. . . .(aka Johannes van den Heuval responds to the Capn)
Note: This thread ends with a brilliant (and sad) post from JaRiMi - an expert of great integrity, understanding and observation. If you have any cajones and want to know the real truth about whisky and rum, read it all. Otherwise STFU.
Over the past few years I've noted a disturbing trend - dominance of the shelves by new, cheap and invented spiced/flavored rums (with the ever fewer good sipping rums disappearing or being pushed out of the way), and the emergence of new super-duper-intergalactic premium rums at mega price points. Latest example: Bacardi 150th Anniversary Rum at about $2000 a copy.
I speculated that this was due to our recession with the dying of the middle class and the emergence of an even more wealthied 1%. I found it particularly bothersome that the new mega-rums seemed priced based mostly on marketing and with little or no real provenance.
With this in mind I dropped an email to Johannes of the Malt Maniacs for his very qualified view from the whisky world. His answer was amazingly disturbing.
First, my email:
Dear Johannes...
You know by now that I remain a fan and promoter of you and the Maniacs. In the world of rum, The Rum Project more than holds its own, but whisky? I gladly leave whisky to those who have true talent.
Now my question.
Due to the recession the wacky world of rum has seen two trends. First is the further cheapening and alteration (via additives) to create ever growing lines and shelf space devoted to column stilled flavored and spiced rums aimed at the ever poorer 99%. The dominance of this artficially modified stuff is stupendous, with the ever fewer sipping rums actually being moved to tiny, out of reach areas.
The second trend: a release of super duper intergalactic premium rums at stratospheric prices directed at the 1%, super wealthy. These include Diplomatico Ambassador, Brugal 1888, Panamonte Reserva Preciosa (around $300) and lately Bacardi's 150th Anniversary Release at $2000.
It was the Bacardi release that led to this email, as Bacardi is known for and produces mostly cheap crap, mixers of the Dingleberry Rum variety, so the release of a $2000 anniversary rum - with no real provenance or past releases - was an exercise in ego and exclusivity alone.
Although these prices ($250 and up) are not unusual for fine single malts, they are stratospherically rare for rum, which normally sell in the $12 to $30 range. Now in a couple of these super rums, the distiller must justify the cost and in two cases, do so by promoting their "purity, and freedom from additives, coloring and filtering". Sound familiar? Of course.
But unlike whiskies, none of these invented releases have any real history or the accumulation of respect and favorable reviews to even remotely justify their cost. All they offer are stunning bottling and presentation and lush, exclusive marketing copy.
I wonder if you could kindly comment as to your whiskyview as to what justifies mega-prices? Is it as simplistic as rum's dependence on marketing alone? How much is based on past performance, reputation etc.? I hope you'll run with this, as I'm truly curious as to how super-pricing/value is perceived and justified in your world...
I don't want to suggest your answer, so please do give it a go, won't you?
Always, thanks, regards,
Capn Jimbo
And Johannes amazing and disturbing reply...
Your views?Hi there, 'Capn',
Nice to hear from you again!
These days, the same corporate principles seem to plague both the whisky world and the rum world. In fact, these forces seem to be active in the entire international business world. It is no longer enough to make a healthy profit - if a company doesn't make the absolute maximum possible profit it is being punished by shareholders and 'the financial markets'.
You mentioned Bacardi - as you may know they have entered the whisky world as well a few years ago. (See http://www.maltmadness.com/malt-whisky/ ... ustry.html) And other mega-producers like Diageo and Pernod Ricard have lots of interests as well in other drinks industries besides malt whisky. The marketing and PR people move freely between brands, categories and countries in these mega-corporations, so the 'tricks' that work in one place are quickly copied to other area's as well.
I'm afraid that these developments are destroying the last few 'good' types of drinks where there was still room for tradition and 'happy accidents' - single malt whisky and good rum. In both cases these used to be 'niche markets', and therefore uninteresting for the average ambitious marketing manager to get too busy with. Unfortunately, with the growth of both categories they became interesting targets for 'milking' by ambitious people within the industry while at the same time they attracted droves of new customers who were more interested in the 'snob appeal' of these drinks than in their intrinsic qualities.
So, I think that there are many similarities between single malt whisky and sipping rums - and I fear that we are now witnessing the sad demise of both categories. Culprits are both the industry and the customers that seem happy to pay more for crappier products. I'm just happy that I've laid down a reserve stock of a few good single malts to keep me happy for a few years to come, but I haven't bought any new bottlings for a few years now. The really good malt whisky bottlings are now few and far between - and usually priced well outside my comfort zone.
I don't want to be a party-pooper - but does that answer your question?
Sweet drams,
Johannes