Reviewer's Review: Dave Broom (in his book "Rum")

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How do you score Dave Broom's Rum Reviews (5 is best)?

5
2
100%
4
0
No votes
3
0
No votes
2
0
No votes
1
0
No votes
 
Total votes: 2

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Capn Jimbo
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Reviewer's Review: Dave Broom (in his book "Rum")

Post by Capn Jimbo »

Genius is as genius does...

Don't tell me you don't know of Dave Broom - and fer gawdsake don't tell me you don't own his amazing book "Rum" (2003). Although slightly dated, the history and traditions of rums remain the same, as do his brilliant explanations of the entire process. All the rums you care about, or should, are reviewed and conclude this magnificent work. Broom's book is complete and includes:

1. A complete history of rum,
2. the intricacies of each style of rum beginning with the island or country where these originated,
3. a discussion of microclimate and different production methods insofar as they contribute to the styles of rum (which he identifies),
4. a visit and discussion of the key islands and areas,
5. an A to Z listing of distilleries, labels, rums and reviews (191) and..
6. tips on approaching, tasting and appreciating rum.

Trust me I own all the books you do (and a lot more you don't) - if I could own only one, Broom's "Rum" would be it. Is this a blatant plug? Bet your sweet ass... but as always, I digress.

As I have long held, you cannot understand rum until you understand its history and production. Broom's book is a must, must, MUST have for any rum drinker and especially any budding rum reviewer. Reading it, and exploring The Rum Project will allow you a real understanding and appreciation of rum

But not so fast. How do Broom's reviews really stack up?

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Excellent.

Broom's 191 reviews exhibit a good normal distribution, with an average score of just over "3" (actually 3.3). Broom's scoring is as follows:

1 star - poor
2 stars - average
3 stars - good
4 stars - excellent
5 stars - superb

As Dave puts it "...3 stars is good, I'd be happy drinking these". Now do keep in mind this plush and informative book demands that its author be somewhat selective. He's not going to publish an expensive coffee table book and include a bunch of losers. Even so, his commitment to honesty is obvious. Most rums score just where they should - near the median - and a good bell curve is obvious.

So far so good. But how does Broom compare to BTI?

Pretty well actually. He reviews nearly as many rums. His scoring is comparable and equally reliable. The differences: it's Broom alone against the consensus of BTI's unknown group of reviewers. Of course consensus has great value, but so does genius.

In the world of wine and spirits there are many, but a few stand out for their particular integrity, respectability, credibility and skill. Think Michael Jackson for whisky, or Robert Parker for wines. They have influence because they've earned it and because they see, report and predict things that others don't or can't.

Dave Broom is in that select group.

My opinion: his reviews have an authenticity and accessibility that BTI approaches, but cannot achieve with it's group approach. Is this better? Maybe. Probably. You decide.

Enough.

Score (ten is best). 10, period.
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