How accurate is rum information?

[Edward Hamilton]

I had the pleasure of spending a few hours yesterday with a journalist who has worked all over the world and is now writing more about spirits. One of his comments that has stuck in my mind is the credibility, or lack of credibility, of the spirits industry as a whole.

To paraphrase the converstion, when you interview a high-ranking political leader about sensitive topics they are very careful not to say anything that can come back to them, they tell you the truth but not always the whole truth.

How do you feel the rum industry stacks up to the rest of rest of the spirits industry, and the news in general.

[angelsword]

Very difficult choice. If rum marketing is more credible it may be because less is said. I was reading a couple of days ago about a local vodka that claims "micro-distilled over 20 times" when really it is only distilled twice. They are counting the reflux as additional distillations.

[Roberto]

Originally Posted by angelsword

I was reading a couple of days ago about a local vodka that claims "micro-distilled over 20 times" when really it is only distilled twice. They are counting the reflux as additional distillations.

There are always particular cases, but is not certain the norm.
As spirits sellers, I have more difficulties to find information about rums that on all the other types of spirits.

[Edward Hamilton]

Ah, the difficulties of polling. This morning I read in regards to the V&S auction in Sweden, "Bacardi is confident its super premium Grey Goose vodka is upmarket enough compared to premium Absolut for U.S. regulators not to block a deal . . ."

After researching the terms premium and super premium for the past three years the ONLY correlation ANYONE has been able to point to is price, so if I charge more I'll move my product from the premium category to the super premium category. There is no denying that Sidney Frank did a stellar job of marketing Grey Goose but I've yet to see an independent tasting where Grey Goose came out on top against other premium vodkas these days.

[RumBarPhilly]

I was actually scanning through TTB's website checking out label specs. In the US, rum, brandy, and tequila have a lot less regulations than whiskeys. It did note that any flavoring OR coloring agent must be specified on the bottle except natural flavorings (like oak) or caramel (which I found very interesting). With rums, you do not have to specify number of times distilled, though if there is a claim, it must be truthful. Gin is the only spirit that must confirm distillation method. You also cannot use the word Pure anywhere on the label unless referring to the brand name or distiller's name. Nothing was said of the word Premium. Like Ed said, priced dictates what is Premium and what is Super Premium. Super Premium didnt exist until companies like Grey Goose and Patron decided to spend an extra $3/bottle on packaging and sell it for $15 more. The rich get richer!

[Hank Koestner]

It is hard for me to give an opinion, because it is just so hard to know. I think rum may be the most difficult because it is made in so many countries. I am sure there is slight of hand in every spirits industry but rum might be worse because of the sheer numbers. Then again, it might not for the very same reason. I try to find information from people who might know. That is why this forum is so important.
In some cases the need for profit will rain supreme, and fibs will be told.
And, yes, the "premium" spirit concept is definetly ruled mostly by price.

[JMac]

Originally Posted by Edward Hamilton

Ah, the difficulties of polling. This morning I read in regards to the V&S auction in Sweden, "Bacardi is confident its super premium Grey Goose vodka is upmarket enough compared to premium Absolut for U.S. regulators not to block a deal . . ."

After researching the terms premium and super premium for the past three years the ONLY correlation ANYONE has been able to point to is price, so if I charge more I'll move my product from the premium category to the super premium category. There is no denying that Sidney Frank did a stellar job of marketing Grey Goose but I've yet to see an independent tasting where Grey Goose came out on top against other premium vodkas these days.

Re Grey Goose...I did read one time in one of my wife's wine e-magazines that in a blind taste test Grey Goose came in 5th or 6th. A Polish brand vodka came in 1st.

As for rum I think that in marketing rum brands, considering rums colorful history, colorful marketing hype is used to fit the product. While not complete lies marketers perhaps have taken liberties and shaped the truth to fit.

Personally I stick to brands that I know and like and don't pay much attention the marketing.

As for truth in rum marketing I like how Martinique distillers have the AOC. I also like how other Caribbean distilleries are in the process of getting their own designation (Authentic Caribbean Rum Marque). More info is contained in a post by RumRunner.

[Lew Barrett]

Vodka makes me shudder as a rule. GG is no exception. A good gin and tonic is one of the great gifts of the summer season, but vodka is useful only for amputations without anesthetics, and then only when one first runs out of rum! Have I missed something about it that I need to review?