An Interview with Richard Seale

Bythefatrumpirate

An Interview with Richard Seale by the fat rum pirateRichard Seale is in the UK next week on a bit of a mini-tour.  Sadly the nearest he is coming to thefatrumpirate’s neck of the woods is Edinburgh.  Which due to work commitments means missing out on meeting the man himself.  More details of Richard’s tour can be found here and also here.

With his visit to the UK in mind I decided to contact Richard and see if he would be interested in answering a few questions for thefatrumpirate.com.  I was quite surprised when he said yes and I was even more surprised when he replied in a matter of days to my questions.

Now firstly, I have not went back to Richard with regard the answers he has given or asked him to clarify any points etc.  I was very grateful for his time and in time I will ask him for a few more details with regards the questions and a couple more issues which I would like to hear Richard’s opinions on.

The interview is fairly light hearted and I have deliberately avoided the “added sugar” debate in the main because Richard has made his views on this quite clear on numerous occasions already.  Despite the nature of the interview Richard still gave us some very interesting answers and a very welcome revelation………

I hope you enjoy reading.

 

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  • An Interview with Serge Valentin – Whiskyfun.com

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Serge Valentin an interview with by the fat rum pirateSome but maybe not all of you, will be familiar with Serge Valentin.  Serge runs the extremely popular whisky website Whisky Fun.  In recent years Serge has begun seeking out “Malternatives” often in the shape of rum.

    Serge’s pocket sized reviews and commitment to the website mean that he publishes hundreds of notes every month. New reviews are published pretty much on a daily basis.  Accurate, interesting tasting notes and an almost immediate assessment has ensured the sites popularity.

    However, a reviewer is only as good as his reputation and Serge’s success reflects his knowledge of Whisky and other spirits.  Throw in some more idiosyncratic elements on such as cartoons and Jazz reviews/recommendations and Whisky Fun offers something very different to most standard whisky sites.

    Serge is the second person with more of a Whisky background (Dave Broom being the first), who I have sought out to ask some questions for the site.  I’m sure once you begin reading his responses you will understand why I was so keen to ask him about rum.  Serge is not commercially linked to anything in the industry so he offers his personal opinions.

    Like Dave Broom before him he might not be a Rum Expert in his own eyes but he certainly is in mine….

    1. Serge you are very well known in the Whisky world for your website – Whisky Fun.com.  With over 12,0000 whiskies sampled to date, what made you want to also begin sampling and reviewing rums?

    Perhaps those 12,000 whiskies! In fact I had accumulated many samples and bottles of rum over the years and thought I should do something with them. I was also getting many requests from whisky people, partly because interesting whiskies became so expensive and branding so dominant. In a way, rum was seen as more naïve and authentic quite a few years back… and cheaper. And after all, aged rums can be very similar to whisky, same with cognac, armagnac, calvados, tequila… I believe very old spirits kind of converge and should you try some of them blind, I’m not sure everyone could tell which is which.

    2. Was their any particular person or any particular experience which led you to want to experiment with “Malternatives”?

    Oh yes, some good independent bottlers who always had a few great rums and who would have given you one or two samples hidden amongst their whiskies, almost inadvertently. Gordon & MacPhail, W.M. Cadenhead, Samaroli… Some famous retailers have also been at the forefront and have influenced me, such as La Maison du Whisky. They always had flair.The classic is a blending of several dark rums from Guyana (Demerara mainly) the age is around 5-7 years old but they will use up to 10 year old for the consistency as and when needed.

    3. A slightly envious question – You get some cracking samples particularly of old and rare rums, which many of us Rum Reviewers would be over the moon to receive.  You must have some very good connections in the rum world?  Which people in the rum world are you in regular contact with?

    Collecting friends and bottlers! You know both worlds tend to overlap more and more, and most hardcore whisky people have loads of rum too. So whenever they open a rare old bottle, some like to let me taste it. Also, more and more whisky bottlers are doing rum too. The Germans, Italians, Brits, French… They know the high-end whisky market is moving towards other categories, so they may believe that a whisky taster has got a worthy audience in that respect. And I do buy some too! What’s more, we have a small group called the Rumaniacs, with several collectors, and quite some rare rum is shared within that group.

    4. You have always been clear on what styles of Whisky you enjoy such as Clynelish.  Any styles of rum you particularly fond of?

    First and foremost I remain a whisky lover, so my favourite rums are the ones that, indeed, I call ‘the malternatives’, which gather their character from the distillate rather than entirely from the casks or from flavouring.

    5. Any styles you are not so keen on?

    Yes, either the very light and thin ethanol-y ones. Not that they’re bad (they cannot be since there’s nothing inside) but I find them uninteresting, or the flavoured ones, which I just hate. Liqueurs called rum, usually pure ethanol, flavoured with sugar, vanillin, coffee and god knows what else and thickened with glycerol. From a whisky lover’s point of view, those are undrinkable and make you want to reach for your toothbrush (or a lot of crushed ice).. I’m not keen on fake ages and vintages either, or fake provenances etc but that’s another story.

    6. Richard Seale and Luca Gargano are trying to introduce a new classification system? Have you seen the proposals and what are your thoughts?

    Absolutely. I’d leave those issues to genuine rum experts, but I’m rather sure they’re right. It’s a scandal that someone making proper rum would have to compete with fraudsters (sVelier Foursquare 2006 Rum Review by the fat rum pirateome call them brand-builders) who are just cheating and are getting away with that, because the category is so badly regulated.  Or when there are regulations, those aren’t enforced.  Don’t ask me why. Perhaps because money has no smell. But educating people is a tough job, because the vast majority of the people who are commenting on those issues do benefit from the smokescreens and are actually doing their best to discretely keep the fire burning. Salesmen, industry people, brand ambassadors, retailers, commercial journalists, PR people etc.

    Many are great people but they’re everywhere and they do their best to try control the conversations. Although I wouldn’t blame them, they are friendly, they are doing their jobs and they often do them very well. But they are easy to spot, they usually use words such as ‘inquisition’, ‘instant experts’, ‘irrelevant’, ‘white-knight’ or ‘know-nothing’ when talking about you. All words that actually mean ‘ouch, touché!


    7. Do you think rum needs to shed its “Rum is Fun” moniker?

    No ideas, I’m afraid. I’ve never quite been exposed to those ambiances and ideas, and to me rum is just like whisky. Although I’d prefer “Rum is Funk”, and hope it won’t become “Rum is Junk” because of some high-selling monsters that are appealing to the sugar-hungry masses. I know I’m sounding like an elitist, and that ‘each to his own’ and that ‘everyone’s got an opinion and all opinions are equal’ etc. Sure, but opinions ought to be educated, or they sink to the bottom sooner or later.

    8. What is your position on additives, in particular sugar in the rum world?

    A swindle. The worst part is when brands tell that it’s traditional to add cartloads of sugar, while it’s not. I mean, to rum. It’s all fake, and adding the picture of a forgotten hero of the revolucion won’t make your lab ‘rum’ any more authentic.

    9. It is now being suggested that an arguably even more sinister trend is occurring in mass produced rum – 96% ABV “alcohol” and above produced by continuous column distillation being flavoured and passed of as rum when in actual fact it is little more than flavoured ethanol/vodka.  What are your thoughts on this?

    No, I think that’s even less than Vodka. In vodka, the customers knowAn Interview with Serge Valentin rum by the fat rum pirate about what they’re buying, more or less. Not so at all with these rum brands. Seriously, why would good people care so much about what’s in their deep-frozen lasagnas or tinned chickpeas, and not about what’s in their booze? That’s just insane.

    10. Have you noticed a change in attitudes to rum in the past few years?

    Hard to say, because I mainly know whisky people. Not too sure… There is some deception here and there for sure. Former whisky lovers who had turned to rum are now starting to tackle armagnac instead, but that’s still marginal. But it’s true that it’s very difficult to go from Lagavulin to Zacapa. Watch the ebb and flow.

    11. Why is rum eternily in the shadow of Whisky in particular Single Malt Scotch.  Why does the rum industry continually try to push rum producers towards promoting their rums as “Whisky drinkers” rums.  What is it with rums inferiority complex?

    Again hard to say. A theory could be that they know that sooner or later, the category will be better regulated and controlled, at least in the EU or in the US, and that they’ll have to drop their additives, so to speak, making their rums much, much drier than they are today, unless they accept to call them Spiced Rum or Rum Liqueur or something… And not in tiny letters! Rumour has it that it’s going to happen very soon.

    12. If you were to put your name to any distilleries rums which distillery would it be (You can do this for rum and whisky if you wish).  Any particular preference for what you would like to see bottled? ie production method, age etc

    Sure, in theory, pot still rum, not obligatorily ex-vesou/cane juice, with very high esters. Say at least 15g/l like at Hampden Estate. Matured in refill wood for eight or ten years. Chicken and goats in the dunder pits totally optional (lol)..

    As for the distilleries and more generally, Bielle, Neisson, Hampden, Worthy Park, Foursquare, or some of DLL’s, (provided no one added any sugar or other juices to the casks at birth) Oh and Chalong Bay in Thailand, such a shame that, by law, they cannot bottle at more than 40% vol. Superb distillate!Foursquare 2013 Pure Single rum Habitation Velier Rum review by the fat rum pirat

    13.  Back on the subject of Richard and Luca how have you found the recent Habitation Velier releases? Do you think they can ever go beyond the hardcore enthusiast or are they a step too far from many casual rum drinkers.

    I think they are totally right. They’re catching the interest of cohorts of malt whisky drinkers, and rightly so. I think they are also busy educating the public, so they definitely are on the right path, even if they are infuriating many people here and there. It’s a trend that can be seen in wine as well.

    Most rum (or whisky!) brands seem to ignore that premium-ising is not just about adding more gold to the packaging and raising the prices, it’s also about making a better, more transparent product. Remember the peated Islays? You could have wondered about that too thirty years ago.  Many whisky people, not only die-hard aficionados, just love them now and I’d say their audience increased tenfold.

    14. And finally what is Serge Valentin’s favourite rum drink (or just favourite rum)?

    At this very moment, the Jamaicans. Modern Hampden, for example, or old-style Appleton. But they’re also, I believe, the closest to old-school malt whisky. So, no wonder… As for rum drinks, I have no ideas. Perhaps a proper Canchanchara, but that’s because I really like the city of Trinidad in Cuba.

    I hope you have all enjoyed reading Serge’s answers as much I have.  A very interesting, knowedgable character who perhaps has a better nose for rum than many of the so-called experts. 

    Thanks very much for your time Serge!

  • An Interview with Dave Marsland – Manchester Rum Festival

    Bythefatrumpirate

    .An Interview with Dave Marsland - Manchester Rum Festival the fat rum pirateAn Interview with Dave Marsland – Manchester Rum Festival. Much like Peter Holland I could have put any number of monikers after Dave’s name..

    I am producing this interview series to try and keep people who are doing good things in the Rum World, in the public view.

    It’s easy for me to remain in the spotlight as I blog regularly. Unfortunately most people actually working in the industry don’t have time to blog. Some aren’t able to work or have had their livelihoods disrupted considerably during these worrying times.

    Dave has been doing a lot of live streams etc though, to keep busy.

    In 2017 Dave launched Manchester Rum Festival, I actually interviewed him back in 2018 about it ,should you wish to learn more about the event. He has also over the past few years opened a rum themed bar and a Spirits Emporium. As well as repping for Chairman’s Reserve, Rhum Clement and Rhum St. Barth, amongst other things.

    So it is  a shame to see that Drinks Enthusiast, which is Dave’s blog will no longer be updated on a regular basis. It is on a bit of a hiatus as he tends to other things. As you can see he is a busy man!

    Trying to re-organise Manchester Rum Festival is his current priority.

    So lets hear from him

    1. Firstly, please give a brief introduction on yourself and your role in the rum world

    I’ve been working in the world of rum for the last 14 years, first working with Atlantico from Dominican Republic before moving to a primary focus on St Lucia Distillers (Chairman’s Reserve, Bounty and Admiral Rodney) as their ambassador for the last 7 years.

    I also currently work with Rhum Clement and Rhum St Barth and have supported numerous other brands with judging their cocktail competitions or hosting their events, including Havana Club, Goslings, Wood’s, Brugal and El Dorado. In 2017 I opened Riddles Emporium and was nominated for both IWSC and ThinkRum as Independent Retailer of the Year, and 2018 saw Marigot Bay Bar & Café, a Caribbean bar, open in Manchester. In 2017 I created the Manchester Rum Festival to become the largest rum gathering in the north.

    Rhum Clement Vieux Select Barrel Rum Review by the fat rum pirate2. Obviously, COVID-19 has been devastating to the hospitality industry, we cannot avoid this fact, it has had a huge impact on us all. How damaging has it been to your business/role and what have you done to try and minimise this?

    It’s been damaging in regards to the overall sales of St Lucia Distillers and Rhum Clement due to the lack of use within the venues themselves, however with online retailers it has not seen a complete collapse.

    With that, certain activations have been put on hold and others moved forward, including our Chairman’s Spice Lab programme which see’s bartenders complete a written submission to create and produce their own spice rum against 9 other countries. We’ve also taken part in online tastings and showcases, and still on course to release a new expression for Admiral Rodney in June.

    2. What first attracted you to the Rum World? What were your first experiences with rum?

    My first rum experiences came from the pubs drinking Lambs Navy and cola. Since then, and possibly due to me working in bars since I turned 18, I’ve encountered many more expressions that I still love today, including Chairman’s Reserve, Gosling’s, Myers and Havana Club.

    3. How do you think the Rum World has changed over the past 5 years? Where do you see the Rum World in another 5 years? Where would you like to be in 5 years?

    It’s changed for the better I’d say, with consumers asking more questions about what they are drinking, the provenance of the rum itself, recommended serving suggestions etc. The chance to explore more has helped, similar to the boom in gin several years ago.

    An Interview with Dave Marsland - Manchester Rum Festival the fat rum pirateI’d say in 5 years time that there will be a rise in British based rums and companies, although a level-out of the flavoured rum category. For me personally, I’ll still be in the rum trade with St Lucia Distillers and making sure Manchester Rum Festival is on par with the likes of RumFest London and other international festivals!

    4. What is your stance on additives in rum? Would you like to see more Universal Regulation?

    Yes. Label and marketing transparency is a must to remove the cheek that some rum brands think they can get away with. However, personally the only way to do such would be by country to country. Similar to the whisky industry, whisky from Scotland has its regulations, Ireland are different. America is different again. Yet all 3 create whisk(e)y as a category.

    There’s AOC in Martinique, Barbados are in talks on their own GI, which are great starts and can regulate how some of the bigger rum producer countries can label their rum with more transparency, whether pure or flavoured. Here in the UK though, as an example, the use of flavours needs a regulation so to be similar to what is already coming in from the likes of Barbados, St Lucia, Jamaica etc. So not to confuse customers, but of course identifiable that the rum has been adulterated in the UK and a list of with what.

    For me it should be fresh spices and flavours only, and still hit the 37.5% abv mark. Anything less, in my mind, should be a ‘flavoured spirit’, and depending on the amount of added sugar, a rum liqueur or crème.

    5. Speaking of rules and regulations what is your opinion on the current issues over the Barbados/Jamaica rum GI proposals?

    Rum from either country should be produced from cane to bottle (where possible on the cane, I understand not every distillery has their own sugar cane fields to use). If you take a finished product and take it to another country for continental ageing or adulterate it with added flavours, then it’s no longer solely the country of origin that should be stated.

    In my mind, you can’t call a Jamaican rum ‘product of Jamaica’ if it’s been produced and aged in Jamaica, then aged further in the US with added spices. That to me is a Jamaican/US blended flavoured rum.

    6. How do you view your role within the Rum World? What do you hope to “bring” to the rum community? Do you reach out beyond your day job in rum?

    I’ve earned recognition over the years but I think that’s down to the role in proving that rum brands should invest in the north of England too. Whether through my Manchester Rum Festival or product launches / events / cocktail competitions etc. I have a focus on St Lucia Distillers, Rhum Clement and Rhum St Barth. I will never discount helping and supporting the rum category as a whole.  Especially when it comes to consumer focused activities. I’ve been called the Ian Burrell of the North, which is humbling.

    7. Do you actively use Social Media to reach out with other Rum Drinkers and Enthusiasts? If so where might we find you?

    Of course! I’m a member of a whole host of rum groups on Facebook and follow many bloggers, brands and bars. Where I share updates on Manchester Rum Festival and my new ‘Rum on the Couch’ video series. Plus sharing anything I feel is useful to grow the rum category itself, whether cocktail recipes, videos or events that viewers should get themselves involved with.

    As ‘Drinks Enthusiast’, I’m in a lucky position to have grown my business through a growth period not just rum, but in spirits as a whole. So conversations with fellow industry folk, bloggers, media personalities etc is now a norm. Looking back, it would have been a lot harder when I first started in this industry to communicate with others as quickly as we do now.

    8. Which rum producers are your current favourites?

    St Lucia Distillers by far. I do love the products from Rhum Clement and Rhum St. Barth, Hampden Estate, Appleton Estate, Mount Gay and Gosling’s.

    9. Which rum producers/brands do you think are currently flying under the radar? Name 3 rums people may not have tried but really should give a go

    St Nicholas Abbey is underrated by far. Their 60% ABV Overproof White Rum is a cracker. I’ve become a fan of Mauritius based rums over the last couple of years. With New Grove and Bougainville a must to sit down and experience.

    10. Finally, what is your idea of the perfect rum and/or rum drink/cocktail?

    Straight in a crystal cut glass. Doesn’t matter what the expression is, just give it to me as it comes!

    If I were to have a cocktail though, the Spiced Negroni works for me. Equal measures Chairman’s Reserve Spiced, Campari and Velvet Falernum.

    So there we have it. Dave’s take on the current situation and his views and opinions on the future of r(h)um.

    I am especially pleased that we have Dave “Up North” – he sometimes even visits Newcastle! The Manchester Rum Festival has been a particular welcome addition to the Rum Calendar over the past few years. I sincerely hope Dave continues to have success with that. He has done some great things for Rum in Manchester for sure.

    Should anyone wish to follow Dave’s “Rum on the Couch” video series and his other activities in the Rum World then you could do worse than join The UK Rum Club as he updates us regularly there.

    And on that shameless plug we’ll call it a day!

    Cheers for reading

    An Interview with Dave Marsland - Manchester Rum Festival the fat rum pirate

     

     

     

     

  • When is Rum not a Rum?

    Bythefatrumpirate

    10 Essential Bottles of RumRecently there was a debate at Tales of the Cocktail.  The debate centered around “When is rum not a rum?”.

    Basically it was a discussion between those who add sugar (and/or other additives) and those who are very much against the practice.  This got me thinking about a subject which is very close to my heart.

    The overall standard and practices used by professional and non-professional spirits writers.

    Reasons for “Blogging”

    When I set up this blog back in 2014 I did it for a few reasons.

    My first reason was a way of documenting and remembering my experiences with rum.  It would be for my own enjoyment and reflection in years to come.  It was a way of keeping those bottles of rums safe somewhere.  Without actually physically having to keep them all.  Much to my wife’s relief.

    My second reason was the lack of regularly updated or dedicated Rum Review websites.  Compared to Whisky – Rum really does have very little presence on the net.  I felt that if I produced a website, it would actually get looked at.  Rather than become one of many thousands that are largely ignored in the Whisky world.

    My third and final reason was linked to my second reason.  I felt as a consumer first and foremost, some of the advice and guidance being handed out on some of these websites was questionable.  That is being kind.  I also noticed a lot of positive reviews and very few negative ones.

    One of the first things I noticed about the Rum Community when I “joined up” and published the site back in 2014, was the friendliness.  A number of other bloggers were keen to welcome me.  The mantra “rum is fun” was very much in place.

    This may not seem a bad thing and in many ways it’s not.  Unfortunately it is this very mantra which continues to drag the category down.  It is partly why rum continues to be a bit of a joke in the spirits world.  It’s a party mixer to get drunk with.  With everyone being friendly and welcoming it seemed no questions were being asked.  On any level.  No one seemed to want to rock the boat.

    The Rum world suffers, as most spirits do from global multi nationals marketing and pricing strategies.  These multi nationals can pay to enter all manner of competitions (even set some up theselves).  Then market their rums quite freely as Gold Medal winning rum etc.  Some brands have become so intrinsically linked to certain Rumfests that it is difficult to take the awards seriously.  They can also demand premium shelf space in stores and even prevent competitors rums from being sold or displayed in stores or bars.

    Angostura 5 Year Old Rum Review by the fat rum pirateIndustry Samples

    These companies are also free to give out samples to the industry.  Now bloggers receiving samples and their impartiality is a private matter.  I personally don’t think it is possible to be 100% impartial.  Others have suggested they can.  What is clear though once you start scratching beneath the surface of all these reviews, is how bad some of the sample led ones are.

    Take for example Papa’s Pilar Dark 24.  I slammed this as it has little resemblance to rum. Run a quick google search and it will draw up a whole host of positive reviews.  Read and compare the notes.  Ask yourself – how many of these “experts” are really knowledgeable about rum?

    Which may sound rather big-headed of me.  Who the hell am I to be calling out bad reviews? Well, I don’t even believe I am calling out bad reviews.  I’m calling out marketing.  A lot of these so called reviews are not reviews.  The reviewer hasn’t spent much time with their promotional bottle.  They’ve been given some marketing blurb to re-gurgitate and they have set about their task.  Most of the time they don’t even score the rum. They just give a whole host of nice sounding tasting notes.  Which to be fair you could easily do with most rum – good or bad.

    The practice stinks and the average consumer deserves a lot better than to be duped by such nonsense.

    Hydrometer Tests

    Despite the very real situation back in 2014 that rum was being altered and adulterated very few website owners acknowledged the fact.  Even fewer had adopted the Hydrometer Test Method, as advocated by Johnny Drejer of Drecon.dk.

    imagePersonally, once I realised how simple and inexpensive these tests were it struck me as a no brainer to test all the rums I reviewed.  Why? Because you can never know enough about rum and you will rarely be told by the industry.

    It makes sense to me to understand as much about the spirit of rum as possible.  Granted the Hydrometer Tests do not tell everything but they do offer an invaluable insight.

    Now some had spoke out about his adulteration.  Perhaps the most (in)famous of these is Capn Jimbo of the Rum Project.  Unfortunately the Capn was overzealous and rather repetitive in his criticisms of the practice.  Rather than influence or engage he basically just pissed a lot of people off.  He did and continues to make a lot of very good points.  Unfortunately he has influenced too few people.  In many respects he has probably caused more people to dig their heels in against his opinions.

    As I write, now in 2016 more Rum Reviewers are commenting on added sugar and conducting Hydrometer Tests on their collections.  However, a lot remain very quiet on the subject.

    So you might well still be wondering “When is rum not a rum?”.  Well it’s certainly a very difficult and contentious question.

    From my viewpoint. I am someone who wants to help people make good choices when buying rum. So perhaps to answer the question of “When is rum not a rum?” we need to approach it from a slightly different angle.

    What is Good Rum?

    The Real McCoy 12 year old rum review by the fat rum pirateRum is a distillate derived from sugar cane or sugar cane juice.  It is distilled in either pot or column stills.  To remain a rum it should not be distilled to the point whereby it becomes ethyl alcohol or neutral spirit.  Typically this is at around 95% but many have suggested it should be lower to maintain the character of the spirit – around 85% maximum.

    Once the rum comes off the still it should be aged in good quality, empty (not unwashed) oak barrels.  It can be matured in a variety of barrels and a “finish” can be applied – again in barrels which do not contain other spirits or alcohols.

    Once aged for the necessary period deemed by the distiller the rum should be bottled and/or blended with other rum.

    If you have distilled and aged the rum in this manner you will have a good quality spirit called Rum.

    It really should be that simple.  Any flavour beyond the original distillate will be provided by the maturation period in the oak. Simple.

    If you are reviewing rum then you should be able to identify rum which has been produced in this way.  You should be familiar with the “true spirit” you are writing about.  You should over time be able to identify tastes, flavours and smells that have perhaps been added.  This is the very tricky part.

    Benchmarks

    I always use benchmarks of good rums for the majority of  rum styles.  These might not necessarily be the best rum in the style but they are all of a certain standard.  They represent a spirit which is at the very least “good”.

    For Jamaican and Bajan rum this has proved a very uncomplicated choice.  Pretty much anything from Appleton Estate and Foursquare are good starters.  For more “funky” Jamaican rums then J Wray and Nephews White Overproof offers a good example of that “niche”.  At the same time Hampden Gold or Smith & Cross offer  an introduction to high ester Jamaican rum.

    For Bajan rum I can also call upon Mount Gay Extra Old and Cockspur Fine Rum as solid examples of the style.  One a sipper one an inexpensive mixer.

    For Navy Rum it’s fairly straightforward and all must be judged against the standards set by Pusser’s Gunpowder proof (54.5% ABV).

    As examples of white rum I use Don Q Cristal, Charman’s Reserve White Label and Appleton White.

    Unfortunately due to the amount of adulteration and unspoken of practices in rum it gets rather tricky after this.

    El Dorado 15 Year Old Special Reserve Rum by the fat rum pirate reviewDemerara Rum – It’s quite difficult to get unsweetened Demerara especially at the lower mixing end of things.  As a result my standards for Demerara include both sweetened and unsweetened.  El Dorado 8 and 15 for sweetened rums.  Woods Navy Rum (it is purely Demerara despite being sold as Navy rum) and Cadenheads Classic Rum for the unsweetened rums.  If I am reviewing an expensive Demerara around the £100 mark for example then Velier’s rums will set the benchmark.

    Cuban/Spanish Style Rum – I tend to use Havana Club 7 and Seleccion de Maestro as benchmarks for this style.

    Premium Rum – I use Premium rum as an example of a style but in reality it is more adultered rum than anything else.  I’m not keen on this “style” of rum.  Ron Zacapa and Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva are examples of this style.  It’s difficult really to see these kinds of spirit as rum.

    As you can see it does get difficult and confusing.  I can’t even go into every style of rum as I would be on all day!  It’s bit of minefield really.

    Will I downscore a rum solely based on added sugar (or other suspected additives?

    My answer is that I won’t mark the rum down solely because it has added sugar.  However if the added sugar detracts from what would have been the original spirit in a negative way.  The best example I can think of is Plantation Jamaica 2001.  In that the original taste, flavour and texture of the distillate has been lost – then yes, I will down score it.

    Likewise if a rum is obscured so much by added sugar and additives that it displays no or little resemblance to rum – it won’t score well as a rum.  I’m reviewing rum not liqueurs.

    Ron ZacapaWhich brings me round to my final point.  I mentioned already that when reviewing rum you can never know enough about the spirit.  Knowledge of the spirit of rum and how it should taste is key.  It’s vital to understand and at least try to determine when a rum has been adulterated.

    It Tastes Nice…..

    In my opinion it is simply not acceptable to review rum based solely on something tasting nice.  To many this may sound a little strange.  Surely reviewers should review based on how they enjoy the rum?

    I would say yes undoubtedly reviewers should base their opinions on how much they enjoy the rum.  If however they cannot taste or determine any rum in the bottle then they should make this abundantly clear.  As mentioned already rum is a very diverse spirit.  Some of this diversity is due to production methods, climate, ageing, blending etc and some of this diversity is due to additives to the base spirit.  If these additives detract from the original base spirit – it should be noted.

    This is a very tricky area for a rum reviewer.  I will state now that I cannot 100% vouch that I could identify every rum which has been altered.  I doubt I could even vouch 90%.  However, what I am trying to do is learn and understand the true spirit of rum.  I can’t test for additives such as glycerine but I am learning how it feels in the mouth.

    What I can do however is recognise what should be present in certain rums.  If a rum has been aged for any prolonged period then it should exhibit some oak, particularly on the nose.  It then comes down to understanding the various styles a Jamaican rum should be more punchy and funky – big notes of bruised banana and other overripe fruits.

    A Bajan rum when done well should be nicely balanced with vanilla and gentle oaked notes.  Rums of a Spanish origin (Cuban rums for example) should be lighter more delicate with often a tobacco’ed note.  Unfortunately many Spanish style rums do have wine/vermouth etc added to them.  Cuban rum by law is permitted to have 20 g/L of sugar added.  Which again makes things more difficult.  No one ever said it was easy.

    If rum continues to be heralded because it is sweet and tastes nice – step forward Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva, Ron Zacapa, Pyrat XO and Ron Millonario XO then the category will not move forward.

    Holsten Pils Dennis LearyThe whole “smooth and sweet” basis of reviewing rum needs to stop.  Rum is not sweet because it is distilled from sugar cane.  It is exactly the same as any other spirit.  The sugar turns to alcohol.  Didn’t anyone pay attention to Dennis Leary’s 1990’s Holsten Pils adverts?

    If a rum is smooth and sweet – then I want to know why.  Rum can be sweet.  When finishes are applied to rum – in the case of Foursquare’s Port Cask Finish.  It can also be relatively smooth.  However you are drinking (at least) 37.5% ABV liquor – if it doesn’t give you at least a little kick – there’s something up.

    Ron Millonario XO for example is not a smooth and sweet rum.  It is a sweetened and highly doctored “rum”.  The rum in this product is non-existent.  It’s been masked beyond all recognition.

    Any reviewer worth their salt should recognise this.  Unfortunately many either cannot or more worryingly choose not to.  I do not have anywhere near as much knowledge as I would like but I will continue to seek out information and improve, wherever possible.

  • Beach Craft Spirits

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Beach Craft Spirits Rum by the fat rum pirateBeach Craft Spirits – Crowdfunding in the Rum World.

    A husband and wife team are opening a coastal based rum distillery.  It will be the first in Scotland to offer crowdfunding.

    David and Lara Beach aim to raise £65,000 by the end October. To begin their dream of owning and operating what will be only the second craft rum distillery in the country.

    Beach Craft Spirits – named after themselves but also their passion for the Moray coast where they live – will be based on the coastline near to their Hopeman home.

    David and Lara are crowdfunding to generate the money needed. Without resorting to bank loans and credit cards.  If successful they hope the distillery will be operational by next Spring.

    As part of the crowdfunding campaign, Beach Craft Spirits is offering five different exclusive benefits packages for investors.  Ranging from £50 to £1000.
    Investors that donate a minimum of £50 will receive a launch party ticket and a 500ml Bottle of Spiced Rum.

    Those putting in the top level of funding of £1000 will get a launch party ticket, will be able to turn distiller for the day and will personally bottle a 700ml of the spiced and intense rums.  They will also be given a three year old aged rum in a specially crafted driftwood presentation box, a t-shirt, samples bottles of new flavours, branded glasses, a hoodie, six rum stones and an exclusive 36 Knots beanie in the Beach Craft colours.

    There are only 30 of the top-tier options available.

    Beach Craft Spirits rum by the fat rum pirateLara Beach said: “We are so excited about launching the crowdfunding and we hope that people will understand our ethos and want to become part of the Beach Craft Spirits journey. It has been so busy the last few months, trying to get this up and running. We have sold what we can of our own to get started and we are now ready to move to the next stage. We want to people who have a passion for spirits and of course, in particular rum to get involved. The craft gin market exploded onto the scene a couple of years ago and craft rum is going to emulate this success”

    David who has a degree in brewing and distilling with 16 years’ experience in the drinks industry, latterly working for Diageo, added: “There is an abundance of local gin distilleries popping up all over Scotland and the United Kingdom offering people a wide range of choice of gins with exciting flavours. The rum market is completely different and is dominated by the mainstream players. We will be proud to become only the second rum distillery in Scotland.”

    He added: “Morayshire is also a fantastic hub for craft produce. It already supports five craft breweries, and two craft gin distilleries all within the heart of whisky country. Such support for new and exciting produce, sets Beach Craft Spirits in a prime position for the rum sector in this area.”

    Once operational, Beach Craft Spirits intend to launch a trio of rums.  A spiced rum, a sloe rum and an intense rum which will be a unique blend of fruit, coffee and liquorice.
    The company plans to use local suppliers and companies to ensure the best quality of ingredients.  As well as specially selected cane molasses which will be distilled in purpose made copper stills.Beach Craft Spirits rum by the fat rum pirate

    David added: “This is not a pipe dream or some pie in the sky idea. It has been well thought out and researched. Forecasts show that craft rum sales will explode in the same way as gin has, hence our strapline, ‘It’s a Shore Thing.’
    “Our goal is to create a range of drinks that encompass the beach lifestyle. Beach may be our name, but it’s also where we feel most at home. Our spirits are aimed at people who have a similar vision to us, who like to work hard, but play hard too.”

    To find out more about Beach Craft Spirits visit: www.beachcraftspirits.co.uk. There is also a promotional video available on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKlKvCX-12s

     

  • Rum of the Month July 2015

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Rum of the Month. The Fat Rum Pirate.Following your feedback we have decided to introduce a Rum of the Month.  Every month we will trawl the archives and select a rum which has scored between 3 and 5 stars (Good to Superb). As well as posting the original review we will also give the reason behind the selection.  It may have some relevance to the particular month or it may just be an old bottle I re-discovered in back of the drinks cabinet.

     

     

    July 2015 Captain Bligh XO Reserve RumOur rum of the month for July is this vastly underrated and sadly overlooked rum from the Caribbean Island of St Vincent.  Very similar to a Bajan style rum Captain Bligh has a slightly more spicier profile which adds an extra layer of complexity to the mix. Available for less than £30 and a truly great sipper or mixer.  This was one of the first reviews back in December on the new look site.  However, this style of rum is really better suited to the summer time.  To read the original review just click on the photo.  Enjoy

     

     

    June 2015 Havana Club Seleccion de Maestros rum review by the fat rum pirateRum of the Month for June really is a no-brainer.  With your truly taking part in Havana Clubs Iconia Collection Twitter Tasting it seemed timely that I should give one of their premium offerings the spotlight. A purchase I very nearly didn’t make in an airport departure lounge in Cyprus but an inspired pick after all. A great sipping rum which should be the perfect foil for these lovely summer evenings we’ll soon (not) be having here in the UK.  This is great paired with a cigar (so I’m told).  Click on the picture to read the original review.

     

     

    May 2015 Rum of the Month for May 2015 is the multiple award winning El Dorado 15 Year OldEl Dorado 15 Year Old Special Reserve Rum by the fat rum pirate review Special Reserve.  A sweet Demerara treat which is wonderful sipped on its own or mixed in premium cocktails.  Whilst the no added sugar crowd may turn their noses up at this rum (due to the added sugar levels) I am still of the opinion that a lot of enjoyment can still be gained from this wonderful rum.  At under £50 this is a rum any rum aficionado should at least try. Click on the image to read the original review.

     

     

     

    Myers's Rum Original Dark Rum Review by fatrumpirate fat rum pirateApril 2015 This month’s rum of the month hails from Jamaica.  Myers’s is up there with Gosling’s Black Seal and Cruzan Blackstrap Rum in terms of internationally recognised “Dark Rum”.  Myers’s is a delicious Pot Still Jamaican rum which gains its deep rich colour partly from the re-introduction of dark molasses following distillation.  It is in many ways a typical Jamaican rum but the extra molasses gives this rum an extra layer of intensity and a more treacly flavour.  Good on its own but excellent when mixed in cocktails and makes a fantastic rum and cola.  Enjoy!  Click on the image to read the original review.

    R L Seale's 10 Year Old Barbados RumMarch 2015 Rum of the Month for March was a bit of a no brainer.  It was just a case as to which of Foursquare’s offerings we would select. In the end we went for the one in the funny bottle the flagship R L Seale’s 10 Year Old. A Bajan classic.  A lesson in rum making if ever there was one.  Dry, oaky and spicy this is a truly great rum. Click on the image to read the full review

    Rum of the Month February 2015. La Hechicera.
    Rum of the Month February 2015. La Hechicera.

     

    February 2015 Our rum of the month for February was a pretty easy decision.  With Valentines Day looming on the 14th of February, we felt it fitting that our rum of the month should be La Hechicera (The Enchantress in Spanish).  I am sure that anyone who encounters this excellent Colombian rum with be enchanted by its deep rich flavour and beautiful aroma. Click on the image to read the full review

    Rum of the Month January 2015. Chairmans Reserve.
    Rum of the Month January 2015. Chairmans Reserve.

     

     

     

    January 2015 For January 2015 we have decided that the one of rums that started our journey towards creating thefatrumpirate.com would be the debut Rum of the Month.  So step forward Chairman’s Reserve.  Possibly the most mentioned rum on the website ever! Value for money, availability and great presentation (you have to love the stubby Chairman’s bottle) give way to a fantastic and authentic Caribbean mixer…..please enjoy a bottle this coming month. Click on the image to read the full review.

  • The World of Independent Bottlings

    Bythefatrumpirate

    imageThe rum world is a confusing one.  When you first get into rum or begin a “Rum Journey” as many say, the rum world is very confusing.

    After trying a few different styles/brands you’ll start digging around stores and the  Internet for new experiences. You will begin noticing strange bottlings by companies that seem to go beyond the usual brand structures.

    Most rum brands will produce r(h)ums from a specific location or locations.  For instance Don Q’s output is from Puerto Rico.  Most recognisable “brands” don’t produce or distribute rums from a variety of locations or in a variety of styles.  For example Appleton Estate deal in Jamaican rum, Foursquare deal in solely Bajan rum and Havana Club deal solely in Cuban “ron” (unless of course you count Bacardi’s “Havana Club” effort).

    Bacardi International and Diageo’s output with numerous brands such as Ron Zacapa, Captain Morgan etc are the big “commercial” bottling operations in the rum world.  They do produce rums in a variety of styles and from various locations but they are (mostly) all branded very differently and with very distinct idenitites.

    Independent bottlers are found mostly in Europe (Samaroli, Cadenhead’s and Silver Seal are all good examples).  So what do these “Independent bottlers” offer and what is the difference between them and “commercial” or “non independent” bottlers?

    Well firstly, you could argue there are even two kinds of Independent bottlers.  There are those such as Velier and Cadenhead’s who release mostly unblended rums or rums of the same origin in limited quantities.  Then there are those who release a continuously released brand name.

    An example of this would be Elements 8 rum who release a Gold and Silver St Lucia rum which they get direct from St Lucia Distillers.  Another example would be The Duppy Share who release a branded rum which is made up of Worthy Park and Foursquare rums.  Just to make things even more complicated the likes of Cadenhead’s and Velier also occasionally release their own blended rums such as their Classic Rum (Cadenhead’s) and Papalin (Velier).Independent Bottlers rum by the fat rum pirate

    For the purposes of this article, I am focusing on Independent bottlers (well I’m trying to) such as Velier, Samaroli, Bristol Classic Rum etc.  Not the blended one off “brand” names.  Though I’ve no doubt there will be further crossovers.

    Perhaps the most recognisable “Independent” bottler are Plantation, however they have become such a recognisable brand in their own right they are rarely seen in this light.  The added sugar debate has not helped their cause in this respect either.

    Independent bottlers can obtain their rums in a couple of ways.

    They can source their rums via brokers – Dutch super broker EH Scheer are a well known source for what is known as bulk rum.  Bulk rum is sold by distilleries to the brokers.  It is then either blended with other rums for 3rd party products (as mentioned earlier) or it is sold as is to Independent bottlers – which is what I am trying to focus on.  A lot of rum sales are to independent bottlers who then choose how to age and when to release the rum.

    Some Independent bottlers have developed relationships with certain distilleries and actually visit and hand select particular barrels.  Mezan are one such operation who do this whenever possible.  Until recently Velier/Luca Gargano also did this to enable him to select the very best Demerara rum.  Having a financial interest in DDL was an advantage as well.  As we have seen with the recent El Dorado Rare Collection this will no longer be the case.

    So now we’ve established what we are talking about I’ll let you know why I’ve decided to write a piece on Independent Bottlers.

    In short its the prices of these bottlings and the confusion and disappointment it seems to cause people.

    I’ll give a simple example.

    In the UK you can easily pick up a bottle of Rum Sixty Six by Foursquare for around £35.  It is a 12 Year Old blended Bajan rum. Alternatively you can visit Berrys’ Bros and Rudd and pay £59 for a 10 Year Old Bajan Rum.  Or you can go that extra mile and fork out in excess of £100 for a 10 Year Old Bajan rum from Silver Seal.  All of which come from the same distillery – Foursquare.

    So what exactly are you paying for? Well, here is where you really need to do your research and have a good think about why you are buying the pricier rums in the first place.  Before parting with your hard earned cash I would consider the following.

    Diamond 1999ABV

    Alcohol by Volume is the % strength of the spirit in the bottle. This is key for a couple of reasons.

    Most commercial bottlings are released at between 37.5 and 43% ABV, few are higher which means in the Independent world you may find you get more for your (extra) money.  Diluting a cask strength spirit with water to your own tastes increases how much “rum” you get out of the bottle.

    The higher the ABV the more likely you are to be getting something at “Cask Strength” or simply a rum straight from the barrel.  An Independent bottling coming in at between 40 and 46% ABV will not be Cask Strength, it will have been watered down to what the bottler often believes is the optimum drinking strength.  The more cynical amongst us will also note this also increases the profitability of the spirit.  It also increases the amount of bottles per release.  Which will be our next consideration.

    Number of Bottles

    Unfortunately this information isn’t always available.  If you are considering paying say £100 for a independent bottling then I personally would want it to be a pretty limited release.  One of the keys to buying independent bottlings is the fact you are paying for something which is rare.  Certainly rarer than a commercial bottling anyway.  It’s still nice to know how limited it is though.

    So I would always try and find out how much of the stuff is out there before you commit.  It’s not uncommon for numerous Independent bottlers to release the same rum.

    Caroni Trinidad rum review the fat rum pirate VelierHeritage

    Where the rum hails from should also influence your purchase.  Firstly make sure you enjoy this particular style of rum – don’t go buying a £150 Jamaican Long Pond or Hampden State if you can’t stand Smith & Cross.

    You might also consider it important to seek out rums which are no longer available commercially like Caroni for example or hard to find rarer examples of “rum” such as the Clairin’s from Haiti released by Velier.

    Another point you may wish to note is trying examples of rum which aren’t released commercially.  The Demerara Rum’s released by Velier, Bristol Classic Rum and Cadenhead’s are very, very different from the El Dorado range.  Likewise you may find rums from the likes of Guatemala or Belize are very different before they have been turned into Ron Zacapa or Travellers One Barrel.

    Rarity

    We’ve already touched upon this with Number of Bottles and Heritage.  Having said that there is still a lot to consider when deciding on the rarity of things.

    If you fortunate to live in a part of the world which still has an abundance of Off Licences or “Liquor Stores” – then you might come across all kinds of weird and wonderful old bottlings on your travels.  Dusty bottles that have long been on the shelf and have been overlooked by the Captain Morgan and Coke crowd.  You may never see these bottles again and often the store has made no attempt to update the prices – meaning you bag a bargain!

    Blending

    Often but not always Independent bottlings are a single rum – not a blend for example of Pot and Column Distilled rum.  Quite regularly you will find yourself getting a pot still only rum.  Many people consider these to be the best and purest of rum.

    So you are getting something which the distillery would never release.  The costs associated with producing Pot Still rum is higher than column – another factor which may influence the price you pay.

    imageAge

    As mentioned previously a lot of this rum is not tropically aged for the larger part of its existence.  Very often it is aged in Europe in particularly Scotland.

    European ageing versus tropical ageing is not an argument for me over which is best but it is a huge influence on the final product.  A Bristol Classic Rum Demerara is very different from a Velier.

    Different not better! (Not always anyway)

    Also Independent bottlers often age their rums longer than commercial bottlers – so it is not uncommon to see 25 year plus Independent bottlings.  Some bottlers age rums from seemingly strange time periods such as 13 years.  Which seem a bit random but maybe they select them at just the right time.

    For those who collect music or are avid fans of particular bands I would liken buying Independent bottlings to live bootlegs.  They can look very bright and flashy with all the right photography and sleeve notes but the sound quality is an audience tape.

    You never quite know what you are getting until you actually try the juice inside.  All independent bottlers have the odd “bad” rum.  It is also true that some Independent bottlers add sugar or even wine to their rums – just like commercial operations.

    There are some Independent bottlings which resemble the commercial product so much they are not really worth the extra cash.  There are also some Independent bottlings that go so far from the tried and tested line, that they are virtually undrinkable!

    The whole concept of buying Independent bottlings is a process which I don’t think anyone should rush.  There is a lot of very very good rum released by commercial bottlers (more arguably than most of us could ever taste).  If you are going to dip your toe into this murky world I would only do it once you have exhausted the commercial bottlings of a particular distillery or if you see something that is really very different to what you have tried/or is available commercially.

    The one thing I will say is that a £100 12 year old Bajan rum is not 3 times better than a £35 Bajan rum.  More often than not in many ways you could argue you are getting an inferior product because the rum often hasn’t been tropically aged for anything near the 12 years.

    What you do get however and this is what you need to consider – is something perhaps very different from the norm.

    For the most part in this article I have mentioned “older” Independents such as Cadenhead’s and Velier.  In the past few years a number of newer bottlers have sprung up whose rums also are worthy of investigation.

    compagnie-des-indes-barbados-four-square-16yo-singMezan in particular offer exceptional value for money with their bottlings averaging around the £30 mark (in keeping with this article note the ABV on the Mezan’s is low 40%).

    Compagnie des Indes have released an eclectic  range of rums from all around the Caribbean at again pretty reasonable prices which average out at the around £60 mark.

    Whisky bottler Hunter-Laing have also recently released their own “Kill Devil” series which has a number of different Caribbean and Central American expressions.

    Commercial distillers such as Foursquare and DDL (riding on the back of Velier’s orginal experiment sadly) have taken note of higher ABV limited releases which seems to be what a lot of more seasoned rum drinkers want to see.

    So it would seem that these bottlings are getting more and more popular.  As Richard Seale would say “Drink what you like, but know what you are paying for”.  I hope in that respect this article may be useful to you all.

    Cheers.

     

     

3 Comments

  2. Per your reference of the discussion of Seales and Plantation at the Project, wherein Richard was widely quoted. Its worth clarification that the notion that Seales supplies Plantation (who uses sugar) is somehow hypocritical is a completely made up and greatly exaggerated “issue”. As Richard made crystal clear in our discussion, although Seales does sell some bulk rum, NONE of it is sold directly to Plantation, but rather to a well known middleman from whom any of us can buy bulk. Richard remains absolutely firm that any rum he makes, or is labeled “Distilled by Foursquare” must be absolutely pure, no sugar or unlabeled additives or flavors of any kind, not to mention a completely honest and transparent statement of age (of the youngest rum in the bottle). I know of no Plantation rum that claims “distilled by Foursquare”, case closed.

    I believe this issue was raised by a competitive rep, and was not at all well intended and should be considered for what it is. A cheap shot.

    The point:

    1. Your quote seems to have cut off Jimbo please feel free to add the remainder.

      RIchard answered all the questions I posed. He had no problem with the question.

      Thanks for your interest

Comments are closed.