Tanduay

Tanduay is a brand with more than 170 years of tradition, dating back to 1854 during the Spanish colonial era in the Philippines. Its origins can be traced back to Manila, where rum was distilled on the Isla de Tanduay peninsula.

It originally belonged to the Ynchausti y Compañía company and gradually became the leading rum distillery in the country. It began to gain recognition in the first half of the 20th century, and in 1971, its products won awards from the prestigious Monde Selection. Tanduay rum gradually became a symbol of Filipino identity and local pride.

A key milestone was 1988, when entrepreneur Lucio Tan took over the brand. Thanks to extensive modernization and investment in technology, he increased production capacity fiftyfold and began to transform Tanduay from a regional producer into a global brand. The brand became part of the LT Group and gained a stable base for expansion abroad.

The real breakthrough came in 2017, when Tanduay surpassed Bacardi and Captain Morgan to become the world's best-selling rum brand.

In 2023, it achieved sales of more than 23 million nine-liter shipping boxes, a volume that exceeds the combined sales of its largest competitors. It also maintains a dominant position at home – according to some sources, it has up to a 99 % share of the Philippine market, which is essentially a monopoly.

Behind this success is a well-thought-out distribution strategy. Tanduay uses a so-called level 3 distribution, which combines sales through small local shops ("sari-sari stores"), bars, and restaurants, to premium hotels and international distributors.

This system allows the rum to be present in every segment of the market – from ordinary consumers to the most demanding clients. In recent years, the brand has also successfully expanded into the United States, where it is sold in several states, including California, Florida, and New York.

The very character of Tanduay rum comes from a combination of traditional methods and the unique tropical environment of the Philippines. The rum is aged in bourbon barrels, with the hot and humid climate significantly accelerating the interaction between the wood and the distillate. The result is a rum full of exotic tones – you can smell caramel, chocolate, tropical fruit, and nutmeg.

Today, Tanduay is not only the best-selling rum brand in the world, but also a story of courage and perseverance. It started as a small distillery in colonial times, survived periods of change, and thanks to the vision of Lucia Tan and his followers, became a global leader. As Kyle Tan, a member of the management team, said: "Our history is our foundation. Every bottle of Tanduay carries a legacy passed down from generation to generation, but at the same time looks to the future with innovation and determination."

Today, Tanduay is synonymous with tradition, quality, and strategic growth - a rum that represents the Philippines around the world and shows that even a local brand can become a global phenomenon.

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