Reviewer's Review: Rum Dood's Rum Reviews

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How do you rate the Rum Dood's Rum Reviews (5 is best)?

5
0
No votes
4
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No votes
3
1
50%
2
1
50%
1
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No votes
 
Total votes: 2

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Capn Jimbo
Rum Evangelisti and Compleat Idiot
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Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2006 3:53 pm
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Reviewer's Review: Rum Dood's Rum Reviews

Post by Capn Jimbo »

I'll have one from column A and one from column B...

It's a funny thing - the more hard won experience gained, plus the more analyses completed, the more I've come to realize just what a sad state of affairs the wacky world of rum has become. Unlike the relative noble spirits of wine and whisky, "rum" is the ragamuffin of spirits.

Poorly defined, poorly regulated and poorly enforced.

Not a serious spirit. It is more likely than not that the "classic rum" you've been encouraged to buy is really a cheaper, bulk, continously distilled spirit. What flavor it has may derive from a touch of hearty and complex pot stilled or aged rum, but it is far more likely the "rum" you are pouring is laced with artificial flavors and additives. Unlabeled of course. And reviewed by a pitifully small group of sycophantic reviewers, almost all of whom are somehow in bed with the industry. Some are invited to "judge" at the Big Four's faux rum "competitions, others accept much free product.

And a precious few are truly independent. Does that include our bartender reviewer, the Rum Dood? Read on...

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The Rum Dood's defines his ratings:

5 - superb
4 - excellent
3 - good
2 - average
1 - avoid

Oh my. Please note that his ratings are already biased ("3" is normally the "average" score, not "2")

Just like RnD and the Frozen One, the Dood's reviews are clearly biased, with an average score bordering on 4 stars (excellent)! Now whether it's due to the relatively small number of rums he's reviewed, or perhaps to a sense of caution and safety, almost all his reviews are either "3" (good) or "4" (excellent). Mostly "4"s. It's as though average rums don't exist. Indeed, as I read through each review I found that I was able to predict his scores most of the time. What he considers mixers and younger rums mostly score "3", sippers and older rums garner excellent, "4" ratings.

This is called CYA reviewing (in medicine this refers to "cover your ass" documentation).

Very safe. Rating a mixer as a good "3" is more than safe, certainly won't offend anyone, not least the distillers and is simply, a gift. Ibid for his sippers which get "4's" (excellent). Mixer - "3", sipper - "4". Hey, I can do that. Nice "...it's all good", safe ratings. And more than 10% of his rums actually get the coveted "5" (superb). It's all so fantastic.


Observations:

1. The Dood is a smooth and sweet freak. Chasing smoothness is typical of the amateur taster.

2. In part he uses a strange tulip-shaped glass called the "Spirit Sipper", which features a very short stem, bulbous chamber, and a tall, severely narrowed neck and expanding to a wider rim. Quite weird. This was the rage for about 15 minutes over at the It's All Good Shillery wherein the manufacturer offered free glasses to the herd. Naturally I contacted the SS folks and soon enough Sue Sea and I put it through extensive testing against a wide variety of glass shapes and styles.

It really sucked, mostly because it traps much of the aroma in the bulb and prevents a really good nosing (from high to low). The sweet, smooth freaks love it. Truth be told, you could enjoy gasoline out of this glass because you couldn't smell anything. The Dood uses this glass. Surprisingly he then verifies his tasting by using a HUGE double old-fashioned glass (which allows deep nosing, but which dissipates and loses aromas). But which Ed Hamilton loves.

I guess it makes sense.

3. His 5 star, superb rums are a strange mix. None of the well known world class rums, but two by the mad scientist whose rums are not commercially available (Temptryst), two altered sweet bombs (Zacapa 23 and very expensive Pyrat Cask 1623) and the just plain, very expensive Brugal Siglo de Oro. That not a single one of the five or ten truly stupendous, well known, easily available, widely acclaimed world class rums (like MGXO, Appleton Extra, Barbancourt Five Star, El Dorado 12 or 15 Year, or Ron Matusalem Gran Reserva) made the cut is, well...

Unbelievable. However, I must give him credit for including one fine rum - Barcelo Imperial - in the group. OTOH, even a blind squirrel...

4. Equally mystifying is his single bad rating of "1" (avoid) for Sea Wynde. Not only is this the one and only rum over which he does not gush, Sea Wynde is a very well respected Jamaican style rum which easily stands beside the widely acclaimed Pussers Blue Label. It's obvious the Dood prefers the sweetie, smoothies, the Zee rums and of course, Atlantico.

Such is life.

5. The Dood admits that he not only accepts samples, he seeks them. As for being a good critic or not, let's allow the Dood to speak for himself:
"Ed Hamilton always has the best response to this question: “The rum in my glass.” It’s really true. I find that my favorite rum changes from day to day, hour to hour, minute to minute. I’d even have a really hard time giving you a favorite style of rum, let alone a single favorite rum."
Yup, "...it's all good".

Bottom line:

I like the Dood, who once was happy to link my site. I've always linked his. If you're one of the "Yup, I like rum, all rum.." drinkers then the Dood's reviews are perfect and a nice adjunct to the circle jerk over at the Shillery. Entertaining reading, nice safe reviews and a bunch of stuff for the mixed drink and Tiki crowd - which is where this website has some value. For a guy that claims to own over 100 rums, he hasn't reviewed very many.

Even so, for reliable rum ratings and recommendations... not.

Score (ten is best): 3 (a gift for a safe reviewer), but really based on his mixed drink and Tiki talk. Not to mention a great logo, which I once recommended to him...
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