The Preacher is fond of promoting Rum as "the noble spirit". If it only were, but sadly it's not. To understand how the status of rum may be improved, we need to consider and compare rum to a truly noble spirit - single malt whisky. Actually the reasons for whisky's nobility are quite simple:
1. Single malts do not contain additives. That's right, they are pure. Rums are not. Legally or not, far too many rums contain additives such as glycerol, artificial flavorings, sugar, smoothers and even sherry wine.
Let me say it again. Whisky contains no flavor altering additives. None.
2. Single malts do contain trace amounts of spirit caramel coloring (about 0.01%) to adjust coloring from batch to batch. Even so, many well-aged whiskies present as golden yellow. Rum is quite different - rums suffer such coloring not for purposes of minor adjustment, but in much greater amounts to mislead the consumer into believing the spirit is much older than it really is. The dark amber colors common to rum are simply not realistic or honest. Bourbon whiskys contain no spirit caramel coloring whatever.
3. Single malt whisky must be aged a minimum of three years, and age statements must refer to the youngest whisky in the bottle. Rum has no such requirements.
4. Blended and vatted whiskies must be identified as such. For rum? No such requirement.
Be honest. Under these conditions, rogue rum simply cannot be considered a noble spirit. A fun drink? Sure. Are there pure rums that could be considered noble? Yes, but they are few (but much appreciated). But in the main...
Not.
The current issue of Whisky Magazine is devoted to the current whisky trends and objective What I gleaned is impressive - rogue rum should take note! I won't repeat their predictions and concerns (you may read them for yourselves in the April, 2011 issue) - but I will comment on the "Digital Directions" as expressed by Tim Forbes.
1. He identifies the proliferation of "whisky fan websites" and "wannabee" retailers hoping for more E-cred on the net.
2. He sees some of the "rubbish websites" dying off, and more collaboration among the remaining stronger websites. As he puts it:
He is so right! And this is no pipe dream. And further:"It would be great to see the democratisation of whisky achieve something worthwhile... It's time for the disparate groups of whisky nerds around the world to club together behind a common cause: The Campaign for Real Whiskey."
These trends are unmistakable. Whisky grows ever more pure and noble while rum? Well, not so much. Mind you, no one loves rum - real and pure - more than Sue Sea and I. But what do we see?"This official movement/pressure group sprang up on one of the main whisky forums. It's a movement toward uncaramelised, unchill-filtered whisky and clear labelling on single malts which have been coloured and chill-filtered."
1. A small and slowly growing number of rum websites. Where whisky sites are in the hundreds (or more) there are but a relative handful of rum websites.
2. Worse yet these few sites are run by promoters, and wannabees who toe the company "...it's all good" line of the Preacher. Those of you who have read our "Reviewer's Reviews" are painfully aware of the shortcomings of most of these websites. Free product is accepted, distiller marketing points are dutifully regurgitated, and the dumbed down rum drinkers go on buying one altered rum after another.
3. Compared to whisky drinkers, rum drinkers are less educated, less aware. Whisky has well known styles, flavor profiles and wheels. Although rum too has four or five basic styles, these are recognized by only a few experts (like Dave Broom). They are not promoted; to the contrary rums are compared by color, age and flavor and even these crude attempts are not honest. Rum has not even a single tasting wheel.
Doesn't that bother you?
It is a sad day when the leadership in rum websites is claimed by a rum promoter, when the fastest growing rum website is run by a rank amateur with a poor palate, when the majority of rums contain unlabeled additives and flavorings, when the shelves are being taken over by the flavored/spiced category, when "super-premiums" are super-premium in marketing and price alone, and when the hottest new product is promoted by a porn star known for his big dick.
That sucks. Literally.
Let me close with saying it's about time our rum websites - at least those with cajones and minimal if absent ties to the distillers or distributors - got together, like whisky, to unify in "The Campaign for Real Rum".
Let it be so. We're in.
