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Manila Bulletin devider Business devider The Stock Market devider Tanduay eyes Nordic growth via Bastard Spirits distribution deal

Tanduay eyes Nordic growth via Bastard Spirits distribution deal

Published Dec 18, 2025 02:04 pm
Tanduay Distillers Inc., the spirits unit of billionaire Lucio Tan’s conglomerate, is expanding its European presence through a distribution agreement in Denmark as it seeks to capture the growing regional appetite for premium rum.
The Philippine distiller partnered with Bastard Spirits, a boutique distributor that operates in the Nordic region, including Sweden, Finland, Greenland, Iceland and Norway.
Tanduay said the move is part of its broader international push to position its portfolio in markets where consumer preferences are shifting away from traditional staples like gin.
Denmark’s spirits market has seen a recent transformation, with rum gaining traction among younger drinkers and women who find the spirit more approachable than whisky.
Jesper Kjaer, Bastard Spirits international sales manager, said the firm plans to make Tanduay its primary rum brand, citing a gap in the Danish market for the brand’s specific quality and price points.
Bastard Spirits, established in 2021, will carry Tanduay products across physical specialty shops such as Vild med Vin and Rombo, as well as online retailers including Ginbutikken and Vault of Spirits.
Kjaer expects the Tanduay 10-Year-Old Rum to drive volume among general consumers, while the brand’s overproof variant is targeted at enthusiast and bar segments.
While Asian spirits are increasingly seen as exotic in Northern Europe, the category still faces legacy perceptions regarding quality compared to European labels. However, the success of Japanese and Taiwanese whiskies has paved the way for other Asian spirits to enter the mainstream.
Tanduay, which produces one of the world’s best-selling rum brands, sees the Nordic region as a strategic entry point for its higher-end offerings.
Roy Kristoffer Sumang, Tanduay Brands International Inc. international business development manager, said Denmark’s openness to new flavors provides a strong platform for the brand to thrive.
The expansion comes as Philippine companies continue to look abroad for growth.
Tanduay’s parent, LT Group Inc., maintains interests in tobacco, beverages, banking and property. The company did not disclose the specific financial terms of the distribution deal.

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Tanduay Distillers Inc. Bastard Spirits
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