Spotted Horse Rum has been announced as the official rum partner of MTN Bushfire 2026, adding another major milestone to the locally produced brand’s growing recognition on the international stage.
The partnership comes just months after the rum earned global recognition at the 2026 World Rum Awards, where Spotted Horse Gold Rum won both a Gold Medal and a Category Winner title. The achievement is particularly significant as the brand was only officially launched in August 2025, meaning it secured the international honours within less than a year of entering the market.
Produced by Simunye Beverages, a subsidiary of Royal Eswatini Sugar Corporation, the rum competed against established brands from traditional rum-producing regions including the Caribbean and Latin America.
According to Simunye Beverages Operations Manager David Pearce, the recognition reflects the quality and consistency behind the locally made product.
“Spotted Horse Rum is incredibly proud to have been awarded both a Gold Medal and Category Winner at the 2026 World Rum Awards, one of the most respected spirits competitions globally. This achievement is a strong recognition of the quality, craftsmanship, and consistency behind our rum, and places an Eswatini-produced spirit among the very best rums in the world,” said Pearce.
The awards are viewed as one of the global benchmarks for rum excellence, making the achievement a notable moment not only for the brand but also for Eswatini’s growing manufacturing and premium beverage sector.
Spotted Horse Gold Rum was launched at Dwaleni Farm Lodge in August 2025 as part of RES’s move into premium consumer spirits. The brand draws inspiration from the giraffe and aims to reflect Eswatini’s heritage and natural environment through its identity and flavour profile, which includes notes of dried fruits, vanilla and oak.
The production is backed by RES’s large-scale distillery operations, which produce approximately 32 million litres over a 36-week production period. During the launch of the brand, RES Managing Director Nick Jackson outlined the company’s long-term vision for the sector.
“If we can move 3% of our output into retail, we can double profitability. Rum is the new gin. This is it,” said Jackson during the launch.
Spot Eswatini’s leading Rum at MTN Bushfire
With the Bushfire partnership now confirmed, Spotted Horse Rum will gain exposure at one of Eswatini’s biggest international cultural events, which attracts visitors from across Africa and beyond each year in Malkerns.
Pearce said the collaboration reflects a long-standing relationship between the brand and the festival, as well as a shared focus on promoting local excellence and creativity.
“Spotted Horse Rum is proud to be the Official Rum Sponsor of the 2026 edition of MTN Bushfire. As a proudly local brand, we believe it is important to have Eswatini products represented on one of the country’s biggest international stages,” he said.
The recognition and partnership have positioned Spotted Horse as one of the country’s emerging success stories in the premium beverage industry, while also highlighting the growing international potential of locally produced African spirits.
