Matugga Distillery has launched a private cask ownership programme.
Inspired by similar schemes offering Scotch whisky, a limited number of casks are available for an initial investment of £3,300 each.
The result will be circa 350 bottles of three year-old rum per ex-Bourbon cask, produced using a 2,000-litre copper pot still by head distiller Paul Rutasikwa.
Matugga was one of the first UK businesses to produce rums distilled from scratch.
Alongside his wife Jacine, Paul set-up the Livingston-based distillery in 2018.
The launch has been helped by a crowdfunding campaign last year, which bagged the distillery in excess of £300,000. This has been put towards an eightfold increase in production capacity and the addition of more staff.
The Matugga and Liv brands are distributed across the UK and in Europe via French importer DUGAS - as well as in the UK on the shelves of Co-op - with an expansion into North America, Asia and Africa planned this year.
Paul explained: “Most rums are aged in tropical countries, but we have proved right here in Scotland that rum also ages brilliantly in cooler climates.
“Over the course of three years, our spirit will mature and marry with the oak to produce a truly stunning and unique outcome.
“Similar to the art of Scotch whisky craftsmanship, the ageing of rum is a central part of our technical focus and we pride ourselves on expert barrel selection and first-class spirits management at every stage of the process.
“We see real opportunity as more people begin to understand that rum can be premium and super-premium, and appreciate the complexity and versatility of rum.”
The distillery has expanded its revenue streams beyond just selling its rum, with distillery tours, a new rum club with virtual tastings, retail pop-ups and a new contract distilling service.
In March, the company will launch a sugarcane plantation in Matugga in Uganda, where Paul’s late mother - a lecturer in agricultural studies - was a farmer on family land.
Matugga will employ and train local agricultural workers. By harvesting sugarcane from the land, converting it into high quality molasses, the business aims to transform the livelihoods of local growers, while improving supply chain resiliency.
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