Overview: Independent Welsh rum brand Barti Rum has secured five major accolades at the 2026 World Drinks Awards for its newly launched Barti & Sea Buckthorn Fizz canned cocktail. The Pembrokeshire-born drinks brand received recognition for both flavor innovation and distinctive visual identity in the Spirit & Mixer category.
The Full Story
At the 2026 World Drinks Awards, Barti Rum won five international awards for its newly launched Barti & Sea Buckthorn Fizz canned cocktail. The Pembrokeshire-born drinks brand secured UK Gold in the Spirit & Mixer category and Global Style Winner recognition for its innovative combination of Barti Spiced Rum and sea buckthorn.
This release is one of three rum-based cocktails launched by Barti in February, including Barti Ginger & Lemon Iced Tea and Barti & Apple. Each flavour was inspired by the Welsh coastline where Barti was born. Sea buckthorn is a hardy, bright orange berry that thrives in nutrient-poor soil along the coast, providing a crisp citrus flavour and tropical character rarely seen in alcoholic drinks.
The cocktail has also won gold for Can Design, Best Can Design and Best Label Design for its distinctive visual identity — a walking puffin design inspired by nearby Skomer Island and brought to life by local Welsh artist, Tom Frost. Founder Jonathan Williams noted that receiving international recognition for the cocktail’s flavour and design is a huge moment for the company, serving as an attestation to the creativity, craftsmanship and heritage behind the brand.
What This Means
The awards coincide with Barti’s ready-to-drink range expanding across Wales, with its first international shipments now heading to Japan. Founder Jonathan Williams stated that receiving international recognition is a huge moment for the little Welsh rum company, highlighting the global potential of the product’s unique profile and design.
Consumer Takeaway
The release offers consumers a ready-to-drink canned cocktail featuring Barti Spiced Rum and sea buckthorn. Availability includes expansion across Wales with first international shipments now heading to Japan.
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