Drink: Why Suffolk rum Eighty-Six Friends is a real crowd-pleaser

Pledging to create “a drink that everyone at a party would enjoy”, Suffolk rum brand Eighty-Six Friends was founded by Tom, Tony, Marzia and Rachel, a group of friends who - you guessed it - were all born in 1986. As they explain, their flavour-filled rums are proven crowd-pleasers

How it started
The brand officially came to life during lockdown, but the idea had been bubbling away for quite a while before that. We’re all big spirits fans but found it hard to come across a drink that everyone at a party would enjoy. So, we thought, why not create something you could put in the middle, and everyone could drink it however they liked?
We also wanted to ensure the flavours came from natural fruits and juices, which became the heart of our mission. In terms of our backgrounds, we come from pubs, drinks, and customer service – and we’ve even got an engineer on the team!

Birds of a feather
We went through loads of names, but eventually, we landed on Eighty-Six Friends because we were all born in 1986 and have been close friends for years. But there’s also a nod to Prohibition-era slang – ‘86’ was a term used when the police were coming to shut down a speakeasy. It fits us perfectly, really.
Sammi, our cockatoo mascot, is our way of symbolising friendship and togetherness. Cockatoos are known for being incredibly friendly creatures and once they form a bond, they keep it for life. Sammi represents that spirit of long-lasting friendship that we value so much at Eighty-Six Friends.

Favour the flavour
We spotted a gap for a naturally infused rum in the market. Rum is growing in popularity, and we were keen to get in early, especially since it’s something we’re passionate about. We wanted to make something different, something that felt true to us and tasted incredible.
'Favour the flavour' was our mantra throughout development. We knew we couldn’t settle for anything less than amazing, so we kept tweaking until we got it right – there were 18 different attempts to perfect the honey infusion! We source honey from Marzia’s father-in-law’s hives, which are based in Kennett, Kentford and Worlington, so it’s truly local, and the quality shines through in the final product.

On the drinks list
Mel is all about the honey. It’s rich, warm, and smooth, with just the right amount of spice. Our favourite serve is what we call a ‘Dark and Sammi’ – a twist on a Dark and Stormy. It’s honey rum with ginger beer and fresh lime. It’s such a crowd-pleaser.
Musa is a fun one! For a decadent treat, try it in a Banana Shake – two shots of banana rum, one shot of kahlua, and a splash of cream. It’s indulgent and goes down a bit too easily. . . Our first seasonal rum was Pumpkin Spiced, which is perfect for autumn and winter.

How it’s going
It’s been an amazing journey. We started with just a business plan and a lot of excitement. We’ll never forget the thrill of selling our first bottle – it happened at a tradeshow in Newmarket right after the lockdowns were lifted - but one of the big highlights was appearing on Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh. The feedback we got, both from Alan and the guests, gave us a massive boost.
Ultimately, we want to keep growing the brand and getting our rum into the hands of people who appreciate great, natural flavours. To borrow Alan Titchmarsh’s words: “It’s delicious – worryingly delicious!” Give it a try, and we’re sure you’ll be converted!

Visit eightysixfriends.com to find out more and to shop.