A word from Seale: On pot stilling

[cyril]

Barbancout used to make great rums back in the days ; they now use a column and their products (still pretty good) are really diferent form those days. Industrialisation aint good for nothing

Not true. Barbancourt has always used a two step process: the first is the equivalent of a pot-still (wash still) "stripping run" but performed using a single column (not a Coffee, not an industrial multi-column process). This is done simply to strip out the good stuff for the real run, the second, which is performed with a pot still. This is the run that separates out the nasties in the heads and tails,m from the "heart" of the run - which is retained and aged.

Compare to the Martinique AOC cane juice rums which are entirely performed in high, multi-plate single columns and never see a pot still. Unfortunately Barbancourt suffers from a ton of disinformation primarily emanating from the Shillery.

true, lets say they used to make rum differently, with different alcohol % in the process , and that is a shame when you know how good their first rums was. They just can do better things, just like other distilleries could make those 100% pot still rums, but its all about money and it aint new




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Capn's Log: I haven't a clue as to what you're referring. Barbancourt has been produced at the industry standard of 40% for many years, and earned Dave Broom's 5-star rating at that proof back in 2009. I bought a case of the Five Star about 8 years ago: all were 40% and I've noted no difference in profile since then. I am not aware of any change in production methods, aging proof, Limousin oak or bottling - ever. Barbancourt is part of the solution and deserves our unqualified praise. That they continue to produce the same rum at their amazing prices, as does Richard Seale, is a welcome gift to us all. There are certainly rums which deserve criticism but Barbancourt isn't one of them.

[Capn Jimbo]

But as much as I have respect for such an art: I will never buy what I don't like in taste. If a rum surprises me, than I'm buying it because I like it. I have not yet sipped a rum-blend which rocked me to the bottom.

You haven't? Almost all of the El Dorado's are blends of alleged pot and column rums. Mount Gay Extra Old and the 1703, the same. So too Barbancourt Five Star. Ron Matusalem 15/18/21 - as soleras - may be the ultimate blends. Appleton V/X, Reserve, Extra and 21? Blends. Smith & Cross? Yup. I'll stop there and please understand: I LOVE pot stilled rums, though precious few are not blends.

I'm not sure we're on the same page. Remember a "blend" is simply a mixture of different batches, ages, barrels, protocols et al - regardless of the distillation method. Now no one will argue that industrial multi-column mass produced rums - to very high alcohol and subsequently altered - are not favored here at all.

But beyond that the quality of rum can improve dramatically: from a two-column Coffey still, to an even better single column multi-plate or a modified pot/column still, to a pot-still with two retorts, to a pot with a single retort, to a pot with a reflux chamber, to pots with upward - level - and downward angled lyne arms, to...

Well you get the idea. A single column or pot/column combination can produce extremely tasty rum that would easily challenge a single pot that requries two runs (a stripping run and a final run). Few if any of us could blind taste the difference.

Let me share just one final example. Apart from the myth of 200 year old wooden stills - which seem to give all the monkeys huge woodies of their own - I have a hunch you might offer up the example of a single batch rum made from one of DDL's two wooden pot stills. But hear me now - these famous "pot stills" are not the classic pot stills you think they are.

The single wooden still (which is practically new greenheart wood - NOT oak) are really boilers that transfer the vapor to a nice curved neck (lyne arm) but then - to a retort (for a secondary distillation) then - to a rectifier (which is a single column which further distills and purifies the spirit) and finally: to a condenser. The double wooden still operates in much the same way except the first transfers vapor into the second still (for a second distillation), to a retort (for a third), to another single column rectifier for even more separation, and again - finally - to the condenser.

A true pot still is a pot topped by a lyne arm which leads the vapor to a condenser, classically the familiar copper worm in a cask of cooling water. The El Dorado "200 year old" pot stills use the pot mostly as a simple boiler at worst and a wash still at best, leaving the real distilling to the retort and single column rectifier.

Whew....

[Hassouni]

Aaaand just to feed the fire, Smith & Cross is both 100% pot still AND a blend! As is Sea Wynde, which isn't even a blend from the same distillery! Both are real corkers.

[NCyankee]

Banks Five Island is an outstanding blended white rum, with rums from - you guessed it, five different islands - as well as a Batavia arrak component. I've never had the Seven Island, their gold rum.

[Dai]

Aaaand just to feed the fire, Smith & Cross is both 100% pot still AND a blend! As is Sea Wynde, which isn't even a blend from the same distillery! Both are real corkers.

If you get the chance try Mount Gilboa out. I thought it had a bit of a whisky taste to it but, to be fair I only had a little sample the taste might changed a bit the more I had if it were a bottle. Who knows!

[Capn Jimbo]

Thanks to all for the excellent examples...


Don't get me wrong. I have long taken the position that true pot stilling is a high art. Compared to the mass produced rums, the comparison is night and day. Still, it is important to recognize that unlike the industrial multi-column stills, the output is quite variable, and not just due to the stilling (which is the major factor).

One of the reasons we buy and love some of the named rums is because (a) they are tasty and of high quality but just as important (b) because when we spend our money the new bottle is consistent and provides the expected experience. But if each bottle varied from one to another, we'd not be as pleased. Just like all single barrel products, there are good barrels, great barrels and even a few not-so-good barrels.

The whisky market - long based on purity - is fully developed and has a following of well-to-do and very experienced whisky drinkers who have money enough to spend on very expensive whiskys, including these variable limited releases, for which they are willing to take a chance.

Compare to rum where are choices are rather limited to mostly 80 proof releases from the Big Three, are secretly altered, of indeterminate age and which absolutely dominate; relatively minimal offerings from a handful of truly pure blended rums from the likes of Seales, and from Jamaica, Barbados, and Haiti among a few others: far fewer blended pot-stilled rums; and finally, an absolutely tiny number of true single barrel and limited releases.

Thus the wacky world of rum remains undeveloped and under continuing attack from the Big Three (or more) and their virtual monopoly on distribution and sales. Ugly, really. Yet it is fair to say that things are changing as over the last few years a few brave souls have been joined by many others to reject this takeover and who are now understanding the reality of the issue.



Flat Ass Bottom Line

Rum is not whisky and you can blame it on the Big Three who will refuse to change their ways until more buyers object. Formerly pure(r) rums like El Dorado and Mount Gay have cheapened their product simply to survive. Zacapa was long ago outed simply by good tasters; more recently Plantation and a few others have been outed by ALKO and you can bet the word is spreading.

In other words, the truth is coming out and progress is being made; accordingly in my view this is no time to compromise. Honestly, it's too late for El Dorado and soon even Mount Gay (words I'd hoped to never say). It is painful to say but these two once great houses have been taken over, ED by financial pressure and bulk sales to the Big Three, and MG by Remy who no longer distills the rum sold under the name.

What can we do? Support the few remaining rums and distillers that we know or strongly believe to be relatively pure and unadulterated, and whose earnings will not support the mega's.

[Nekkandor]

I did already know the rectifiying column but thanks. It doesn't change the fact that I love the rums coming out of these stills.

And in my humble opinion Port Mourant started distilling somewhere between 1814 and 1836. The 200 YO myth was never serious for me anyway, because this PR is much older then the past few month in this year (besides from the renewing part that you already explained).

As a matter of fact I had several of these mentioned blends in the glass (Foursquare, Appelton, Mount Gay, El Dorado). But not all of them. I never claimed that I know every blend out there. The ones I had were only good. Regardless if the content now was a pot still rum, column still rum or a mixture of both. I just want more than they can offer.

I speak only for myself: For the time being I will stick to the indys.

As for whisky-drinkers: Some of them are searching for malternatives because of the high prices. I can't blame them. What gives me trouble is the fact that quite a lot of them think rum must be sweet (because it is made of sugar cane.... I know. BS).

[cyril]

about Barbancourt, i was referring about the alcohol % into the distillation process, about 95 if i remember right, when it used to be different back in the days, so the rum was richer. I have no datas right now but Luca Gargano (an independant bottler from Velier affiliated to DDL) told me once. i'll try to find it tho


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Capn's Log: Barbancourt has distilled to 90% for many, many years; indeed this was part of their belief and protocol. Another part is that - unlike most distillers - they age at low proof which requires more time in the barrel, ergo much increased angel's losses (a very expensive decision), but also based on the objective of achieving more complexity and well-aged quality. FWIW the practical maximum distillation is to 95% (eg grain neutral alcohol, even higher than most vodkas). The idea that Barbancourt is distilled to 95% is a myth.