Banditti Club Rum Q&A Celebrating National Rum Day 2025

 Celebrating National Rum Day this year, we've asked our Head Distiller, Alex, a few questions about our Banditti Club Rum range. To find out more about Banditti Club Rum, head to the 'Our Spirits' section of our website here.

Q1: What makes Banditti Club Rum different from other rums?
Alex: Banditti Club is all about bold flavour. We use rum distilled from freshly pressed sugarcane juice, not molasses, which gives it a fresher, fruitier character. It is aged for 12 months in oak casks and spiced with a blend of fresh tropical fruit and exotic spices, including pineapple, orange, cacao, and allspice, right here in Glasgow. Banditti Club Rum is a premium offering for rum lovers: it’s 100% natural with zero added sugar, no added colour, and our Spiced expressions are all fresh fruit and real spices with no artificial flavouring at all.

Q2: Can you tell us a little more about the range of Banditti Club Rums that are available?
Alex: Our core expression is the Banditti Club Spiced Rum. It is aged for 12 months in oak casks and spiced with a blend of fresh tropical fruit and exotic spices. But over the years, we’ve expanded the range with a series of experimental limited editions. One of these is a spiced rum, Smoky Rogues, finished in a Glasgow 1770 Peated Single Malt Whisky cask for 18 months, to add depth and character. Others are golden rums, unspiced, that showcase the pure spirit itself with cask finishes like Madeira or sherry. Each limited release is a chance for us to experiment and explore new flavour profiles, whilst keeping that Banditti spirit at the heart of it.

Q3: Where did the name 'Banditti Club' come from?
Alex: It’s a nod to Glasgow’s rebellious past. The Banditti Club were a group of free-spirited individuals in the 18th century who gathered in pubs to share ideas and shake up the city. We loved that connection to creativity and mischief; it felt like the perfect name for a rum that doesn’t play by the rules. We discovered the story of the Banditti Club in an old book about Glasgow’s past, and thought it would be the perfect story to tell with our bold spirit. In fact, the illustration that is on the bottle label details the mischievous antics of the Banditti Club playing one of their favourite pranks.

Q4: What’s your favourite way to enjoy Banditti Club Rum?
Alex: You can’t go wrong with a simple Rum & Ginger, loads of ice, fiery ginger beer and a good squeeze of fresh lime. Our Smoky Rogues expression has been matured in peated single malt whisky casks, and this one is perfect with ginger beer for a smoke-forward, ginger-fuelled delight.

Q5: What’s something surprising about making spiced rum?
Alex: A lot of people think spiced rum is sweet and vanilla-heavy, but ours is more nuanced. It’s all about balance. Getting the spice blend right took a lot of experimentation, which just so happens to be something we love to do!

Q6: What inspired you to add rum to your portfolio at the distillery?
Alex: We love whisky, but we’re passionate about experimenting with flavour in all forms. Rum gave us the freedom to explore something more tropical, vibrant, and rebellious. Banditti Club was a chance to break the mould and create something that reflects Glasgow’s bold character, but in a totally different spirit category.

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