Rum, rum-based spirits, age and transparency.

Do you know the difference between a rum and a spirit drink?

Post by Sylvia H. Holm

Rum is a highly varied spirit produced in many countries across the globe, resulting in a wide range of styles and traditions. However, these differences can also cause a bit of a hassle here and there when it comes to transparency for the consumer when they want to buy some rum and want to be more aware of what their money is actually being spent on. So I'm going to try to be a guide through some of the different aspects of understanding what you're actually buying and drinking.

The first stop is whether a rum is rum and when it's a rum-based spirit. In the past, there have been some rules within the EU that have been a little more broad and less restrictive than they are now. In May 2021, new changes came into force, which had had an adjustment period of two years, during which all rum producers selling their products within the EU had the opportunity to adjust the product if it did not comply with the new rules, or change the presentation of the product to reflect that it can no longer be described as rum. Previously, you could round off the taste of a rum with up to 100 grams of sugar per liter, but this has now been reduced to a maximum of 20 grams per liter. If there is more than that, it cannot be sold as rum, but rather as a rum-based spirit. This has led to changes being made to otherwise very well-known products that were previously sold and marketed as rum, but are no longer, as they have chosen to keep the product as it is, instead of changing the content.

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An example of a spirit that was rum before 2021, but is no longer rum when sold in the EU, is Dos Maderas 5+5. If you look at bottles from the slightly older batches, the bottle says "Triple Aged Rum" in big, bold letters, whereas the new ones just say "Triple Aged" and down on the small label on the front, it says "Premium Caribbean Spirit". The product is no longer marketed as rum, but a spirit based on rum. If we travel to Guyana, for example, we find a producer, Demerara Distillers Limited, who has made the second decision, namely to change the product rather than the ethics, and to a large extent actually. They have significantly reduced the amount of sugar in their El Dorado range of rums, with their 12 year old going from about ~36g/litre down to ~6g/litre, and their 15 year old from ~37g/litre down to having nothing added at all, and it's the same story with their 21 year old.

Having said that about rum being rum, and rum starting out as rum, but being changed to the point where it's no longer rum, what does this mean for rum lovers across the country? Hopefully, it means a little bit more transparency and a little bit more strict categorization of rum, which will hopefully be controlled just as strictly. So what do you do if some of your favorite bottles are no longer rum? You buy them anyway, of course, if you love the product, you buy it, whether it says rum or not, but at the same time, it's also important to have these consistent rules for rum. Consistent rules and controls safeguard the consumer and ensure a more regular and consistent quality.

Another area that could use a little more transparency is the age statements on the labels. This is despite the fact that EU legislation in this area is very simple and straightforward. In short, the only valid age statements are "Aged x Years" or "x Years Old", and it must be a minimum age, i.e. the number must reflect the youngest component in the bottle. Anything else does not have a legally binding meaning according to the legislation for rum within the specific rules of the EU. Therefore, sometimes you have to understand and take a look at what it actually says on the label of a bottle of rum. I think most people are familiar with the fact that there are relatively large numbers on some labels, but not really anything about the age, but rather things like "solera", "aniversario", "extra old" and more. Designations that don't really have much meaning for anything when it comes to age, whether it says 15, 23 or 30 near it. It's not something that makes the consumer more aware of what the age of the content actually is, and you can be sure that it's not a minimum age. Which is a shame, because it would be really nice if it was generally a little easier to know what you're spending your money on.

However, there are also other types of age indications that may not be as binding as an age statement, such as vintage bottlings, either by a distillery itself or by an independent bottler, such as Compagnie Des Indes, where you write the year of distillation and the year of bottling, sometimes with an indication of months, sometimes even down to the exact date. Then there are also the various designations for the smallest age groupings in Martinique. These age groups for the rum don't bind in the same way as writing "Aged x Years" in the eyes of the EU, but they do in France. Martinique has its own AOC-approved age designations, which are extremely binding for AOC-approved producers. In short, it is VO, which means that the rum has been in barrel for at least three years, VSOP which means it has been in barrel for at least four years, and finally XO which means it has been in barrel for at least six years. There are many names for these terms, as the AOC rules approve various words for these designations. Here, however, you can count on the age also fitting within the framework set by AOC, and you are a little more aware of what you are spending your money on.

One last little rule of thumb to keep in mind when it comes to the age of rum. Old rum, let's say an age statement of 23 years, is not cheap, and is most likely not something you can find for 4-600 kroner.

I will conclude by giving some taste and transparency impressions of a rum and two rum-based spirits that have been marketed as rum in the past. Namely the well-known Plantation XO 20th Anniversary, the aforementioned Dos Maderas 5+5 and finally Millonario 15 Reserva Especial.

Plantation

XO 20th Anniversary 40%
Rum is a company that deserves some praise here, because even though you could have wished for more information on the bottle or box, there is actually a lot of information to be found about this rum. If you look at Platation's own website, it says the following: The rum is 40%, from Barbados, as stated on the bottle, but also that the fermentation process is three to five days, distillation takes place in a double column still and pot still, that the aging process consists of 8-15 years in a tropical climate, and 2-10 in a continental climate, in a selection of different casks, including 's signature use of Ferrand Cognac casPlantation Plantation

ks.

Furthermore, you also learn that the rum has a volatile organic compound content of 210 g/hl of pure alcohol, and that 20 g/l of sugar is added at the end, as well as 0-0.1% caramel color. The nose has a distinctly sweet character, vanilla, cinnamon and caramel. Very light notes of coconut, which may be typical of Barbados, and there is no doubt that it is very soft, somewhat sweet but also a bit anonymous in the nose. Perhaps a bit of honey, occasionally a light, very light, floral touch. The palette is sweet, you clearly sense that the maximum amount of sugar has been dosed, and this may also slightly dampen the more delicate nuances, it is very light, round and it is no wonder that it is a starting point for many, and that many are very happy with this particular rum. The coconut recurs, along with soft fruit notes, a bit of mango, perhaps a slightly milk chocolate-like flavor, not very overpowering, creamy, and you can also sense the cognac barrel, in connection with a delicate taste of pastry dough. The aftertaste is very light and not super persistent, fruity and very gentle.

Dos Maderas

5+5 40%
This rum-based spirit is a blend of distillates from Guyana and Barbados, each of which is tropically matured for five years in their respective countries. They are then shipped to Spain, where they are aged for three years in Palo Cortado sherry casks, and finally two years in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks. That gives an age of ten years, and at least we know how old this spirit is. It would have been a bonus if it was also stated how much sugar was added. The nose is undoubtedly very soft, round and sweet, with a heavy sherry influence. You can sense that one of the components is distillate from Guyana, but it is also very subdued, as is Barbados. The first impression is raisins, along with a slightly vinous feel, followed by a bit of very sweet licorice and a hint of milk chocolate. The palette is sweet, very soft, relatively full-bodied but also quite anonymous. There's not much going on other than the very dominant sherry notes. In fact, there is so much influence from the sherry aging that it almost drowns out the character of the distillates from Guyana and Barbados. It actually tastes more like a sweet dessert wine than the rum distillates on which the spirit is based.

The aftertaste is mainly characterized by raisins and a sweet vinous impression, much like if you had been drinking sherry.

Millonario

15 Reserva Especial 40%

This spirit comes from Peru and was previously known as , but on the new labels Ron has been removed as the product can no longer be marketed as rum. On their website, it has also been corrected to state that it is a "Spirit Drink" and not rum. However, this is a good example of how not to create a product label and an example of how poor the manufacturer is at informing you about what you are actually buying. The 15 number on the label has no relevance to anything, nor is it explained on their website what they mean by the number and "Reserva Especial". So you are a bit blind when you buy this product. The nose has a slight sharpness that is not due to the alcohol content. Light scent of nail polish, quickly followed by a soft sweetness, butterscotch, milk chocolate and vanilla. The palette is very quickly greeted with a light touch of acetone, which then gives way to a very sweet bouquet, butterscotch, very light and creamy milk chocolate, light cocoa, toffee and vanilla. The aftertaste is mainly dominated by a strong sweetness and milk chocolate. Ron Millonario