Capn Jimbo's Rum Project Forum

[Capn Jimbo]

Politics, always politics...

Spirits and politics go together like rice and beans. As long as you are not a Texas corporation trying to steal and register the name "Basmati" away from India. Thankfully, these assholes lost.

Let's face it. Like India and their Basmati rice, cachaca has overwhelmingly been the drink of choice - the Brazilian drink - since the 1500's. Accordingly and again like Basmati, Brazil would like to keep the name and avoid the kind of conflicts experienced by Pisco (Peru vs Chile) and Grappa (Italy vs S. Africa).

Good.

Brazil has approached the WTO and has worked to have "cachaca" recognized under Articles 22 and especially, 23. These articles are quite specific and would extend excellent protection to Brazil and their Cachaca. My sources are a bit dated (2004), but even then the simple consideration of inclusion gave Brazil the right to seek redress.

This may account for Seagram's use of the term "Brazilian Rum" for what is cachaca for all practical purposes. However, Brazilian Cachaca still faces some obstacles:

1. As of 2004 the United States does not have a separate category for "cachaca", but includes it in the category "rum and tafia".

2. The EU - which once allowed unlimited importation of cachaca - has now loosened rum restrictions and is working to increase rum imports resulting in more competition.

3. U. S. taxes - about $2.14 (2004 USD) per 750 ml bottle may not sound high - but is surely is for what sells in Brazil for about a dollar. Accordingly export to the US is greatly affected and may account for the few and highly overpriced cachacas found here.

Enough said. Interested in more data? Try http://www1.american.edu/ted/cachaca.htm
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