UK travel retail distribution drinks agency SipWell Brands has been named as the exclusive distribution partner for ultra-premium aged rum Dictador across global travel retail markets.
Third generation-operated Dictador has pioneered a series of limited releases, unique cask finishes and special bottlings. Its Fine and Rare range features some notable vintages in the category, ranging from the Totem Mopa Mopa series and its Generations in Lalique collection to the 2 Masters initiative. The latter has seen Dictador partner with leading Cognac, whisky, Champagne, Armagnac, Bordeaux and Sauternes houses worldwide, including Royal Tokaji, Leclerc Briant, Glenfarclas, Hardy Cognac and Labelle.
A specialist in global premium drinks, SipWell already represents whiskies such as The Glenturret, Finn Thomson Private Single Cask Collection, Port Askaig, Fable and 47 Year Old Japanese single malt Karuizawa from Elixir Distillers in travel retail. It also works with Mexican tequila Casa Dragones and premium Caribbean rum Black Tot.
The agreement takes immediate effect. The partners said their target is to make Dictador available across key hub airports including London Heathrow, Amsterdam Schiphol, Singapore, Istanbul, Los Angeles, New York JFK and others.
SipWell Brands Managing Director Andrew Torrance said: “Since coming out of the pandemic our business has grown ahead of all our forecasts, particularly in the premium and luxury space where we have over 25 years of spirits experience in travel retail. Working with a true market leader is very exciting. Everything Dictador does, it does with style and 100% conviction and sharing those virtues explains why we fit so well with their team and ambitions.”
Dictador Rum Asia, Africa & Middle East Director Diego Quintero said: “As the thought leaders in prestige and investment grade rum, it is our pleasure and priority to make our Fine & Rare products, including our Art Distilled Collection available for worldwide travellers, collectors and connoisseurs. We selected SipWell as our partner in this new quest, not just due to their extensive GTR experience but also for their understanding on how to manage the duty free distribution of some of the world’s most premium spirits. This move will support our goal of leaving a meaningful impact on the entire art, rum and spirits categories.”
Aside from its ranges of 40-50 year old special vintages, Dictador is also known for its ground-breaking art and spirits collaborations.
Earlier this year, it launched the Orlinski 5 Decades project with a striking decanter sculpture, designed by French industrial pop artist Richard Orlinski. This contains rum from aged 1966, 1976, 1986, 1996 and 2006 casks, representing five decades of the sculptor’s life and work.
The bottles are paired with digital art NFTs, due to go to auction on specialist wines & spirits platform BlockBar later this year.
Dictador has also just launched a world-first limited couture edition – Dictador M-City Golden Cities, a highly selective offer which the company estimates at around US$1 billion in value (across all bottlings in the set).
