https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TB5OlXfET4
Here is the latest video from Ralfy doing a review of Bligh XO rum.
Ralfy doing a rum review
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Capn Jimbo
- Rum Evangelisti and Compleat Idiot
- Posts: 3550
- Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2006 3:53 pm
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The Good, the Bad and the Very Ugly...
The Good: Ralfy seems to begin to understand the addition of sugar.
The Bad: he does not seem to have a grasp of the basic styles.
The Ugly: he actually promotes - the godz help us - the Frozen Wonder especially and also the Shillery of Rum.
I am rolling in agony. Does anyone have his email - this must be rectified...
The Good: Ralfy seems to begin to understand the addition of sugar.
The Bad: he does not seem to have a grasp of the basic styles.
The Ugly: he actually promotes - the godz help us - the Frozen Wonder especially and also the Shillery of Rum.
I am rolling in agony. Does anyone have his email - this must be rectified...
I'm friend with him on Facebook and could write him a messageCapn Jimbo wrote:The Good, the Bad and the Very Ugly...
The Good: Ralfy seems to begin to understand the addition of sugar.
The Bad: he does not seem to have a grasp of the basic styles.
The Ugly: he actually promotes - the godz help us - the Frozen Wonder especially and also the Shillery of Rum.
I am rolling in agony. Does anyone have his email - this must be rectified...
You could be right. I don't agree with Ralfy's assesment of Bligh XO. For a 10 year old rum I thought is was a bit rough. A lot of alcohol up front not very smooth/mature for a 10 year old. There again my taste buds are different to his and yours so can only speak for my self and vote with my wallet. I won't be buying it.Nekkandor wrote:Ministryofrum and rumhowler as good websites? Dear Lord...
... I feel the need of a dram after that one.
I don't know about you guys but I have made the experience that many whisky-drinkers haven't a clue when it comes to rum.
Well I can't say anything about this 7 y/o rum...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... iMldV3D4mk
... but if you reach 11:14 nearly at the end of the video then he reveales the next rum to be reviewed. Guess what it is guys.
Oh and a yeast strain that produces a sweet rum? Did he really say that? This sounds truly incredible... in every sense of the word. Nearly every independent bottling I had (and I had quite a lot) was only minimal sweet and that came from the american-white oak barrels or, in rare cases, from a ex-sherry cask . Even the coloured ones from Guyana were not über-sweet. If that would be truly possible, then why the heck are they using the sugar after the distillation and blending process? And I only speak for rums from molasses. I have no clue about rhum agricole (I don't like and try to avoid them).
I know that different yeast strains are producing different flavour-profiles but this sounds really incredibly. If someone knows what he is talking about then please enlighten me. I don't want to die dumb.
Anyways: I can't wait for that review to happen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... iMldV3D4mk
... but if you reach 11:14 nearly at the end of the video then he reveales the next rum to be reviewed. Guess what it is guys.
Oh and a yeast strain that produces a sweet rum? Did he really say that? This sounds truly incredible... in every sense of the word. Nearly every independent bottling I had (and I had quite a lot) was only minimal sweet and that came from the american-white oak barrels or, in rare cases, from a ex-sherry cask . Even the coloured ones from Guyana were not über-sweet. If that would be truly possible, then why the heck are they using the sugar after the distillation and blending process? And I only speak for rums from molasses. I have no clue about rhum agricole (I don't like and try to avoid them).
I know that different yeast strains are producing different flavour-profiles but this sounds really incredibly. If someone knows what he is talking about then please enlighten me. I don't want to die dumb.
Anyways: I can't wait for that review to happen.
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Capn Jimbo
- Rum Evangelisti and Compleat Idiot
- Posts: 3550
- Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2006 3:53 pm
- Location: Paradise: Fort Lauderdale of course...
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FWIW, and I do love Ralfy...
But rum ain't his game. He seems oblivious of the fact that real and pure rum is in its death throes, that the Big Three have taken over literally 95% of the shelves, and that rum is by far the most abused standard of identity in the book.
Why? He's simply ignorant of our spirit, and as a long time single malt guy assumes that rum is made with the same care and quality as his usual tipples. I finally figured out how to get a message to him and wrote a very lengthy and respectful note touching on all the big issues: the subsidies, alteration, destruction of Caribbean rums, the Petition, name-dropped Dave Broom et al, and even shared the charts on the stills used to make his next review: ED21.
I also made sure to point out ALKO and their findings regarding the sugaring of rum. I related the views of Seales, and the death of MGXO. None of which was revealed by the time he apparently spent at the Shillery and with the Frozen one, I'm sure.
I do hope the email went through (through You-Tube PM). We'll see...
But rum ain't his game. He seems oblivious of the fact that real and pure rum is in its death throes, that the Big Three have taken over literally 95% of the shelves, and that rum is by far the most abused standard of identity in the book.
Why? He's simply ignorant of our spirit, and as a long time single malt guy assumes that rum is made with the same care and quality as his usual tipples. I finally figured out how to get a message to him and wrote a very lengthy and respectful note touching on all the big issues: the subsidies, alteration, destruction of Caribbean rums, the Petition, name-dropped Dave Broom et al, and even shared the charts on the stills used to make his next review: ED21.
I also made sure to point out ALKO and their findings regarding the sugaring of rum. I related the views of Seales, and the death of MGXO. None of which was revealed by the time he apparently spent at the Shillery and with the Frozen one, I'm sure.
I do hope the email went through (through You-Tube PM). We'll see...
Ralfy also did a review on absinthe which wasn't very good. A bit uninformed and some incorrect statements and some questionable recommendations. He is definitely better with whisky.
Last edited by da'rum on Wed Sep 17, 2014 8:06 am, edited 1 time in total.
in goes your eye out
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Capn Jimbo
- Rum Evangelisti and Compleat Idiot
- Posts: 3550
- Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2006 3:53 pm
- Location: Paradise: Fort Lauderdale of course...
- Contact:
Sent to Ralfy...
"Dear Ralfy...
Inasmuch as we all hope you'll soon be a free and independent Scot (you are already a free and independent reviewer), I thought "we" at The Rum Project should say hello. Like you, the Project is completely free and independent of all the corporate shills. We buy our own spirit and review rums for the common man, and work very hard to educate our readers about the history and tradition of rum, the five basic styles (not geographic), et al.
As a result we have become perhaps the most read independent rum forum and review site on the net. We have a lot of firsts: early to out the widespread mislabelling of rums, many of which contain unlabelled additives, glycerol, wine, sugar and artificial flavors. Unlike single malts and American bourbon - which are lily pure in comparison - most rum is secretly altered to tweak the profile. Often these are thin column stilled rums, distilled to the highest legal alcohol, and that would have little if any flavor were it not for this secret manipulation. Of late El Dorado 12 and 15 were revealed by Sweden's ALKO database to contain large amounts of added sugar. Although only these two were tested for sale in Sweden, it's fair to assume that this kind of formerly hidden manipulation may not be limited to just these.
You should keep that in mind when tasting the "21". BTW we were also one of the first to discover and publicize the makeup of the El Dorados in terms of the stills used to create them. Since each ED of different years uses a different combination of stills and product, each ED stands alone and vertical comparisons are not possible.
Insofar as your upcoming review of the 21, the makeup (and charts) were covered here by us...
http://rumproject.com/rumforum//viewtop ... ado+stills
We were among the first to publicly stand against the massive US subsidies to the Big Three (Diageo, Fortune and Bacardi), as these billions of dollars were sure to eliminate Caribbean rums as we knew it. Accordingly we established the Petition to Save Caribbean Rum which was signed by many of our leading voices, including Dave Broom, Davin de Kergommeaux, Jeff Beachbum Berry, Carl Kanto (El Dorado), Richard Seale (Foursquare in Barbados), et al. I/we are well known to most of these gentlemen, and do our best to stay in correspondence.
We were the first to expose Zacapa 23, Ron Matusalem Gran Reserva, and the degradation of such formerly fine rums as El Dorado and Mount Gay Extra Old. And much, much more. We stand for - and fight for - pure and unadulterated rums, and for honest labeling concerning both real age and contents. Rum should be legal, open and honest.
I do apologize for not contacting you sooner, but until now couldn't find your email. If you choose to share it with me, I have other important things to share with you about rum. As I hope you have inferred, we are not at all like the two commercial rum shilling sites you mention, both of whom are heavily dependent on corporate support - the one is actually a rum rep. The Rum Project is completely a labor of love, based on forthrightness, honesty and appreciation of the truly pure and well made spirits whose elegance is due to fine raw materials, long fermentations, dunder at times, and skilled distillation in good pot stills and/or column stills - but to tasty lower proofs. No additives, no lying, no alteration, honest labeling. I know you understand.
I should add that the Project is populated by a group of very intelligent and competent posters, which you will soon see. We are all HUGE fans of your whisky reviews, and your name (and links) are quite common. Thanks again - and after spending a bit of time with us, I do hope to hear from you. I'd also be remiss if I didn't strip naked, prostrate myself before you and beg for either my life, or a fair and honest mention...
Your choice, lol...
The forum:
http://rumproject.com/rumforum/
Our Rum 101:
http://rumproject.com
The Petition to Save Caribbean Rum:
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/sto ... uerto.html
*******
Via YouTube mail, shows up as "sent", and I assumed received. No answer at this writing. At the least I'd expect a "thanks for the information and links" mail.
"Dear Ralfy...
Inasmuch as we all hope you'll soon be a free and independent Scot (you are already a free and independent reviewer), I thought "we" at The Rum Project should say hello. Like you, the Project is completely free and independent of all the corporate shills. We buy our own spirit and review rums for the common man, and work very hard to educate our readers about the history and tradition of rum, the five basic styles (not geographic), et al.
As a result we have become perhaps the most read independent rum forum and review site on the net. We have a lot of firsts: early to out the widespread mislabelling of rums, many of which contain unlabelled additives, glycerol, wine, sugar and artificial flavors. Unlike single malts and American bourbon - which are lily pure in comparison - most rum is secretly altered to tweak the profile. Often these are thin column stilled rums, distilled to the highest legal alcohol, and that would have little if any flavor were it not for this secret manipulation. Of late El Dorado 12 and 15 were revealed by Sweden's ALKO database to contain large amounts of added sugar. Although only these two were tested for sale in Sweden, it's fair to assume that this kind of formerly hidden manipulation may not be limited to just these.
You should keep that in mind when tasting the "21". BTW we were also one of the first to discover and publicize the makeup of the El Dorados in terms of the stills used to create them. Since each ED of different years uses a different combination of stills and product, each ED stands alone and vertical comparisons are not possible.
Insofar as your upcoming review of the 21, the makeup (and charts) were covered here by us...
http://rumproject.com/rumforum//viewtop ... ado+stills
We were among the first to publicly stand against the massive US subsidies to the Big Three (Diageo, Fortune and Bacardi), as these billions of dollars were sure to eliminate Caribbean rums as we knew it. Accordingly we established the Petition to Save Caribbean Rum which was signed by many of our leading voices, including Dave Broom, Davin de Kergommeaux, Jeff Beachbum Berry, Carl Kanto (El Dorado), Richard Seale (Foursquare in Barbados), et al. I/we are well known to most of these gentlemen, and do our best to stay in correspondence.
We were the first to expose Zacapa 23, Ron Matusalem Gran Reserva, and the degradation of such formerly fine rums as El Dorado and Mount Gay Extra Old. And much, much more. We stand for - and fight for - pure and unadulterated rums, and for honest labeling concerning both real age and contents. Rum should be legal, open and honest.
I do apologize for not contacting you sooner, but until now couldn't find your email. If you choose to share it with me, I have other important things to share with you about rum. As I hope you have inferred, we are not at all like the two commercial rum shilling sites you mention, both of whom are heavily dependent on corporate support - the one is actually a rum rep. The Rum Project is completely a labor of love, based on forthrightness, honesty and appreciation of the truly pure and well made spirits whose elegance is due to fine raw materials, long fermentations, dunder at times, and skilled distillation in good pot stills and/or column stills - but to tasty lower proofs. No additives, no lying, no alteration, honest labeling. I know you understand.
I should add that the Project is populated by a group of very intelligent and competent posters, which you will soon see. We are all HUGE fans of your whisky reviews, and your name (and links) are quite common. Thanks again - and after spending a bit of time with us, I do hope to hear from you. I'd also be remiss if I didn't strip naked, prostrate myself before you and beg for either my life, or a fair and honest mention...
Your choice, lol...
The forum:
http://rumproject.com/rumforum/
Our Rum 101:
http://rumproject.com
The Petition to Save Caribbean Rum:
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/sto ... uerto.html
*******
Via YouTube mail, shows up as "sent", and I assumed received. No answer at this writing. At the least I'd expect a "thanks for the information and links" mail.
I think the Captain has done a great deed trying to tell Ralfy about the issues with rum - I hope he coes back and expresses gratitude! his whisky reviews are grand, but Ralfy is not a person from whisky industry - he is an enthusiast, as we are.
With rum, unfortunately, this means that he is not told often the truth
Sad as it is, this is the case. Not like whisky, or whiskey - spirits I have come to know, and respect - as well as the people who work with them, and the transparency that surrounds these.
And yes - I am also a BIG fan of Ralfy's whisky reviews!
With rum, unfortunately, this means that he is not told often the truth
Sad as it is, this is the case. Not like whisky, or whiskey - spirits I have come to know, and respect - as well as the people who work with them, and the transparency that surrounds these.And yes - I am also a BIG fan of Ralfy's whisky reviews!
I guess all the efforts gone to waste. Ralfy did the review the same day with the Savanna. Look at the blackboard behind him. It still shows "4 Days!" to the vote for Scotland, which is in fact today. The number is the same in the Savanna rum review. I might be wrong but thats what it looks like to me. Recorded in advance. But see it for yourselves guys.
http://www.whiskyreviews.blogspot.de/20 ... um-43.html
Well I guess it was worth a try Capn. But to be 100% to be true with all of you: I was expecting a little bit of this. But Anyways: Thank you Capn for trying to contact him.
I can't agree with his statement (starts at 7:40) that a cask has a hard time to influence such rums. It damn well does. Give it enough time and even coloured rums will be spoiled by a cask in the tropics. I had a 15 Y/O Tropical rum and it was (to me) obviously overaged. Even in Scottland enough time could do the job, depending on the wood of the barrel. But time is something that many distillers haven't in great quantity as we all already know. But even such overaged rums are favoured by some connaisseurs, which I do not really understand at all but it doesn't matter. Its their money. In fact: many coloured rums are able to mask the influence of the cask, keep it at a acceptable level, before overaging finally takes over. The spice and salt content rises up and eventually the tannins are breaking through if it stays to long in it. If diluted down to ca. 40-50% you can find then camphor and other unpleasant nuances. Such rums are, I suspect, heavy bodied and therefore needed to enhance the mass-produced column rums (don't worry: no debate here about stills). These are at least the expericences the rums bottled by Velier have given to me. Not anyone might see it that way though. It's my humble opinion
But I don't want to blame him. He doesn't know it better. He was drinking a mix of coloured and uncoloured rums. And he was unable to notice the smell/taste of the colouring matter. But again: He could not know this so I don't want to blame him.
I don't know about you guys but I'm a little bit disappointed right now. All the answers/informations are out there but no one seems to care.
At least he noticed the rum was too sweet and he added treacle from Tate & Lyle (look at the tins). The golden Lion is to obvious not to notice. JaRiMi might be familiar with this corporation and its doing in Trinidad & Tobago in the last century. Interesting history indeed.
Btw: He did drink a bottle within 3 weeks? Jesus!
http://www.whiskyreviews.blogspot.de/20 ... um-43.html
Well I guess it was worth a try Capn. But to be 100% to be true with all of you: I was expecting a little bit of this. But Anyways: Thank you Capn for trying to contact him.
I can't agree with his statement (starts at 7:40) that a cask has a hard time to influence such rums. It damn well does. Give it enough time and even coloured rums will be spoiled by a cask in the tropics. I had a 15 Y/O Tropical rum and it was (to me) obviously overaged. Even in Scottland enough time could do the job, depending on the wood of the barrel. But time is something that many distillers haven't in great quantity as we all already know. But even such overaged rums are favoured by some connaisseurs, which I do not really understand at all but it doesn't matter. Its their money. In fact: many coloured rums are able to mask the influence of the cask, keep it at a acceptable level, before overaging finally takes over. The spice and salt content rises up and eventually the tannins are breaking through if it stays to long in it. If diluted down to ca. 40-50% you can find then camphor and other unpleasant nuances. Such rums are, I suspect, heavy bodied and therefore needed to enhance the mass-produced column rums (don't worry: no debate here about stills). These are at least the expericences the rums bottled by Velier have given to me. Not anyone might see it that way though. It's my humble opinion
But I don't want to blame him. He doesn't know it better. He was drinking a mix of coloured and uncoloured rums. And he was unable to notice the smell/taste of the colouring matter. But again: He could not know this so I don't want to blame him.
I don't know about you guys but I'm a little bit disappointed right now. All the answers/informations are out there but no one seems to care.
At least he noticed the rum was too sweet and he added treacle from Tate & Lyle (look at the tins). The golden Lion is to obvious not to notice. JaRiMi might be familiar with this corporation and its doing in Trinidad & Tobago in the last century. Interesting history indeed.
Btw: He did drink a bottle within 3 weeks? Jesus!
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Capn Jimbo
- Rum Evangelisti and Compleat Idiot
- Posts: 3550
- Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2006 3:53 pm
- Location: Paradise: Fort Lauderdale of course...
- Contact:
Ouch!
I hate to say it, but our good man Ralfy really does not understand rum in general, or in his seemingly tipsy review of the ED21 in particular, to wit:
*******
Is it just me, or does this fine gentleman seem rather tipsy, particularly near the end, where he waxes about the vote for independence? The vote was clearly a big, big thing for him, and may account for the now empty 21...
I hate to say it, but our good man Ralfy really does not understand rum in general, or in his seemingly tipsy review of the ED21 in particular, to wit:
- 1. He claims it is a pot stilled rum, when in fact three stills are used in the 21: predominantly the 4-column French Savalle, with some rum from the wooden 2-column Coffey still, and also from the Versaille single "pot" (which delivers rum to a column rectifier).
None of these can fairly be called pot stills.
2. With no proof whatever, he claims the 21 is a blend of rums that are "at least" 20 years, comparing it to "other rums" that label only the oldest rums. Ridiculous.
3. Last, he buys into the wood myth, claiming that the wooden stills leach flavor into the distilling rum. Hardly. These stills are made from "Greenhart" a non-porous and extremely dense hardwood chose specifically because they do not interact, and are considered both water and fungus proof.
*******
Is it just me, or does this fine gentleman seem rather tipsy, particularly near the end, where he waxes about the vote for independence? The vote was clearly a big, big thing for him, and may account for the now empty 21...
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Capn Jimbo
- Rum Evangelisti and Compleat Idiot
- Posts: 3550
- Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2006 3:53 pm
- Location: Paradise: Fort Lauderdale of course...
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Exactly. Ralfy is claiming that somehow corn and molasses based spirits are in his words "thick", and thus "resist" wood effects. I've never heard that claim made before. Nek, I would agree, as if anything wood effects are much more rapid in the tropics, and that's for every spirit. After all it's not the wash, it's the distilled alcohol that's being aged.Nekkandor wrote:I can't agree with his statement (starts at 7:40) that a cask has a hard time to influence such rums. It damn well does. Give it enough time and even coloured rums will be spoiled by a cask in the tropics.
If this 21 isn't woody, that is more likely because of (a) the possibility of added sugar and (b) the use of very, very, very tired and used up casks, or both.