Answer: Yes. And No. And THAT is the point. And perhaps the Bermudez Aniversario is the poster boy for a practice I have long suspected. Here's the amazing story...
The ahem, story...
I've finally become more active in testing and recently tested a nearly full bottle of this rum. I'd purchased the rum a couple years ago, had a quick nip, was not impressed and left it aside. But the need for new tests drew it out of the closet and into the uh, lab for testing. The result: 26 grams, no surprise, in Plantation and El Dorado territory. But when I opened the database to add this result, I was shocked to see that the Pirate had reported his earlier test at, gulp...
Zero, yup, 0 grams! A massive difference if true, but at this point I was sure I must have made a typing error and quickly shot off an email to him, relating my test and asking him to confirm whether I needed a remedial typing class. Today I received his answer: he rechecked it and yes, his retest was still zero. And he stated he'd purchased the rum about the same time I did. Further, I have complete confidence in both the test and our mutual skills in performing this easy and accurate process. The point?
I could chalk up a difference of a gram or two to the tester, but a 26 gram difference? No fackin way. WTF was/is going on?
Flat Ass Bottom Line
Regulars here will remember that I gave the idea of testing a real college try a couple of years ago, and even generated some excitement around here, but I never came up with the exact protocol. It was Johnny Drejer - may the Godz bless him - who turned the world of rogue rum on its butt - with his methodology and spreadsheet chart that allowed converting tested alcohol into assumed grams of sugar. And here we are!
At that time and recognizing a breakthrough I was excited nearly beyond measure at what Johnny's breakthrough meant:
- 1. That any idiot could easily and relatively cheaply test rum.
2. This decentralization of testing meant that rum drinkers from around the world could test their collections at will.
3. That any differences, bad bottles or tests could be easily confirmed by the same or other testers.
4. That - and this is the BIG one - that any regional differences in product would become apparent.
Even now I've noted some trends. The first is that "premiumization" of lesser rums is often accomplished by secret sugaring and other additives. Some of the worst offenders are the super-premiums (think Z23). A recent comparison of Santa Teresa's Claro, Anejo and 1796 showed that price and sugar increased together.
But Bermudez was something new, and just how might this be? I think: regionalization!
Both the test and the testers are/were meticulous and reliable. And a huge 26 gram difference simply cannot be explained away by for example, the notion of blending to taste. Nope, the only possible explanation is that Bermudez is sugaring based on marketing. The American market is very well known for having a sweet tooth, ergo my American bottle tested at 26 grams and the Pirate's British bottle at zero grams.
Nonetheless I look with aniticipation for the opinions of our very talented and thoughful co-members. Thoughts?
