradition, he experimented with local flavours such as Cornish saffron cake, spice, fruit scones and The Rum & Crab Shack’s speciality Pedro Ximénez ice cream.
The result was Dead Man’s Fingers, a spiced rum with a name “so wrong it was right”.
St Ives locals call the gills inside a crab ‘dead man’s fingers’ because folklore has it if you eat them, you will die.
Dead Man’s Fingers features a skull on the bottle – supposedly representing the last person to eat the crab gills – and is described as a rum inspired by the sort of flavours that “make us happy”.
In February 2018, the brand was acquired by UK company Halewood Wines & Spirits (now Halewood Artisanal Spirits), a deal announced with the memorable headline ‘Halewood shakes hands with Dead Man’s Fingers’.
Now headquartered at Halewood’s Bristol and Bath Rum Distillery, Dead Man’s Fingers continues to focus on experimentation and flavour exploration.
While the original Spiced Rum remains the hero expression, the portfolio also includes a white and multiple flavoured rums, and three cream liqueurs (one tequila-based, the other two rum-based).
Rachel Adams is Global Marketing Manager Rum for Halewood Artisanal Spirits. The former Pernod Ricard and Diageo executive has plentiful experience in travel retail, a channel in which she believes Dead Man’s Fingers has a stellar future. She explained why to Martin Moodie.
“Dead Man’s Fingers is one of the most exciting brands you could hope to work on,” says Rachel Adams, who prior to joining Halewood Artisanal Spirits last September had spent nearly five years with Pernod Ricard and almost three years with Diageo (including a stint as Head of Malt Whisky in Global Travel).
“It’s so different from other rum brands, a lot of which have this almost pirates-and-palm-trees aesthetic. While there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s just not us and not in the DNA of the brand.
“Dead Man’s Fingers is a really unconventional, exciting rum. Right from the start it was inspired by food and flavour. It really embodies the free spiritedness and free-thinking outlook of Cornwall.”
Adams says that Dead Man’s Fingers has a unique personality, both relatable and unpretentious. But she’s quick to emphasise that there is a lot more to the brand. “I think it’s easy to be fooled by what Dead Man’s Fingers looks like. Although it has this very fun, disruptive, edgy aesthetic, it’s backed up with amazing quality rum inside. We have picked up over 50 medals in the last few years from major spirits competitions.
“It’s really aligned with our whole company ambition of delivering high-quality artisanal spirits. It’s definitely a flagship brand in our portfolio and one that we’re investing very heavily behind.
At the time of the acquisition in February 2018, Halewood already had three rums in its portfolio – Rum Sixty-Six, Liverpool Rum and Sadler’s Peaky Blinder Spiced Rum. Why buy another?
Simple, replies Adams. Dead Man’s Fingers offered a strong point of difference to the rest of the Halewood line-up and the company thought it was the key to unlocking the momentum in the flavoured and spiced rum category.
“We’ve been very successful with Dead Man’s Fingers in recruiting new consumers who are incremental to the category. I think that’s really down to the image and persona of the brand. The reality is that it’s very much in our wheelhouse and aligned with our strategy because the rest of our brands are very much about this passion for flavour, for quality, and for convivial experiences.”
In late 2019 Halewood moved the brand to a new home, the company’s Bristol & Bath Rum Distillery. “It’s an incredible venue,” says Adams. “That’s allowed us to continue the focus on flavour experimentation and exploration. But it’s also given us the opportunity to immerse people with Dead Man’s Fingers and introduce them to it.”
The venue offers a rum-making experience that encourages visitors to distil, bottle and personally label their own rum. “It really allows people to get up close and personal with the skill that goes into creating spiced and flavoured rum and is a fun educational experience we’re really proud of,” says Adams.
The brand momentum has continued not just with the original rums but with a series of line expressions that have taken Dead Man’s Fingers into the cream liqueur and tequila categories. “The DNA of Dead Man’s Fingers is all about being unconventional, being bold, being adventurous and this real passion for flavour… so we’ve really lent that disruptive personality to new categories,” Adams explains.
“You can see the unique take that Dead Man’s Fingers can bring to other categories. It’s helped us to recruit new people into the brand who wouldn’t necessarily have bought a cream liqueur or considered a tequila. But because they really buy into the ethos of Dead Man’s Fingers and its attitude, suddenly these categories are quite appealing. So, that’s a great news story for all our retailers and how we can help them grow these categories.”
“Even when we’re not activating, it really pops off the shelf and intrigues shoppers”
It’s not easy to take a brand and switch it into other categories so Dead Man’s Fingers success in doing exactly that suggests an unusually strong original brand proposition. “We’re now the fastest-growing rum brand [in the UK] in value and volume according to Nielsen. That’s only the tip of the iceberg for us. We’re really only just getting started, especially in global travel,” Adams comments.
A travel retailer’s view“Dufry is always looking for new and unique products to offer to our customers, as well as products that have a strong association with specific locations in the UK,” says Dufry UK Commercial Category Manager – Liquor & Tobacco Aisha Dad.  “We were therefore delighted to work in close collaboration with Halewood to list these new exciting rums and to activate and showcase them in our World Duty Free stores. “More traditional rum flavours are set aside in the creation of Dead Man’s Fingers, which draws on Cornish flavours such as saffron cake to create a truly different spiced rum. We also have Dead Man’s Fingers Pineapple & Mango flavours listed that will appeal to our customers.” |
Talking travel retail
Today Dead Man’s Fingers sells in 60 countries, a solid platform from which to build the brand in travel retail, Adams says. “We see travel retail as a key milestone to accelerating our total global footprint. We’ve seen really strong growth in Dead Man’s Fingers in global travel retail already this year. And it’s brilliant seeing the resurgence of travel.
“We are investing really heavily in the category and have some brilliant partnerships with Dufry and Heinemann, for example.
“We have some great activations currently across all major UK airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham. And we’re not just focused on that element of the channel – we’ve also got listings with a lot of airline partners and are expanding to ferries and cruises.
“So we’re really excited about the global travel opportunity. We have started off really strongly and we have huge ambitions, because we can see the appetite from domestic markets for the Dead Man’s Fingers brand. That’s translating really successfully into performance across all travel retail channels.
“We feel strongly there is an exploratory mindset when shopping in global travel. There is a certain curiosity and openness to looking for a different shopping experience; to sample something new; or to look at a travel retail-exclusive product or an exciting innovation.”
Are retailers as open to such innovation as consumers, though? Especially at such a difficult time for the sector when many travel retailers and their buyers are understandably risk averse.
“I can understand that there is a huge role for core brands in global travel, and there are other factors that become really important in that, such as price,” Adams replies.
“But we certainly feel that travel retail shoppers are very open to new and different brands. And our performance so far is evidence of that. Dead Man’s Fingers is very distinctive and eye-catching. It’s got fantastic taste. And even when we’re not activating, it really pops off the shelf and intrigues shoppers.”
How does she think rum is treated in travel retail? And how much upside has the category got?
“I think the potential is huge,” Adams replies. “What we can see from the data is a +£6.5 billion (US$8 billion) growth forecast globally in the next five to six years. Sometimes rum has not had its share of the limelight but there’s a real resurgence of the category and there’s a huge amount of consumer interest. And because of the growth in flavoured and spiced rum, it offers a versatility and simplicity of enjoyment, whether that is in a long mixed drink or in a cocktail.
“All this has made it more accessible than ever. And flavoured and spiced rum is a great gateway into rum for many consumers who can then continue on their rum journey with whichever types of styles or rum they enjoy most.
“We’ve got a long way to go in travel retail but we’re already in a double-digit number of countries and well beyond the UK. We’re accelerating our presence very quickly and so far it’s been a really positive start to Dead Man’s Fingers in global travel and the momentum looks to be with us.”
Momentum and, I suggest, perhaps the most memorable brand name in the travel retail industry. “We’ll proudly take that award, Martin,” Adams concludes.
Dubai Duty Free’s dazzling rum collectionIf rum is an underdeveloped category in travel retail, nobody told Dubai Duty Free Purchasing Manager Sharon Beecham, writes Martin Moodie. In checking out the rum category across multiple airports during my current 85-day world trip, I have seen nothing that compares with the breadth, diversity and excellence of the Dubai Duty Free offer at Dubai International Airport. These pictures tell the story.
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The Dead Man’s Fingers portfolio
- Dead Man’s Fingers Spiced Rum is a blend of Caribbean rum and spices, inspired by Cornish flavours such as Saffron Cake, spiced fruit and the Rum & Crab Shack’s Pedro Ximénez ice cream. Serving suggestions include Dead Man’s Fingers Spiced Rum with coca cola and a slice of orange or in a Dead Man’s Daiquiri.
- Dead Man’s Fingers Passion Fruit Rum has sweet tropical passion fruit aromas and can offer a twist on the classic Pornstar Martini. Another serving suggestion is with lemonade and half a passion fruit as garnish.
- Dead Man’s Fingers Mango Rum combines mango with a touch of vanilla and citrus. It is designed to appeal not only to rum drinkers but spirits enthusiasts who seek tropical, exotic flavours. Serving suggestions include with lemonade and a wedge of lime or in a Dead Man’s Mango Cooler cocktail (Double shot of Dead Man’s Fingers Mango • Top up with equal parts pineapple juice and soda)
- Dead Man’s Fingers Coconut Rum combines mango, raisins, runny caramel, coconut ice and a slight citrusy trace of lime peel, balanced with vanilla and a dash of clove. In contrast with other coconut rums, the expression has a 37.5% ABV. It can be served with coco cola and a wedge of lime or included in a Chilli Frostbite cocktail as pictured below (50ml Dead Man’s Fingers Coconut Rum • 80ml Pressed Apple Juice • 20ml Lime Juice • 5ml Honey • Half a Birdseye Chilli • Build & stir, garnish with birdseye chilli and lime)
- Dead Man’s Fingers Pineapple Rum balances sweetness from roasted and candied pineapple, soft brown sugar and nutmeg with aniseed and lime zest. It is suited for lighter styles of drinks, such as spritzes or highballs as well as classics like Piña colada and punches. Serving suggestions include with lemonade, lots of ice, a wedge of juicy lime and fresh mint.
- Dead Man’s Fingers White Rum is relatively new to the brand line-up, with hints of vanilla and tropical fruit. It is described as “bold, vibrant and full of character”. A simple serve Dead Man’s Cuba Libre combines the rum with cola while the rum is also ideal in a mojito.
Additional flavoured rums in the range include Raspberry, Banana, Cherry, Coffee, Hazelnut and Lime.
Dead Man’s Fingers Raspberry Rum Cream Liqueur joined the line-up earlier this year, marking the brand’s expansion into the cream liqueur category.
With aromas of fresh raspberries, the velvety rum-based liqueur can be enjoyed chilled neat or over ice, with fresh raspberries or as the base for cocktails such as a Raspberry Espresso Martini. It is presented in a 70cl pastel pink bottle, with the brand’s distinctive Dead Man’s Fingers skull branding.
Mango Tequila Cream and Strawberry Tequila Cream Liqueurs are the most recent additions to the portfolio.
Serving suggestions for the new products, which are based on quality, barrel-aged Tequila Reposado, include neat over ice or in cocktails such as Mango Cooler or Strawberry Sundae-style cocktail.
Tasting notesSipping [of Dead Man’s Fingers Spiced Rum] offers my first real surprise. It is nowhere near as sweet as the nose implies. In actual fact the orange peel/marmalade notes really shine through. It’s reasonably complex – some nice more natural tasting notes of cinnamon, brown sugar and a little saffron spice. The vanilla has become much more muted, having all but disappeared. – The Fat Rum Pirate It’s a rum that is more sophisticated, less sweet, and more versatile and this delicious punchy spiced rum can be enjoyed in sipping, simple mixing or in amazing cocktails. It’s a rum that creates an experience every time you drink it; with its global appeal, it is enjoyed by many. – Drink Me The Moodie View: These are easy drinking and certainly easy on the eye rums with fantastic shelf appeal. No consumer will miss them, that is for sure. The Spiced Rum is perfumed on the nose, all vanilla with caramel overtones. The palate is full of spice and fruitcake flavours. Quite sweet on the tongue but it finishes much dryer than expected with plenty of cinnamon and marmalade character leaving a pleasant but not cloying aftertaste. I made a fantastic Cuba Libre with this using Coke Zero but I would also sip it straight with a single cube of ice. The startling tweety bird yellow of the Mango bottle leads you into an explosion of mango fruit flavours on the nose; light, dessert-like mango/vanilla on the palate and a slightly bitter finish. If you think the Mango bottle is bright you might need your sunglasses when pouring the Passion Fruit. The original fruit has a highly distinctive sweet and tart flavour that I’ve never been keen on but I actually enjoyed the rum more than I expected. Perhaps not surprisingly given the shocking pink bottle, it is recommended for a Passion Fruit Martini. I wouldn’t drink either fruit expression straight or if I did it would be on the rocks (the rums, not me). Both expressions make for an interesting daiquiri and I tried each with ginger ale, which offset the sweetness nicely. I am also not a big fan of coconut as a flavour so I had modest expectations of the Dead Man’s Fingers Coconut Rum. But I really liked it (and judging by a welter of positive reviews on Master of Malt.com, so do consumers). Very smooth and it tastes of real coconut, not flavouring. I could actually sip this straight over ice as a nightcap but most will opt to mix it with Coca-Cola or ginger ale. What the judges say
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