That's changed. If you've seen a picture of the Frozen One - like the one he imposed on a proposed cover of "flave" (the Canadian lifestyle e-mag that failed before it began) - you know what I'm talking about. The reason is simple...
To make up for an apparently bitter palate, he seems to adore sugar, and laps it up like, well, a starving wolf. The result: his self-modified "flave" cover. Now it shouldn't be any surprise that the Wolf's most favored rum - the Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva - is perhaps his highest rated rum (at 97!) and appears heavily altered too boot. A sweet bomb!
A Quick History...
Long ago and far away I tried to help out the new wolf pup when he first established what he then insisted was simply a lil' hobby site, where he intended to publish his puppie experiences with a spirit of which he admittedly knew very little - rum.
I saw the opportunity to bring another rum website into the light, and to join in exposing the unlabeled additives that have made rum into a rogue spirit with little if any of the Preacher's wet dream "nobility". Not. Accordingly we engaged in an ongoing, private exchange of emails over quite a few months. He was thankful for the help, but I soon discovered a streak of stupendous stubbornness that I failed to overcome.
Exhibit A?
He refused to recognize that the Diplomatico Reservas seemed heavily altered and turned into what tasted like rum liqueur. It was the same for Zaya. He refused to admit that these rums presented as unnaturally and syrupy sweet, denied that he tasted any funny business and in any case, held that he simply wouldn't speculate. My counter - any reviewer worth his salt has an obligation to have the skills to recognize hidden flavorings, sugar or additives, and regardless, to report any suspicions.
The reading public deserves that.
Back to the Future...
Back to today when I noted that the Cold One, during an apparent lull in the freebie conveyor belt, decided to "re-review" his sweetie Diplomatico, and made this first ever, astounding (almost )admission...
Wow! This is quite a turnaround for the well insulated furry one, and I am pleased that my guidance of old has finally found fruition. But reluctantly trainable as he is, he's not quite there. You see, the Freezing One is well known for his Gordian and twisted explanations, especially when he's been caught with his paw in the cookie jar, to wit..."I have no objection to the use of flavouring agents in rum, as this is a tradition which dates back to the very origins of rum distillation... this practice is recognized in the regulations which govern what can legally be called rum in both Canada and the United States.
My feeling... the spirit should be judged in the bottle rather than... by what I believe should be in the bottle."
1. Yes, he finally admits what most other knowledgable posters already know - that much of what is labeled "rum" is altered with all manner of additives including artificial flavorings and spicings, sugar, glycerol and even wine. Compare to single malt whisky and bourbons which truly are noble, based on their purity.
He avoids the real issue which is simply this: unlike labeled "flavored rum", the hidden additives in labeled "rum" don't appear on the label. The result: the only difference between bottles labeled "flavored rum" and "rum" may be - yup - the label. They are both altered or can be - one openly and one surreptitiously. One is honest, and one tries to fool you.
Ergo rogue rum. Now if the furry one thinks that this is what the regulations intend, well - again - I've got some prime Everglades land for sale. It's really above water! Most of the time...
2. The Wolf then twists and turns, and tries to hide behind the regs. He proposes that if it's legal, it's OK and thus there's no need to discuss the subject any further. "Leave me alone now!". Thus he lumps together anything that's labeled "rum", and will review them all without consideration of what's really in the bottle.
But he has a few problems here...
a. The new mega-rums, namely Panamonte XXV Preciosa ($400) - and I hope the Furry One is sitting on his haunches here - his own vaunted Diplomatico's new super premium ($300) Ambassador!! Both of these are so aware of the cheating and alteration, that they justify the mega-prices of these two premiums by promoting their purity and lack of additives!
b. Richard Seale of the Foursquare Distillery in Barbados, and producer of a long list of highly regarded rums like Seales Ten, Doorly's, Tommy Bahama and many others makes clear that all of his "rums" are completely free of such alteration. BTW, he is clear that all of his rums also display the honest age of the youngest rum in the bottle. Bravo!
For Wolfboy to propose to assess all rums - altered or not - as one and the same is a fool's errand, serves no one and has already been rejected by most afficianados and the distillers themselves - all of whom recognize the issue.
Get with it my friend. Heel!
c. The regs are NOT at all clear. Canada can be forgiven as things are completely screwy up there. The Canookies force the wonderful rums you enjoy in the US to be altered with some Canadian rum content. How ridiculous is that!? And Canadian whiskies - by regulation mind you - are allowed to have up to 10% of anything, including wine, to be "legally" added.
Lissen up. If my whisky has wine, sugar and artificial shit in it, I want to know.
The US regs are not much better. There is a clear category for products labeled "flavored rum", and a very clear category for "rum". The "rum" category specifies that it be made solely from cane - juice, syrup or molasses. That sounds pretty clear, until you come across a separate section that allows caramel coloring, but includes some loose language that the Wolf believes allows sugar and other flavorings.
The truth is this...
The regs are loose, evaded and/or not really enforced. Wolfie's non-professional, non-legal interpretation to the contrary. Second, I long ago provided him with the complete regs, along with legal interpretations which he somehow refused to accept. Last, the real meat and potatoes is not in the regs or amateur interpretations, but in the actual rulings, letters and decisions that accrue from them (and which I did not provide him).
Bottom Line
The Wolf has come a long way, but like the Iditarod Great Race in Alaska, this is only the first of many rest stops to come. He's got a long way to go. The Frozen Furball now has a real dilemma - his recently "reviewed" Panamonte Preciosa and (gulp) Diplomatico Ambassador super-duper-mega-intergalactic premium "rums" both promote their "purity", "...free of additives or coloring of any kind" - a fact that completely contradicts his position that "..it's legal, so it doesn't matter".
He's cornered. Stay tuned for the outcome...
