Interview with Olly Barkley, Co-Founder of Vapoura Rum

This week we interviewed Olly Barkley, Co-Founder of Vapoura Rum, to talk about how Vapoura Rum was created, his go to cocktail, best piece of advice and more.

1. What inspired you to create Vapoura Rum and what makes it unique?

When we started to explore a lifelong passion for all things rum a little more during lockdown we quickly noticed at the time that there weren’t any super premium rums that were made from start to finish in England. More so, few brands wrapped around their rum that could help elevate the entire rum category to where we and many others are passionate about it getting to. The idea of creating a super-premium rum in a very traditional way, but delivering it in a more untraditional manner is something that we have always been very passionate about.

It’s not white labelled, we don’t take rum from other distilleries and blend it before bottling it as our own. Once the raw ingredients arrive at our distillery, we make everything from scratch, from the proprietary yeast strain to the base alcohol, right through to the custom copper pot stills. We don’t use artificial flavourings; only raw ingredients, we don’t use any added sugar and we do incorporate oak into our process to aid the development of the more complex flavours.

We dilute to our required alcohol volume with water only sourced on site from the distillery and to wrap it all up, each and every stage of the process is overseen by our master distiller, Dr John Walters for absolute consistency in the quality of what we’re producing. It's this combination of factors that helps to give Vapoura the smoothness and depth you’ll find in long-time, barrel aged rums. In a cocktail, served neat, the quality of the liquid we believe, speaks for itself.

2. Where do you see Vapoura Rum in the next five years? Any plans for new flavours or products?

We stand by the quality of our liquid and feel strongly that premium rum can offer more not just to the spirit category but hospitality as a whole. We want to be a big part of that. Not only how it’s drunk, but also how it's delivered. The experiences and moments that are created for people to enjoy Vapoura whether it’s at an underground cocktail bar playing tech music in Paris or an immersive take-over of a digital art gallery in London, this is where I would like to see Vapoura. Stocked, enjoyed and activated in venues, cities and countries that believe in the overall customer experience around our liquid and aren’t just happy to top it up with a sugary mixer and hand it across the bar.



In terms of new products we currently have Chapter Two laid down into barrel to age. It’ll be Chapter Three in the English Rum Story and come out as a limited edition, single cask run and be purely a sipping rum in the luxury category. When it’ll be released is still in conversation but we’re all very excited about it. Taste trials start from February 2025.

3. How do you personally enjoy Vapoura Rum—do you have a go-to cocktail recipe?

I’m a huge fan of both Chapter One and Chapter Two neat, over ice. You can really taste the smoothness, depth and quality of it this way. Simple, clean. If I’m going for it in a cocktail, it’ll depend on the occasion, but our Bee-Keeper and Vapoura Espresso Martini are usually my go to - https://vapourarum.com/pours



Our warm Vapoura Eggnog is part of our Christmas serve offering this year and I could drink these all day. Really decadent, super smooth and you can taste all the beautiful spices from our Chapter One through it which work really well in it, this time of year in particular.

4. Best piece of advice you have been given?

Process over outcome, in all things…. business, life, love, sport. Look after the process and the outcome will look after you.

5. What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs looking to enter the spirits industry?

Find your point of difference, believe in it, stand by it and get ready to put in the hours.

6.  If you had one day off in London, where would you like to visit / explore?

I like to go anywhere up high or green, a roof terrace, a balcony, a view from a higher floor, a park. London moves at such a pace I feel like everything drops a few much-needed gears in these places. If this can be supported with a decent food and drinks menu and some good live music, then I’m pretty happy.

For more information or to buy a bottle of Vapoura Rum, visit https://vapourarum.com