Brown-Forman makes Mexico a focal point for Diplomático’s premium rum expansion

Brown-Forman is putting greater emphasis on Diplomático as it seeks to expand in the fast-growing super-premium rum segment, with Mexico emerging as a key market for that effort, the company said in Mexico City on Monday.

The Louisville, Kentucky-based spirits company added the Venezuelan rum brand to its portfolio in January 2023, giving it a stronger position in a category that has traditionally been centered in Latin America and the Caribbean but is now drawing wider global interest, especially at the higher end of the market. Brown-Forman said that strategy has taken on added importance in Mexico, which in 2026 became the company’s second-largest individual market after the United States.

According to the company, Mexico’s share of Brown-Forman’s global net sales rose to 8% in 2026 from 7% in 2025. The figures underline the country’s growing importance for a group whose portfolio includes whiskey, tequila, gin and rum brands sold in more than 170 countries.

The company released the update as the rum industry marks International Rum Day and as producers and distributors try to capture consumers who are spending more on premium and super-premium spirits. Brown-Forman said rum is increasingly being evaluated in the same way as other upscale categories, with buyers paying closer attention to origin, distillation methods, aging and blending.

Francisco Baeza, vice president and general manager of Diplomático Rum, said the company is seeing stronger consumer interest in how rum is made and where it comes from. He said that curiosity is helping create room for brands that can tell a detailed production story and position themselves as premium products.

Industry forecasts point to a larger opportunity. Brown-Forman cited data from Wise Guy Reports estimating that the global premium rum market could reach $65 billion by 2032, with a compound annual growth rate of 7.63%. The company said that outlook supports its long-term plan to keep investing in Diplomático and broaden the brand’s international reach.

Diplomático is produced in Venezuela at a distillery located near the Andes mountains. Brown-Forman has made that origin a central part of its marketing for the brand since the acquisition. The company said one of Diplomático’s distinguishing features is the use of several distillation systems within the same facility, including continuous columns, kettle stills and pot stills. Those methods produce distillates with different profiles, from lighter spirits to fuller and more complex ones, which are then blended for the final expressions.

Brown-Forman said aging also plays a major role in shaping the rum’s profile. Diplomático is matured in barrels that previously held bourbon, Scotch whisky and sherry, a process the company says can add notes such as vanilla, dried fruit and spice depending on the blend and the length of aging.

That production approach is part of a broader shift in how rum is being positioned in the global spirits business. For years, the category was often associated more strongly with mainstream consumption and cocktail culture than with the high-end sipping market. But producers are now trying to place premium rum closer to categories such as whiskey and tequila by highlighting provenance, craftsmanship and maturation techniques.

Brown-Forman’s move into rum also reflects a wider effort by large spirits companies to diversify beyond their traditional strengths. The company remains best known for whiskey, particularly Jack Daniel’s, but in recent years it has also expanded across tequila, Scotch and other premium segments. Adding Diplomático gave it a brand in a part of the market where consumer demand has been growing and where pricing can be higher.

Mexico has become an especially important piece of that strategy. The market has long been significant for Brown-Forman because of its tequila business, including el Jimador and Herradura, but the latest figures suggest its role in the company’s global performance is still increasing. Brown-Forman did not provide detailed financial figures for Diplomático in Mexico, but it said the country’s overall weight in global net sales rose by 1 percentage point in one year.

The company also said Diplomático is already present in more than 100 countries, giving it a broad base for further expansion. Brown-Forman’s stated goal is to continue building that footprint as the premium rum segment grows.

The announcement comes at a time when international spirits groups are watching consumer behavior closely. Demand for premium products has remained more resilient than lower-priced segments in many markets, even as inflation and slower economic growth have affected discretionary spending. Companies have responded by focusing more heavily on brands that can command higher margins and appeal to consumers looking for authenticity and distinctive production methods.

In that environment, Brown-Forman is betting that Diplomático can benefit from the same forces that have lifted other upscale spirits categories. The company said the combination of Venezuelan origin, multiple distillation systems, blending and barrel aging gives it a strong story to present to consumers who want more information about what they are drinking and how it was made.