First and as always a bit of history. The MOR has a long and checkered history of "liberating" posters who rile up the monkeys and who refuse to buy the "it's all good" line re rum, "the noble spirit". Did this happen to me? Is the Pope Catholic?
I perhaps hold the sole honor for removing myself, erasing my own posts and posting a fare-thee-well missive when I'd had quite enough. I asked that my account be deleted. His reaction: "You can't quit, I'm firing you!". After I'd already left, lol. This fascinating story appears at the main site, here: http://www.rumproject.com/addenda1.html
In those days I was also aware of a number of very talented and honest posters who felt the same way, namely that rum was heavily and commonly adulterated. The "Aha!" moment for Sue Sea and I was at a Big Burr tasting in Coconut Grove where the guest of honor was Richard Seale who demonstrated just how easily and cheaply it's done, absolutely amazing and fooling all into believing a brand new column stilled rum was an honestly aged, pot-stilled ruml. Seale later made clear that as far as rum is concerned "It's the Wild West out there". And then...
I came upon JaRiMi...
Yup over at the Count's old site. It was there JaRiMi and I engaged in any number of long, detailed and respectful dialogues. The kind of interchanges that is a win-win for all concerned, not least the readers. Many such exchanges tend to quickly descend into mudslinging and flaming, but not in this case. It was refreshing.
As many of you have learned by now, JaRiMi knows his spirits and knows his alterations. It goes without saying that at a point he took his views to the MOR where his position re altered rums was, well, poorly received and which led to his own "liberation" by Ed(ward), and being thrown to his pack of man eating monkeys. JaRiMi, known as "M.R.J." at the MOR, engaged in this amazing thread there: http://www.ministryofrum.com/forums/sho ... php?t=2386
This thread (a great read) led to his demise. Such is life.
The basis of it all?
Quoting JaRiMi:
(Credit: Refined Vices)"For daring to suggest that some rum producers were hiding such facts, Mr. Hamilton called me a liar, and closed me (M.R.J.) from his so-called "Ministry" forum for good, after a very distasteful email exchange (distasteful on his part). I think the final word for me was "either to prove that what I am suggesting (about any rum producer hiding the use of additives), or apologize to all."
Some of you may have noted that JaRiMi recently relished our thread offering proof that Ron Matusalem "rum" did in fact use a formula of macerated prunes and vanilla bean to flavor the products. This proof was in the form of a detailed finding made by the US 8th District Court of Appeals, here: http://rumproject.com/rumforum/viewtopic.php?t=890
Let's face it, though Ron Matusalem may be a surprise, the fact of alteration is not. Anyone with a decent tongue knows that, and JaRiMi has one of the great tongues in the Western Hemisphere, lol (ask his wife, not me!). But if that wasn't enough for Ed(ward) there is no doubt that the findings of the 8th District are about as high a standard of proof as one could possibly expect.
Time for two things:
1. Ed(ward) needs to eat his words, and apologize publicly to JaRiMi, aka M.R.J. He should also restore his account at the MOR so that "M.R.J." can continue to post his truths and observations where they are so desperately needed.
2. We - you - need to support JaRiMi in this effort. If you post at the MOR, or have access to email let your views be known. Here's a sample email:
Ed(ward)!
You kicked M.R.J. out because he couldn't "prove" even one distiller who hides the addition of fruits and flavoring to their rums. Recently Capn Jimbo found this decision by the 8th District Court of Appeals, wherein Ron Matusalem's "secret formula" was shown to include the infustion of macerated prunes and vanilla beans. Citation: http://openjurist.org/872/f2d/1547/ron- ... alem-inc-a
You owe M.R.J. a public apology and the restoral of his account.
Go for it!
