ALKO Sugar Tests: Rums, analyzed (incomplete)

[Capn Jimbo]

Sugar Content: per Finn database, 3/31/14

Note: Printed in exact order. Several rums were tested more than once. The word “extract” (translated) as reported is assumed to refer to added solids other than sugar. All numbers refer to grams/liter.

Rhum Negrita: 0, extract 2
Rommiviina muovipullo: 0, extract 1
Plantation Barbados Old Reserve 2000: 17
Barbados Rommi muovipullo: 11, extract 1
Clément Rhum Agricole Aged 6 Years: 0, extract 3
Bacardi Superior: 0
Ron Zacapa Centenario: 20, extract 3
Medeia Organic Rum muovipullo: 9
Ron Cabana Blanco: 0
Rhum J.M Vieux Agricole Millésimé 2001: 0, extract 2
Bacardi Black: 15, extract 1
Havana Club Añejo 3 Años: 4, extract 1
El Dorado 12 Year Old Rum: 45, extract 3
Baltic Dark muovipullo: 0, extract 1
Rhum Pécoul: 0, extract 2
Havana Club Añejo 7 Años: 6, extract 1
Huracán Añejo Reserva: 0, extract 2
Brugal 1888: 4, extract 1
Rum Nr.7 Black: 1, extract 5
Havana Club Añejo Reserva muovipullo: 4, extract 1
Plantation Jamaica Old reserve 2000: 17
Havana Club Añejo Blanco: 3
Baltic Dark: 0, extract 1
Bacardi Superior: 0
Barbados Rommi muovipullo: 11, extract 1
Baltic Light: 0
Havana Club Añejo 3 Años muovipullo: 4
Baltic Dark muovipullo: 0, extract 1
Caroni Trinity Rum 1989-1992-1994: 1
Saint James Heritage: 0, extract 1
Ron Cabana Blanco muovipullo: 0
Captain Morgan: 0, extract 4
Old Pascas Dark Rum: 0, extract 1
Rhum Negrita: 0, extract 2
Rhum Negrita: 0, extract 2
Bacardi Superior muovipullo: 0
Kobba Libre pullo 12 x 0,5 l: 2, extract 1
Bacardi 8 Años: 20
Fine Cuban 2003 Bristol Classic Rum 2003: 0
Caroni 1998 Bristol Classic Rum 1998: 1
Saint James Reserve Premium Caribbean Rum: 0
Angostura 1824 Aged 12 Years: 17
Old Nick Caribbean White Rum: 0
Ron Matusalem Gran Reserva Solera 15: 5
Plantation 20th Anniversary Barbados Rum XO: 25
Bacardi Reserva: 6
Angostura No1 Cask Collection: 35
Laivarommi Alpo pullo 12 x 0,5 l: 0

It is important to keep in mind that all such tests are of a single rum and sample, at a single time and for samples provided solely to and for ALKO. It is not unfair to assume that distillers are keenly aware of differing tastes and preferred profiles in other countries, especially the huge and especially sweet-toothed American market.

You wlll note the word "extract" appended to a number of rums. In many cases that number is exactly the same as the number of grams of sugar added. The number shown for "extracts" above refers to assumed additives/solids other than sugar. For example if the database reported 15g of sugar and 16g for "extracts", I reported "1g" above to understand extracts other than sugar.

One last note: I would not be too quick to feel that rums with 1 to 5 grams are nearly "pure" simply because they are not as outrageously laden as say Zacapa or ED. As so well noted in the sugar thread, even one gram of sugar makes a notable difference, and five grams really does. A very good example is Captain Morgan with no sugar but is heavily altered with just four grams of other "extract".


Once again, the most disappointing reveals:

1. El Dorado
2. Plantation
3. Angostura
4. Clement
5. Havana Club (Cuban)

Of course noting that Zacapa and Ron Matusalem have been previously outed here.




*******
http://www.alko.fi/en/products/



Originally posted by the Count:

"For comparison here is a list of rums from the Swedish government (Published on Facebook by Daniel Seehuusen):

Angostura 1919 14gr/l
Appleton Estate Extra 12 Years less than 3gr/l
Berrys' Caribbean Rum 12 Years less than 3gr/l
Botran Solera 1893 Gran Reserva Añejo 9 g/l
Dillon Très Vieux Rhum less than 3gr/l
Diplomático Reserva 8 Años 7gr/l
Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva 12 Años 41gr/l
El Dorado 15 Years 31gr/l
Matusalem Solera 7 Blender less than 3gr/l
Negrita Dark less than 3gr/l
Ron Barceló Gran Añejo 5gr/l
Ron Quorhum Solera 23 Years 46gr/l (!!!)
Ron Zacapa Gran Reserva 41gr/l (!!!)
Rum Plantation 20th Anniversary Extra Old 29gr/l
Rum Plantation Grande Reserve Barbados 22gr/l
Zacapa XO 26gr/l"

[Capn Jimbo]

Special Request...


First a huge thanks to JaRiMi for finding, and quickly sharing this amazing news and link (in the sugar thread). Please feel free, if not obligated to link this post, particularly as it is the compleat listing, includes other "extracts" and is in English.

For years we have fought together for purity but have often been rejected by the monkeys in denial, who refused to believe that these wonderful mega-corporations would ever, ever operate in such a devious fashion. Those who spoke out were attacked, insulted or "liberated" from the Shillery.

This post is really a form of poetic justice, in that these same deniers and liars will be faced with data that cannot be refuted or doubted. Do spread the word as you can... along with the link to "Save Caribbean Rum" if you choose.

[Hassouni]

It seems all the AOC Agricoles (let's leave politics, etc, out of this, please) have 0 sugar, as expected, but 1-3 extract. I thought the AOC rules forbid anything wacky?

[Dai]

good info

[Capn Jimbo]

And the feast goes on...


. . . . . . .

There are of course several courses in this corporate dining. The first is to dominate the distribution, shelf space and marketing of rums. That course is done. By controlling what's on the shelves of retailers, and bars everywhere the public's perception and expectations are imperceptibly lowered. You know - the old frog in the boiling water story.

This makes is awfully hard - actually impossible - for independent distillers to compete. So what prey tell, can they do? Some like the abominable Plantation (which does have corporate backing) will weave a yarn of exceptional and special care, aging and quality - now revealed as sugar-based - by alleging to seek out and find fine spirits, which are then vastly improved and made extra special by a "finishing" in sherry barrels. Finally to bottle them as though they had terroir and vintages and voila!

A hyped product that is sold dearly. Sidney Frank would be proud. The truth: these super fine products somehow require massive amounts of added sugar. The finishing is little more than a long dunk in worn out sherry barrels from their brandy business. The special selections are so special that their actual heritiage, method and distillery must be kept secret. And the rest - bottle design not least - is pure marketings. Some of the fackin monkeys actually "collect" these "vintages".

That's the second course. Third are the micro and craft distillers. By now you surely understand that starting your own distillery is akin to starting your own vineyard. Simple - just tie up more money that you have for say, ten to twenty years, and then discover whether what you produced is any good or not. A foolish endeavor. So the third course and level is for such hobbyists to claim some amazing and earthshattering secret methods - like "fast aging" rum made from a ferment started with a really ripe banana, and "aged" by exposing oak slabs to a special light.

Or the distiller who "fast ages" his rum by playing music - really loud rock music - on the basis that somehow a strong bass line will save years of wood aging. Or for a hopeful bit of credibility to buy equipment and training from the venerable American Distilling Institute on the basis that their small barrel aging will allow you create a virtual 7 year old in a few months.

Fortunately, there are exceptions: Seale's being one, Barbancourt being another. There are others of course. But these are owned by protective families or true independents who produce good, honest and pure rum. Some of you are aware of Seale's strategy to affiliate with a strong retailer and to sell his wonderful products for surprisingly low prices. I'm not sure how Barbancourt operates but their products too are widely available for somewhat higher but still very fair prices. There's Phil Prichard who started out with a homemade still and managed to survive long enough to stay in business by making a well respected product that commands a premium price.

It really is a battle and the mega-corporations - along with the multi-billion dollar subsidies given to them - really do hold the cards. So what does pure rum have on its puny side?

Us. And the power of the internet to spread truth. The presence of unlabelled, unadmitted added sugar may be the straw that does it. We also have the power to direct our hard earned dollars only to those real rums that deserve it - AND - who are owned and operated independently.

[cyril]

its so good to finally learn stuff on added sugar with technical and 'scientific' datas. its not new, of course, but they cant deny now. i used to say it, but now there's a proof...

Adding caramel is a long long tradition, in Demerara rums for example, but the caramel was added before the aging part, allowing both caramel and rum to work together with years. And i guess you cant find an old demerara without it anyway.

And adding sugar next to the aging part is so hard to imagine. I mean, we all know why its added, and it works well considering the success of these rums. but c'mon people, dont hide facts, keep using sugar if you want but tell the consummers, and release some pure products at the same time, pot still rums, single casks,...that way you can please everybody.

there s a long and painful road to come, but one day..

[Dai]

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vQG ... sp=sharing

Here is the easy to read version of the Finnish ALKO test on rum

[Capn Jimbo]

And let us not forget Dai's own great contribution and list:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vQG ... sp=sharing

Thanks to you Dai, a great contribution...

[Capn Jimbo]

A better link to ALKO...


http://www.alko.fi/en/products/

[JaRiMi]

http://www.alko.fi/en/search/products/?q=rum*&tags=

NOTE: Whereas I seem to recall the ALKO listing previously showing sugar contents for all the rum products, it now does NOT - for some this information is no longer available, strangely.

Makes me wonder if some of the importers / manufacturers have actually noticed that consumers are on to their product's sugar additions..

[JaRiMi]

UPDATE: Alko said that they do give sugar info on all products - if there is no mention of sugar, their measurements got no sugar from the product, i.e. the reading was 0.

I may have misjudged this situation, because I went back and checked, very few products have no sugar reading - Fair rum Belize is one of them, Bacardi Superior white also, and so is the Baltic rum white, to mention a few.

[JaRiMi]

Anyone done any sugar tests on Santa Teresa rums? I have not found any results from anyone, and wonder - some say no added sugar, but my mouth, based on memory from 10+ years ago, seems to disagree...Anyone?

[Trebutor]

Ahoy guys! Another treasure hidden in this forum archipelago!

I have been talking bad about added sugar in rums to Swedish "System Bolaget" employees for years now, I am happy to see that things do evolve (I am not saying my voice was heard).

One comment: I see that some numbers are of the type "3 grams or less", should we really "worry" about 1, 2, 3 grams of extract in the ALKO listing?

Cheers

[honestphase]

Discovering in-depth information about added sugar, backed by technical and scientific data, is truly enlightening. While this knowledge may not be entirely novel, having concrete evidence now underscores the importance of the issue. It's something I've been asserting for a while, and having proof only reinforces the significance.

The tradition of adding caramel, especially in Demerara rums, is deeply rooted. In these rums, caramel is introduced prior to the aging process, allowing a harmonious interaction between the caramel and the rum over the years. It's almost a signature of the aging process, and finding an aged Demerara without it is quite a rarity.

However, the debate intensifies when sugar is added post-aging. Despite the undeniable success of such rums, the idea of adding sugar at this stage raises eyebrows. Transparency becomes crucial – acknowledging the practice while simultaneously offering pure products like pot still rums or single casks caters to a diverse consumer base. Honesty in labeling allows enthusiasts to make informed choices.

While acknowledging this reality might be a challenging journey, paving the way for a more transparent and diverse market holds the promise of pleasing all rum enthusiasts in the long run. It's a road worth traveling, and one day, a more balanced and informed landscape may become the norm.

Thank you.