A new Bristol-based spiced rum business is launching, delivering bottles of orange and vanilla flavoured rum across the city. Miki Rum, based in Southmead, now has a licence to sell alcohol off the premises, after a hearing in City Hall.
Bristol City Council’s licensing sub-committee granted the licence on the condition no booze is sold to people on the site. Mike Newton said he started up his company after his hobby for blending rum turned into a passion, and now a small business. He added he has ambitions to grow the business and get his rum into bars and restaurants across Bristol.
He said: “I’ve always been interested in rum, it’s always been my drink of choice, so I thought I would give it a go making it myself. I made so many different flavours, then found one that I liked and gave it to my friends and family and they really enjoyed it.
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“It’s a blend of Jamaican rum and Caribbean rum. It’s then taken to Amsterdam where it’s blended and bottled. A good friend of mine has done the artwork on the label. And then from there I’m trying to sell it.”
The licence only allows for alcohol to be sold off the premises, with Mr Newton driving around Bristol in a van himself. No customers will be allowed to come and collect rum from the site, or drink on the premises.
He added: “I think the best way to do it for me personally is to start off small, keep the costs down and grow with the brand. The five-year plan is to take on aspects of the business myself like the shipping, packaging and bottling, and make more flavours. I want it in bars and restaurants, and I’m focusing on Bristol to start off with.”
