French group La Martiniquaise-Bardinet (LMB) has acquired Lamb’s Rum and will begin distributing the brand across all channels in the UK this week.

According to LMB, Lamb’s Rum was first founded in London in 1849, when it aged rum in cellars beneath the River Thames.

Now the fourth-biggest rum brand in the UK by volume, it produces products including a classic dark navy rum, made with a blend of 18 Caribbean rums, as well as spiced, black spiced, white and pineapple variants.

On the acquisition of the brand, LMB said that Lamb’s Rum fits naturally into its portfolio, which also includes Glen Moray Speyside single malt whisky, Bardinet Brandy, Warner’s Gin and Villa Cardea Italian spirits and liqueurs.

It commented that integrating Lamb’s Rum into its portfolio offers an opportunity to refresh the brand with a new marketing strategy as it enters a new chapter with LMB.

Stephen Watt, commercial and marketing director at LMB UK, said: “We are very proud to welcome Lamb’s to our portfolio and to begin our custodianship of this historic, internationally renowned rum brand in the UK.

“As a business with a strategic focus on offering our customers quality, authentic and accessible spirits, Lamb’s is a brilliant addition to our line up, and we will be investing to maximise the huge potential we believe it has in all channels.

“The rum category is experiencing the same challenges as the general spirits sector, but Lamb’s is strongly placed to deliver what today’s the wide range of serves, experiences and occasions that today’s consumers are looking for from brands in the category.”