Manifesto Of Madrid by The Recovery And Defense of the Rum Industry.

This is what rum is made from and nothing else

     In the past couple of years there has been a developing controversy over adding things to the rum.  The one thing that I have really liked about rum was that there were very few rules, the only real rule was that it was the be made from a derivative of the sugar cane.   The addition of flavors, spices and color would not bother me as long as the manufacturer would label the bottle letting us know what they have added.   A rum's flavor has a different appeal to different people, with some people liking sweet rum or flavored rum and others that prefer dry  unaltered
rums.  What I really have a problem with is the cheating on the very basis of what makes rum rum.

     While others look at the "Manifesto" put together in Madrid last May as being hypocritical, I am seeing it as a start that might lead to a resurgence of real rum.  Bourbon has very strict rules, but you are seeing the appearance of flavored bourbons, but the basis of the spirit is very much in tact.  This is where I believe the industry needs to get their act together.  The basis of rum must be sugarcane, and nothing else.  Rum is not suppose to be a neutral spirit made from just about anything that ferments, but rather a very special spirit based on sugarcane.

   

MADRID MANIFESTO FOR RECOVERY AND DEFENSE INDUSTRY RON On May 31 in the days of the V International Congress of Ron that was held from May 30 to June 2 in the capital of Spain, the rum sector both consumer and manufacturing joined around a manifesto, which includes the defense of this distillate, which can only be sugarcane.  This is the starting point from which this manifesto is born due to the use of alcohols are not sugar cane by other more profitable because their production costs. Alcohol sorghum, rice, beets, vinous, etc ... is used for mixing with cane alcohols, which produces consumer deception. This practice used, it is difficult to certify a product with this mixture of alcohol, today control mechanisms are insufficient to certify this practice to 100%. The first to sign this manifesto was the master Ronero of Havana Club, Don José Navarro, followed by the Director of the International Congress of Ron, Don Javier Herrera and so different company representatives Legendary, Distilleries San Bartolome de Tejina, Savio, Decanter de Caldas , Centennial, Saint James, Bold, etc ...

In the V Congress Ron Madrid was a success both brands and professionals, this year attended Santa Teresa, Havana Club rums of Venezuela DOC (Santa teresa, Ocumare, Diplomat, Veroes, Old Oak), Cubaney, Quorhum, exquisite, President, Unhiq, Magec, Fortin, Origenes, Cihuatán, Malteco, Malecon, Legendary, Pampero, Centenario, Saint James, Dillon, JBally, Bold, Marka's, Neat Glass, Lallemand, Tomsa Distil, Applic Etains, Cubers, DeltaGrup, Cocktail Shop, Don Q, Trois Rivieres, La Mauny, HSE, LONGUETEAU, Lambreo, New Growe, Caliche, 1423, Worthy Park Estate, Tiger, Cool Cup, BarBusiness, La Ronronería, Bacardi, Guajiro, Cocal, Aguere, Davidoff Coco Real, Finest Call, Monin, Sanz and Leblon.

Read More at http://congresodelron.com/ 

     This is a good start that needs to be follow up on and the industry needs to be policing themselves to keep the quality of the rum high and especially with the trend toward premium expressions there is the chance that producers could be offering spirits that look like premium aged expressions that have never spent much time in a barrel.   The French have a set of rules for their rhums, and it might be time for the rest of the rum world to get behind a set of rules and good product labeling.