Established members have heard how Richard came into our lives. We were brand new to rum and attended one of Robert Burr's Coral Gable's rum tastings in Old Florida. The special guest: Richard Seale.
The treat of the evening was his speech, which he concluded by saying he had a very special new rum to introduce. The crowd was excited. Each attendee at the tasting was poured a dram of the mystery dram, whereupon Richard announced a contest. "I'm going to ask three questiions" he said, "and the winner will receive a bottle of my Seales Ten". The questions?
1. Is it cane juice or molasses based?
2. Is it pot or continuously distilled?
3. And how old is it?
The audience - of which quite a few were experienced tasters - by consensus believed it was molasses based, pot-stilled and seven years old.
Richard then did the big reveal. "You're all wrong". It's a brand new molasses based, column distilled rum that I phonied up to taste old, complex and pot-stilled. We'd all been had and good, but he gave away the prize anyway.
We never forgot that or Richard and the indelible impression he left. He concluded with the fact that there are absolutely no additives in any of his rums, and further that "every single drop of rum in my bottles is at least the age on the label". He further noted that unless he bottles a rum for a third party, he will not produce it. I'm sure you understand why.
About sugar...
As some know, we are currently engaged in a good thread about added sugar in which we were speculating about what kind of sugar distillers use to phony up rum. I then thought to drop Richard an email and asked him:
His answers (sans personal matter):Moi:
"Richard a couple questions: In general (and not naming any names), when distillers add unlabeled sugar to a rum -
1. What are their purposes?
2. What kind of sugar (eg white refined, raw) is added and in what form?
3. How and when might it be added in the process?
Of course we are aware that you do not engage in this practice. Again, we have no interest in any particular rum, but more in general for distillers or bottlers who may engage in this practice.
My good friends, you've heard bits and pieces of this for quite some time, but now you've heard it from someone we all respect, and whose skill and artistry is unchallenged. Richard, I've thanked you privately, but here thank you publicly not only for support of Save Caribbean Rum, but also for continuing to create and produce the kind of pure and unadulterated quality rums that we hope to preserve."The sugar post in Refined Vices by Count Silvio originated on my FB page. Check it out. Your Save Caribbean Rum page is a friend of my Foursquare Distillery page.
To your questions :
1. Purpose.
Ultimately nefarious. Having said that there are some rums that are good rums that tradition and the desire to make more palatable have added sugar (same principle applies to cognac). But...............
a) Much rum is not made by beverage stills. The rum is produced by large industrial stills and get to call this industrial bland spirit rum for no other reason other than it is from sugar cane. This bland spirit is rendered "rum" by adding colour, flavourings and sugar. Even when aged, the bland spirit often has a bitter woody taste so sugar/flavourings are used to make palatable. You will see this link if you look for it, look at the rums with sugar, look at the distilleries behind them (there are exceptions of course).
b) We pay for fine spirits because of perceived intrinsic value. We pay top $ for a fine aged rum or aged whisky because the concept of craft, of aging, creates perceived value in our minds and justifiably so. Where there is value there will be attempted counterfeiting. There are fake rums out there, made cheaply from bland spirits with little or no aging (or wood infusions) and they use colour, flavourings and sugar (and a beautiful package) to create the perception of a premium product which of course you the consumer will attach a premium value. These rums are not hard to spot. They are often from overnight brands, have incredible age claims which simply do not make sense. (where were you 10 years ago, yet you just released some 21 year old?). What does "solera 25" even mean?
Sugar is thus generally used to deceive.
Some consumers say "but I like the taste of xyz....."
That is not the issue. We do not expect you to buy something you do not like. We all like things that taste good. A pina colada tastes good. The issue is intrinsic value. Are we to believe that this finely distilled, aged 20+ years rum is so good, worth my top $$$ but curiously needed 40g/l of sugar before bottling? How come my 30 year scotch is just fine without it?
2. What kind of sugar
No idea but I suspect white sugar in syrup form.
3. How added?
Usually just blended at the end I think although I have heard about people aging a concentrate (ie some kind of rum syrup)."
Many of our posters have already sworn off altered rums regardless of how they may taste, as we prefer both the concept and actuality of rums like yours.
More to follow...
