whisky and Bombay gin brands from Diageo Plc., Bermuda-based Bacardi Ltd.

remains in a fighting mode.

On one front Bacardi, the world's biggest rum-maker, is taking a swing at the US premium vodka market with a new product. On another the company is looking to acquire a vodka brand to round out its liquor portfolio and further its attempts to expand globally and by market share.

Leading the charge is George "Chip'' Reid Jr., who became president and chief executive officer of the closely held liquor empire in March last year. He said in an interview with The Royal Gazette that Bacardi is currently in negotiations with a number of liquor companies about a sale or alliance.

And today Bacardi launches a test run in Bermuda and five US markets of "Exclusiv,'' a triple-filtered rum which Mr. Reid hopes will make inroads into North America's vodka market. Vodka makes up the largest segment of the US liquor market.

"It's beyond vodka,'' Mr. Reid said, quoting one of the company's advertisements for the product. The rum will be clear in colour and will be tripled filtered using a proprietary system developed by a US company.

Rum is distilled from molasses, while vodka may be distilled from different ingredients.

"It's very smooth and has a slight taste,'' Mr. Reid said in describing the product.

Mr. Reid said Bacardi was looking to make inroads into the vodka market as this was one of the products the company was missing from its portfolio.

"We want to flesh out our portfolio,'' he said. "If you look at our portfolio, vodka is not represented and that is what we might be looking at.'' However he labeled as "ridiculous'' media speculation that Bacardi was going after the Absolut brand. Absolut is owned by the Swedish government and is not for sale. In fact, he said he didn't know of any vodka brand that was for sale.

"However as a result of our purchase of Dewar's and Bombay we have been engaged in a number of discussions with other companies about a commercial alliance or the creation of brand portfolio synergies,'' he said.

Bacardi purchased Dewar's, the number one selling Scotch whiskey in the US, and Bombay gin from Diageo Plc in March.

"The purchase of Dewar's and Bombay has enormously strengthened Bacardi,'' he said. "It reflects Bacardi's clear intention in the industry to stay on top.

We are committed to be a major multi-brand company. We intend to continually be aggressive in seeking out top quality brands.'' As part of its global marketing effort, Bacardi will also launch an eight-year-old rum in Spain and Italy over the next month.

Since the former Washington lawyer became president and CEO, he has brought all the senior executives to Bermuda, making it the company's operational headquarters.

Bermuda has been the legal domicile for the company's holding company, Bacardi Ltd., which was registered here in 1992. But the company has had a presence in Bermuda since 1965 when it set up Bacardi International Ltd. as an operating subsidiary to co-ordinate product distribution among Bacardi's 40 factories worldwide.

Bacardi manufactures and markets the world's number one selling brand of spirit, Bacardi Rum. The company was founded 1862 by Don Facundo Bacardi in Cuba. The family fled Cuba soon after most of the company's assets were confiscated in 1960 by Fidel Castro's government.