With National Rum Day (16th August) approaching, Love Drinks has added to its collection of high-class ethical spirits after taking on the distribution for the award-winning Karisimbi Rum brand.
Produced by Gorilla Spirits Co, the stunning British-made artisan range includes the Karisimbi White Rum, Karisimbi Spiced Rum and Karisimbi Golden Rum.
At the prestigious IWSC Awards 2024, the Karisimbi White Rum was the highest awarded white rum taking a IWSC Spirit Gold Medal and the Spice Rum and Golden Rum both clinched Bronze Medals.
The brand takes its name from Mount Karisimbi, which is on the border of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The highest volcanic peak in the Virunga National Park, it is home to endangered mountain gorillas.
Karisimbi Rums are a tribute to nature and a call to protect its treasures. With sustainability at the heart of the Karisimbi brand, 10% of bottle profits from every bottle sold is donated to the Gorilla Organization (Charity number: 1117131). What the brand calls GAT or Gorilla Added Tax, the donations help to protect and conserve the endangered mountain gorilla population.
All three rums are available immediately to the hospitality sector in 70cl bottles made from 100% recycled glass via Love Drinks.
Karisimbi White Rum – 40% abv
Crafted with a unique blend of pot still & molasses-based rums from well-known Jamaican distilleries, alongside column still, cane juice rum from the Dominican Republic.
Tasting notes: Pineapple, overripe banana and stone fruit.
Perfect serve: Shake up in a classic Daquiri or enjoy in a refreshing mojito.
Karisimbi Golden Rum – 40% abv
A carefully sourced blend of unaged and aged rums from the Dominican Republic, aged rum from Barbados and unaged pot still rum from Jamaica. With some of the aged rums up to 5 years old, this special golden rum is complex yet classy.
Tasting Notes: Rich dried fruits, butterscotch, burnt sugar and caramel with a hint of vanilla and orange.
Perfect serve: Enjoy this rum’s beautiful flavours stirred down in a Rum Old Fashioned or for those who prefer a longer drink, top with a fiery ginger beer.
Karisimbi Spiced Rum – 40% abv
A multi-island rum, which blends both aged and unaged rums from Barbados, Dominican Republic and Jamaica. It’s richly spiced with natural blood orange, cinnamon, ginger and vanilla. Each spice addition is carefully distilled in grain spirit before being added to the rum to ensure perfect balance and harmony.
Tasting notes: Dry and spicy ginger, warming cinnamon with juicy orange.
Perfect serve: Uniquely drier than most spiced rums, Karisimbi Spiced is designed to be mixed. Try with ginger ale in a spicy rum cocktail or add a dash to a hot chocolate.
Samantha Burke, Managing Director of Love Drinks, commented: “We’ve long admired the Gorilla mantra, products and people so we’re delighted to be partnering with them to drive Karisimbi distribution, awareness and all-round growth. When it comes to taste and visual appeal, the brand oozes quality and with a growing number of UK consumers searching out unique, ethically crafted British spirits, especially rums, we believe the brand has an exciting future ahead of it.”
Nick Masters, Managing Director of Gorilla Spirits, commented: “We believe our Karisimbi brand has the potential to captivate the UK’s growing number of rum drinkers with its exceptional quality and unique flavour profiles so we’re thrilled to be partnering with Love Drinks for the next step of the brand’s journey. Kirsty, Samantha and her team have a lot in common with our troop so we’re looking forward to getting started as the bustling summer rum season begins in earnest.”
About Gorilla Spirits Co.
Gorilla Spirits Co. was founded in 2014 by Andy Daniels whose vision was to create a truly ethical business and an exceptional portfolio of spirits and liqueurs. The distillery produces an award-winning selection of small batch spirits. The company donates 10% of bottle profits from every bottle sold to the Gorilla Organization (Charity number: 1117131) to help save the endangered gorilla population.
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About Love Drinks
Love Drinks is an independent import, distribution and marketing company for premium quality spirits, liqueurs and craft beers. Their portfolio represents quality, craft-distilled and family-owned brands that have a rich provenance, heritage and history.
Founded by Kirsty Loveday BEM in 2007, Love Drinks represent Abelha Organic Cachaça, The Bitter Truth Cocktail Range of Bitters and Liqueurs, Conker Distillery, Einstök Icelandic Craft Beers, Goslings Bermuda Rums, Hernö Gins, Ron Matusalem, The Ikigai Collection from BBC Spirits, Puerto De Indias, Virtuous Spirits, White Heron Drinks and the Recuerdo and ZIGNUM® Mezcal Brands.
Love Drinks pioneered Love Well – an initiative to help the health and wellbeing of people working in the hospitality industry. The company was named Drinks Business Drinks Distributor of the Year in 2019.
For more information visit www.lovedrinks.com or follow on Facebook – @lovedrinksltd Instagram – @love_drinks_ltd or Twitter – @Love_Drinks.
To speak to someone, call 0207 501 9630.
