http://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2014/ ... 2014-07-03
http://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2014/ ... 2014-06-30
The first one IS probably a good new start, given that Mr. Seale is behind the rum - i.e. it is really good rum. The second one seems more a storyline than a good product...
A few new rums
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Capn Jimbo
- Rum Evangelisti and Compleat Idiot
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A picture is worth...
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From JaRiMi's first link above. By Seales. I'd agree with J about purity, but note that the marketing department - as usual - creates a false historical reference, in this case Captain Bill McCoy, a real and famous rum runner during Prohibition. According to the marketing boyz "In 1920, when Prohibition began, Captain Bill McCoy made a name for himself as America’s first “Rum Runner.” He always delivered the finest quality rum, which became known around the world as “The Real McCoy.”
A romantic marketing story but the truth: actually known as "Bimini Bill McCoy" he was just the errand boy delivering whatever product he could buy and "distribute" offshore. His only claim to "finest quality" was that he didn't water it down, but other than that it was just the same cheap rum any other rum runner carried.
The new McCoy continues "Following McCoy’s Prohibition Tradition, our suite of aged rums are hand-crafted with the same authenticity as the celebrated rum that fueled the Roaring Twenties.". Folks, let's get real. Alcohol during Prohibition was anything but high quality, save for the 1% elite. Think bathtub gin.
As for rum, this was a highly profitable and illegal endeavor aimed at desperate customers who would literally buy anything with alcohol in it. To believe that the rum being made then was "handcrafted" and "aged" is a joke. They sold it as fast as they could make it, at great risk but for great reward.
Complete and utter marketing puffery, based on well, lies. But it is made by Seales, available in 3, 5 and 12 years of honest age. Unfortunately its WAY overpriced (unless you like the bottle and faux story), and you'd be far better off buying Doorly's Five or Seales 10 for half the price.
The marketing backstory about this one is completely made up. According to these overpaid shillmonkeys "Legend has it that dark spirits of Caribbean folklore, known as duppies, travel between the distilleries stealing their share of rum. The Duppy Share is therefore a play on the term angel’s share."
Unlike McCoy with it's lone shred of reality in that yes, there was such a man, and yes, he was a rum runner, the notion of "duppy' per the Wiki:
As a former marketing man, I can tell you story after story of the intended or unintended misuse of words and meanings. This is a prime example. It's a judgment call but "Angel's Share" - to me - elevates the spirit while "Duppy's" or "Murdering Ghosts" share?
Not quite the same. This is alleged to be a blend of 3 year Jamaican with 5 year Barbadian.
To be fair, I have little doubt this is probably a decent product, but at what price? Now we get to the meat of this post, and that is the latest trend in rum, which is a hot, hot, hot trend indeed. And that trend?
Premiumization.
The mega's have managed to sell their cheap and alterted shit to the extent that the market and the monkeys are quite literally saturated. So how to make even more obscene profit? The answer was first was to slowly downgrade the product, release NAS crap, and attempt a little fast finishing (think Black Barrel).
But now we are seeing a whole new raft of "premiumized" and invented "new" products featuring made up stories and clever bottles designed to sell only modestly better rums (or maybe not) but at hugely increased "premium" prices: Premiumization.
But hey, can't I do the same thing? Publish the same old barf, but now as "Admiral Jimbo"? Brilliant...
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From JaRiMi's first link above. By Seales. I'd agree with J about purity, but note that the marketing department - as usual - creates a false historical reference, in this case Captain Bill McCoy, a real and famous rum runner during Prohibition. According to the marketing boyz "In 1920, when Prohibition began, Captain Bill McCoy made a name for himself as America’s first “Rum Runner.” He always delivered the finest quality rum, which became known around the world as “The Real McCoy.”
A romantic marketing story but the truth: actually known as "Bimini Bill McCoy" he was just the errand boy delivering whatever product he could buy and "distribute" offshore. His only claim to "finest quality" was that he didn't water it down, but other than that it was just the same cheap rum any other rum runner carried.
The new McCoy continues "Following McCoy’s Prohibition Tradition, our suite of aged rums are hand-crafted with the same authenticity as the celebrated rum that fueled the Roaring Twenties.". Folks, let's get real. Alcohol during Prohibition was anything but high quality, save for the 1% elite. Think bathtub gin.
As for rum, this was a highly profitable and illegal endeavor aimed at desperate customers who would literally buy anything with alcohol in it. To believe that the rum being made then was "handcrafted" and "aged" is a joke. They sold it as fast as they could make it, at great risk but for great reward.
Complete and utter marketing puffery, based on well, lies. But it is made by Seales, available in 3, 5 and 12 years of honest age. Unfortunately its WAY overpriced (unless you like the bottle and faux story), and you'd be far better off buying Doorly's Five or Seales 10 for half the price.
The marketing backstory about this one is completely made up. According to these overpaid shillmonkeys "Legend has it that dark spirits of Caribbean folklore, known as duppies, travel between the distilleries stealing their share of rum. The Duppy Share is therefore a play on the term angel’s share."
Unlike McCoy with it's lone shred of reality in that yes, there was such a man, and yes, he was a rum runner, the notion of "duppy' per the Wiki:
In sum, "duppys" were bad and dangerous ghosts - murderous, dangerous and foul. Jamaican mothers would use the notion to frighten their unruly children into cooperation or otherwise the "duppies will come and get you"."Duppy is a Jamaican Patois word of Northwest African origin meaning ghost or spirit. Much of Caribbean folklore revolves around duppies. Duppies are generally regarded as malevolent spirits"
As a former marketing man, I can tell you story after story of the intended or unintended misuse of words and meanings. This is a prime example. It's a judgment call but "Angel's Share" - to me - elevates the spirit while "Duppy's" or "Murdering Ghosts" share?
Not quite the same. This is alleged to be a blend of 3 year Jamaican with 5 year Barbadian.
To be fair, I have little doubt this is probably a decent product, but at what price? Now we get to the meat of this post, and that is the latest trend in rum, which is a hot, hot, hot trend indeed. And that trend?
Premiumization.
The mega's have managed to sell their cheap and alterted shit to the extent that the market and the monkeys are quite literally saturated. So how to make even more obscene profit? The answer was first was to slowly downgrade the product, release NAS crap, and attempt a little fast finishing (think Black Barrel).
But now we are seeing a whole new raft of "premiumized" and invented "new" products featuring made up stories and clever bottles designed to sell only modestly better rums (or maybe not) but at hugely increased "premium" prices: Premiumization.
But hey, can't I do the same thing? Publish the same old barf, but now as "Admiral Jimbo"? Brilliant...
I recently commented on Duppy on google+. How many rums under 5 yearold do you know of that qualify as a good sipping rum?
The few I can think of are :
Pussers
Smith & Cross
Mount Gilboa
Usually under 5 year old only makes a good mixer with the expetion of the above and one or two tha I don't know about.
The few I can think of are :
Pussers
Smith & Cross
Mount Gilboa
Usually under 5 year old only makes a good mixer with the expetion of the above and one or two tha I don't know about.
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Capn Jimbo
- Rum Evangelisti and Compleat Idiot
- Posts: 3551
- Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2006 3:53 pm
- Location: Paradise: Fort Lauderdale of course...
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A good question...
I'm sure you'll get some more responses than mine on what "under 5" rums do well. I'd have to add Prichard's Fine Rum, Doorly's 5, Barbancourt Three Star (4 years), Special Barbados (Seales), Ron Viejo de Caldas (3 years), Santa Teresa Anejo - there are others. Close at 6 years is Westerhall Plantation.
All of these are lovely younger sippers. Long ago we came to the conclusion that the sweet spot for rum is between 7 and 10 years, but even a 4 year Caribbean-aged rum can be quite nice. Remember that it has been estimated that a year in the tropics is worth 2 to 3 years in the north.
Is this true? Enough so that 4 and 5 year rums are not bad at all.
I'm sure you'll get some more responses than mine on what "under 5" rums do well. I'd have to add Prichard's Fine Rum, Doorly's 5, Barbancourt Three Star (4 years), Special Barbados (Seales), Ron Viejo de Caldas (3 years), Santa Teresa Anejo - there are others. Close at 6 years is Westerhall Plantation.
All of these are lovely younger sippers. Long ago we came to the conclusion that the sweet spot for rum is between 7 and 10 years, but even a 4 year Caribbean-aged rum can be quite nice. Remember that it has been estimated that a year in the tropics is worth 2 to 3 years in the north.
Is this true? Enough so that 4 and 5 year rums are not bad at all.
I just had some Prichard's last night and it really is a nice rum. A warning about the Westerhall: I'm convinced that sugar is added.Capn Jimbo wrote:A good question...
I'm sure you'll get some more responses than mine on what "under 5" rums do well. I'd have to add Prichard's Fine Rum, Doorly's 5, Barbancourt Three Star (4 years), Special Barbados (Seales), Ron Viejo de Caldas (3 years), Santa Teresa Anejo - there are others. Close at 6 years is Westerhall Plantation.
All of these are lovely younger sippers. Long ago we came to the conclusion that the sweet spot for rum is between 7 and 10 years, but even a 4 year Caribbean-aged rum can be quite nice. Remember that it has been estimated that a year in the tropics is worth 2 to 3 years in the north.
Is this true? Enough so that 4 and 5 year rums are not bad at all.
Rum Reviews Rankings and Cheat Sheet
References: MGXO, R Mat. GR, Scar Ibis, Apple 12, Barb 5, Pusser's, Wray and Neph, ED 15, 10Cn, West Plant, R Barc Imp.
References: MGXO, R Mat. GR, Scar Ibis, Apple 12, Barb 5, Pusser's, Wray and Neph, ED 15, 10Cn, West Plant, R Barc Imp.
Doorly's 5 is shockingly good for 5 years and the comically low price.
I would also argue Wray & Nephew when appropriately diluted makes a fine sipper, but I'm weird like that.
I think it has more to do with blending/distilling and barrel selection than anything else. I have a Gordon & MacPhail bottling of Highland Park, aged 8 years, and it's superb. According to our belief, 8 Scottish years is less than 5 Caribbean ones, but I'm sure G&M are picking the best run of the stills, and using the best casks money can buy.
I would also argue Wray & Nephew when appropriately diluted makes a fine sipper, but I'm weird like that.
I think it has more to do with blending/distilling and barrel selection than anything else. I have a Gordon & MacPhail bottling of Highland Park, aged 8 years, and it's superb. According to our belief, 8 Scottish years is less than 5 Caribbean ones, but I'm sure G&M are picking the best run of the stills, and using the best casks money can buy.
I found Doorly's Xo a bit alcohol dominant never tried the 5 year old.Hassouni wrote:Doorly's 5 is shockingly good for 5 years and the comically low price.
I would also argue Wray & Nephew when appropriately diluted makes a fine sipper, but I'm weird like that.
I think it has more to do with blending/distilling and barrel selection than anything else. I have a Gordon & MacPhail bottling of Highland Park, aged 8 years, and it's superb. According to our belief, 8 Scottish years is less than 5 Caribbean ones, but I'm sure G&M are picking the best run of the stills, and using the best casks money can buy.
Wray and nephew with water ?? dunno never tried it. I did poes the question of water for the Dooly's.