Wild, Rare, Uncompromising – Romdeluxe in the Spotlight

Romdeluxe - Early Beginnings

Founded in 2016 by Claus Andersen and friends Thomas Nielsen and Lasse Bjørklund, Romdeluxe began as a hobby project for rum enthusiasts. 

At the time, Denmark had a noticeable gap in the rum market, and the founders, who were passionate about the spirit, saw an opportunity. Initially, the aim was simple: if they bought rum through their own company, they could source it at a better price. Romdeluxe was then born and what originally began as a fun hobby soon evolved into something much bigger.

With strong ties in the industry and expertise in marketing and graphic design, the team developed a distinctive brand identity from the outset. They decided their labels should be instantly recognisable, and so the now-iconic Wild Series was born – each release represented by a striking black and white illustration of a big cat or other wild animal. The concept became an internal tradition, with the team matching each rum to an animal that seemed to fit its personality.

Romdeluxe’s first public appearance came in 2019 at the Nordic Rum Festival in Copenhagen, where they presented the inaugural Wild Series bottling – a Hampden rum with the highest ester mark, the Wild Tiger (a Jamaican DOK from Hampden Distillery). At the time when they exhibited the bottle, nothing quite like it had been seen before. Feedback ranged from intrigue to hesitation, but the release proved successful enough to inspire further bottlings.

From the beginning, the founders placed emphasis on transparency and authenticity: cask strength purity, high age and uncompromising quality. As they were a small company, this allowed them to acquire some truly remarkable old barrels, including from distilleries that larger companies overlooked. In some cases, smaller rum producers preferred to sell just two or three barrels, which suited Romdeluxe’s limited-edition approach and allowed them them to bottle rare, niche releases ranging from 100–200 bottles that appealed to collectors.

The business quickly expanded beyond the Wild Series into the Collectors Series, Limited Batch, Selected Series, and special collaborations. Informal guidelines shaped how casks were allocated between ranges: initially, Wild Series bottlings were rarely under 60% ABV or 20 years old. When a cask didn’t quite meet these thresholds but still offered exceptional character, it found a home in the Collectors Series.

Romdeluxe also became the exclusive Danish distributor for several international rum brands and undertook private-label projects. Even as the business grew, it retained its original ethos: to celebrate rum in its purest form for those who love to “nerd out” over every cask and flavour nuance.

Romdeluxe - Present Day

While the original co-founders have stepped away and the company is now under new management of Kim Pedersen and Michael Ginnerup – the legacy of those early years is clear. Danish independent rum bottlers like Romdeluxe have carved out a space in a market once dominated by whisky-focused companies in the UK and Italy. The ability to source distinctive, small-quantity barrels and turn them into coveted collector’s items added with the general rum enthusiasm apparent in the Danish landscape has clearly been some of the key contributing aspects to their success.

In our August auction, we are proud to present 100 bottles from Romdeluxe, showcasing the depth and variety of their work. Highlights include:

Wild Series Caroni – Bottle No. 1s 

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The Wild Series is the crown jewel of Romdeluxe’s portfolio. Each release is bottled at full cask strength from specially chosen barrels, with no dilution, no additives, and no compromises. These rums are often produced in extremely limited runs, making them as collectable as they are drinkable. 

Among our August auction are five Caroni Bottle No. 1s – the first bottlings from individual barrels of rum from Trinidad’s legendary, now-closed Caroni Distillery. Known for its heavy, tarry, and deeply complex style, Caroni has achieved near-mythical status in the rum world, and Romdeluxe’s first bottle releases are each a piece of liquid history. 

Collectors Series  

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The Collectors Series is designed to sit just below the Wild Series in ABV, but not in quality. It features remarkable casks that may not meet the ultra-high proof of the Wild range but still offer unique and high-quality profiles. This series is aimed at both seasoned rum aficionados and those looking to explore beyond the mainstream. 

Highlights in this auction include: 

• Barbancourt BMHC 2004 Collectors Series 17 Year Old – a refined expression from Haiti’s most famous distillery, known for its sugarcane juice-based rums and elegant style.
• Bellevue GMBV 1998 Collectors Series 23 Year Old Batch 1 – a venerable Guadeloupe rum offering rich agricole character.
• Ten Cane BTXCA 2008 Collectors Series 16 Year Old – from the now-closed Ten Cane distillery in Trinidad, this rare bottling captures the flavour of a short-lived operation that ran from 2005 before disappearing from the rum world.

Each bottle represents not just outstanding quality, but a story from a different corner of the rum-producing world. 

Magnum Bottles 

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Romdeluxe’s large-format releases are both a visual and tasting statement. Bottled in magnum size, these are perfect for sharing at tastings or displaying as the centrepiece of a collection. 

This month’s auction highlights include: 

• New Yarmouth 1994 Wild Series 25 Year Old Magnum – an intense Jamaican powerhouse from one of the island’s most celebrated distilleries.
• Hampden HGML 2021 Wild Series Magnum – a high-ester, flavour-packed gem from the cult Hampden Estate.
• Long Pond 2001 Wild Series 19 Year Old Magnum – another Jamaican classic, balancing funky tropical fruit with depth from nearly two decades in oak. 

With their imposing presence and exceptional contents, these magnums are the ultimate statement pieces for any rum enthusiast. 

With over 100 bottles of Romdeluxe in this month’s auction, there has never been a better opportunity to explore the breadth of this remarkable Danish brand. 

Rum Auctioneer regularly welcomes collectible Romdeluxe bottlings in our monthly auctions. Browse all of our past Romdeluxe rum lots or contact us if you are interested in selling a bottle of Romdeluxe.