Warning: Rhum Clement bait and switch

The third standard reference style: rum, er rhum, made directly from sugar cane juice or honey, rather than from molasses. To the Haitians and French... toast!
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mamajuana
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Joined: Sun Nov 16, 2014 12:41 pm
Location: Buffalo

Warning: Rhum Clement bait and switch

Post by mamajuana »

Not sure where to start here so...

I tried Rhum Clement select Barrel lot 85 of year 2015 earlier this year. I fell in love with the Rhum. It was excellent complex, a rhum to suggest to others getting into aged cane juice Rhum at 28.00 a bottle. It was clearly not chill filtered with sediment in the bottom. It had an age statement of 3 years. Also the mark of "appellation Martinique controlee". A fine rum with is complex barrel spice with its mineral notes, very subdued alcohol, a well aged french indies rum at an acceptable price.

Move this forward a few months. I bought another bottle against a few others I would have bought instead what I know now.


I opened the Rhum and poured it lot 7/2016. The taste was rather hot, it led to no caramel or spice or barrel influences, it led straight from a hot non existent flavor to the mineral notes its famous for. I figured well maybe my palate has changed in these few months to not like this at all anymore??? The cane juice in this distillation just on my palate did not seem fresh at all, it seemed sour almost rotten on the palate it was sickening. It also is now chill filtered.

I looked closer and compared the older bottle with a small amount left to the new bottle... The 3 year age statement on the old bottle was removed from the new bottle. A ninja move by Clement in the same label and bottling. Also the "appellation Martinique controlee" was also removed. The back label also removes the designation of Rhum Vieux. It also now states the rum has been rested in oak rather than matured.

A sick move by Clement, producing an all around excellent Rhum at a great price, then changing the juice and removing a few small lines of fine print from the bottle. Shame on Clement for releasing this snake oil. Terrible Rhum, avoid any NAS select barrel. I feel in all tasting it to be 1 year or less in aging now. Also I feel the Rhum is heavily colored now to make up for lack of aging. There was no flavor at all from barreling.
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Capn Jimbo
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Post by Capn Jimbo »

I love the Mama!


This now long time member should be known to us all. His contributions and finds well serve all who - like the Project - are committed to purity and honesty in labelling.

This contribution is a good one, but a very sad one. We are in a state where - finally! - the secret and illegal alteration with sugar, glycerol, flavorings and wine has been outed. The buying public is now WELL aware (especially of sugar). They are familiar with Master Sugar List, link it and discuss it, and use it. Some smaller or artisan distillers now even label their purity, "no additives, no coloring, etc.).

On the other side - thanks to mama - we now have the once respected Clement stooping low to sell a much cheapened product, but still for their usual high prices. This cheapening was not just a little "tweak", no it was a major and fundamental substitution. They believe we wouldn't notice. Sure, just put it in the same bottle, just tweak the label a bit and the rubes will just slurp it up.

Wrong. This is outrageous, and yet another distiller who has succumbed to corporate management. Indeed, Clement is the symptom.

What's behind this? Anyone?
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