Barbados Distillers unite in push for a GI – Press Release
BARBADOS DISTILLERS UNITE IN PUSH FOR A GI
Mount Gay, Foursquare and Saint Nicholas Abbey have jointly agreed on a Geographical Indication for Barbados Rum as prepared by the Barbados Industrial Development Corporation (BIDC) in consultation with its legal counsel. The three distillers are the largest bottlers of Barbados Rum and together hold over 90% of the island’s aged reserves.
A Geographical Indication means that a product’s “given quality, reputation or other characteristic…is essentially attributable to its geographic origin.” Under EU spirits regulations, “a name shall only be protected” if the production steps which give it this quality and reputation “take place in the relevant Geographic area.”
Under the GI, Barbados Rum will be required to be matured in Barbados as the climate of maturation has a defining impact on the nature of a spirit.
“The value of rum increases as it matures. We cannot afford the loss of forex earnings by letting this production step happen outside of Barbados” – Larry Warren, proprietor, Saint Nicholas Abbey.
The Barbados GI gives ample room for innovation. There are no restrictions on the type of stills used, long and short fermentation techniques are allowed, and either fresh juice, syrup or molasses may be used. Any yeast may be used, but non saccharomyces strains must be native.
“At Foursquare we have gained a reputation for innovation. I am happy to say the Barbados GI places no restrictions on our rum making methods.” – Richard Seale, proprietor, Foursquare Distillery.
Unlike nearby volcanic Islands, Barbados is an Island of coral limestone with underground aquifers. Barbados is famous for the quality of its water and the GI retains a requirement for the use of Barbados water to make Barbados Rum.
“Till this day, Mount Gay uses the same water sourced from our centuries’ old well to make our Rum” – Raphael Grisoni, Managing Director, Mount Gay Rum.
To protect the quality and reputation of Barbados Rum, maturation must be in new oak or in refill casks from a list of recognised wine and spirit denominations. Age statements must refer to the youngest spirit. Vats are not acceptable for age statements. To protect the integrity of Barbados Rum, the addition of sugar syrup and flavourings is prohibited; however, caramel colour under strict guidelines, will be allowed for consistency.
The fourth major distillery in Barbados – West Indies Rum Distillery – is primarily a bulk producer of non aged rum acquired by Maison Ferrand in 2017. Ferrand has appealed directly to the political leadership of Barbados to overturn the work of the BIDC and has demanded to mature Barbados Rum outside of Barbados in wooden vats and to sweeten Barbados Rum with added sugar syrup. The former request would violate the EU’s requirement for production steps to take place within the protected geographic area.
There is no restriction against making non-compliant rums. Under EU Spirits Regulations, a Barbados distillate matured in France and sweetened using sugar syrup, or any other sweetening agent, would acquire French provenance.
A similar conflict is occurring in Jamaica where NRJ, (partly owned by Ferrand) is demanding to sweeten Jamaican Rum with added sugar syrup, a practice prohibited in Jamaica by statute since the 1930s. The other Jamaican distilleries stand in opposition to the change.
Kill Devil Barbados Aged 14 Years. Another Kill Devil rum from Hunter Laing and another Single Blended rum from the Foursquare Distillery, Barbados.
A 2005 Guyana vintage from Plantation distilled on the iconic Port Mourant pot still.
Plantation’s rums are undergoing a bit of a makeover. Bottles of this rum have been appearing which are as pictured. I’m not entirely sure if the “juice” is exactly the same. It likely isn’t the exact same “batch”. I doubt though it will be very different. Some of Plantation’s rums are very much the same year on year.
Plantation Haiti XO. A Single Cask bottling for the Mercury Bar. The Mercury Bar is a bar/restaurant in London W4 as far as I am aware anyway. It could be a number of other places all around the world. Until I’m told otherwise I’ll stick with the one in London.
The Duchess are a recent addition to the numerous independent bottlers of rum here in Europe. Hailing from the Netherlands they are fronted up by Nils Van Rijn.
Santiago de Cuba is a Cuban rum brand named after the city of Santiago. A green mountain range named “Sierra Maestra”, the golden sun and the Caribbean Sea characterise the landscape around the city of Santiago. The landscape can be found in the brands logo.
Sipping the rum is a surprisingly smooth if slightly underwhelming experience. It has a little bit of tobacco or leather but it is mainly just a very neutral tasting spirit. It’s not rough or harsh. You could almost mistake this for a vodka albeit a slightly sweet one.
Going against the GI would be like taking away all the time and effort of experimentation and creativity of the distillation/cooperage processes that has given the world top quality rum. Why shouldn’t the producers get what they deserve? After all, Richard Seale has done more than most for the rum world with the classification of rum, and continuously releasing exciting variety, so my hat’s off to him with a doorly’s 12 in my hand.
This is indeed difficult matter when you have no standards yourself.
Kid of silly, no? What needs to be saved? Make good rum. Sell good rum. Barbados rum has a great reputation. Save it from what or whom, Chicken Little?
Are you that out of touch?
He could not save his own reputation so do not expect him to understand