Barbados Making Noise Over the Rum Subsidies

     In an article in Caribbean 360, Barbados Prime Minister Freundel Stuart spoke out the the growing problem of the United States rum subsidies to the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico and the ripple effect that it is having on the rest of the Caribbean rum producers.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Saturday January 19, 2013 –

Caribbean Community (CARICCOM) rum producing countries are holding high-level talks with the United States on resolving issues surrounding the rum industry in the region, Prime Minister Freundel Stuart has announced.

A government statement said that Prime Minister Stuart made the announcement as he addressed a ceremony unveiling a commemorative plaque for Mount Gay Distilleries’ New Aging Bond earlier this week.

Prime Minister Stuart said the discussions, which are also being attended by officials from the Dominican Republic, were necessary since, within recent time, subsidies had been given to rum producers in the United States Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, much to the disadvantage of Caribbean rum producers, including Barbados.

He said the situation is so serious that Barbados is prepared to take its case to the World Trade Organization (WTO) if a solution is not forthcoming.

“The Government of Barbados has had to take a stand on this issue, and under my instructions, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade communicated with the US Government on this issue. And, of course, very recent discussions have taken place between CARICOM countries, the Dominican Republic and the United States Trade Representative with a view to addressing the more pressing concerns of rum producers, not only here in Barbados, but in other parts of the Caribbean, and, of course, in the Dominican Republic,” he said.

Prime Minister Stuart said that CARICOM was not going to “relapse its vigilance” on the issue.

“We are not about to relax our persistence on this issue… We do not intend to allow rum producers in the Caribbean to be so severely disadvantaged by this market distortion which has resulted from these overwhelming, if I may use that word, subsidies being extended to producers in the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.”

Last month, the CARICOM Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) said  the region continues to have “serious concerns” regarding the competitiveness of Caribbean rum in the United States.

"In addition to being the largest agriculture-based export industry in CARICOM, the rum industry is a substantial employer and a major contributor to foreign exchange earnings and government revenues," COTED said.

CARICOM Secretary General Irwin LaRocque said that the rum issue, involving Diageo, the global rum producer, continues to "threaten Caribbean rum into the US market, and the leaders agreed that strong and urgent political intervention was needed to address that issue.

"There is a concern with regards to some subsidy that is being provided for Diageo, the multilateral and one of the largest rum producers which is currently located in St Croix in the US Virgin Islands," said LaRocque.

"Last August, the UK-based Diageo reportedly warned that should CARICOM mount a complaint to the WTO over the alleged subsidies it would "re-evaluate" its Caribbean interests.

Diageo has denied 'flooding' the US market and has defended the US governments 100-year-old 'cover over' programme, which it said granted the USVI and Puerto Rico much-needed revenues to promote economic stability and fiscal autonomy.

Prime Minister Stuart has assured rum producers in Barbados that his administration “is alert to your concerns on this issue, and that CARICOM and the Dominican Republic are working collaboratively to ensure that we reach some kind of resolution on this matter”.

Stuart said rum “has steadily become a serious foreign exchange earner for Barbados” adding “you really cannot run a country like Barbados, a small open economy, unless you have reliable sources of foreign exchange.

“And, the rum industry has been making its own contribution to Barbados’ gathering of foreign exchange needs to make life more tolerable and more abundant for the people of our island.

 “So, we cannot afford to ignore threats to the industry. Threats to the industry are not for us a luxury, but we have to take these threats seriously and spring into action to protect the industry wherever these threats occur,” he added.

Read more: http://www.caribbean360.com/news/barbados_news/656394.html#ixzz2IcO1eIfH

     On the heels of the "Fiscal Cliff" legislation that .extended the rum subsidies to the U.S. territories, this is what I feel is only the beginning of the latest round of actions in this ongoing dispute. 

 

Sunday Morning Wanderings

    A some what gray Sunday morning here in the Keys.  The remnants of a cold front still hanging around, but it is still a comfortable morning in the mid 60's.   I wish all of you football fans good fortune for the team you are supporting, but for this old Forty Niner Faithful, its "Roll on Niners".

Kirk and Sweeney, the Rum and the Sloop

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  35 Maple Street, the spirits division of The Other Guys (TOG), has announced the release of Kirk and Sweeney Rum, a handcrafted, 12-year-old premium liquor. Kirk and Sweeney becomes the third spirit introduced by 35 Maple Street as it continues to expand its niche in the growing cocktail movement, which has spawned a “gold rush” of cocktail bars and underground speakeasies in urban areas across America over the past five years.

 

"Rum-runner sloop KIRK AND SWEENEY with cases and barrels of rum on her deck, was seized by the U.S. Coast Guard about January 13, 1924.  A generous supply of cases of liquors were kept on deck to save time when the fast motorboats of bootleg smugglers from shore came to make contact outside the three-mile limit (extended to 12-mile limit by Act of Congress April 21, 1924).  The KIRK AND SWEENEY was later renamed the CHASE and used as a training vessel at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in the 1930's."  
Photo No. G-APA-01-13-24 (02) G.F.; 1924; photographer unknown.

   

     “Kirk and Sweeney was the name of a wooden schooner that was best known for smuggling rum from the Caribbean to the Northeast United States during Prohibition,” said August Sebastiani, TOG president. “There’s a historical bent for each of our spirits, so we thought naming the rum after Kirk and Sweeney was appropriate.”

     The rum is made in the Dominican Republic and aged for 12 years in American oak barrels. Its unique packaging – featuring a raised cork in an elegant low-set bottle – was inspired by short, round 18th-century bottles, which typically contained rum.

    This is a beautiful mahogany colored rum with great legs in the glass.   The rum immediately hits you with aromas of wood and vanilla, followed by a light and delicate fruity smooth taste on the palate.  The finish is long lasting and smooth.    I really liked the rum from the first taste and put it on the shelf at the Rum Bar in Key West immediately.    This is a must try new rum, and seems to be available in many areas of the country.   ;o)
 

 

Angostura Single Barrel Rum

     Angostura Single Barrel Rum is not available here in America, but well worth mentioning.   This is a fine rum that is made in Trinidad by the Angostura.   John Georges, the master blender at Angostura has put this mixture of heavy and medium distillates into a blend that is aged in American oak bourbon barrels to perfection.

    This is a very unique rum that costs about $18, but has the flavor of a much more expensive rum.   Available in "Duty-Free" stores in airports and cruise ship harbors around the Caribbean and well worth the trip into one while traveling to obtain a bottle.

On the nose you first notice the light woody notes followed by a delicate sense of vanilla and other tropical spices.   In the mouth you get the taste of honey and a nutty tropical fruity flavors that yields to a long, smooth and warm finish.   This rum is a very good example of how rum should be finished through proper aging.

    This is another example of a fine rum that is not available to those of us that live in the United States.   This is unfortunate for all of us that live here,  the tax and hoops make it difficult and expensive for rum companies to bring many of their products to market here.    If you get out and about this winter to an airport or cruise port in the Caribbean make the time to search Angostura Single Barrel Rum out, it is worth the effort.   ;o)

Ron Medellin Grand Reserva 12 Year Old

    12 Year Old Ron Medellin Grand Reserva is a very fine rum from Columbia that I was finally able to obtain for the Rum Bar yesterday.   This is a classic rum like those from the high valleys of Guatemala that benefits from the cooler average temperatures.   The Aburra Valley has an elevation of about 5,000 feet and an average temperature of 70 degrees.  Even with it's proximity to the equator, the high altitude spring like weather makes for great rum aging conditions.   There is a smaller amount of loss to "Angel's Share" evaporation from the barrels.

     This is a pure rum made from local sugar cane with no added sugars or artificial flavorings.   The Colombian way of making rum is based on the quality and control by using selected resources that come from within the Colombian borders.    

     The rum has a complex smokey flavor from the American Oak barrels that it spends 12 years resting in.  The local rum in Columbia is 70 proof, but the export available in the United States is a full 80 proof.    There are hints of vanilla and a certain spiciness to the rum that is followed by a long and distinctive smooth finish.  The rum feels very nice on the palate, and  has a distinctively long finish.

     I have always liked the three and eight year old rums from Ron Medellin, but this twelve year old is really nice and one that needs to be placed in your collection.   ;o)


    
    

Marlyn's Birthday Party in the Marina Last Night

    The owner of the marina had a birthday party last night and it went on into the wee hours of the morning.  The head is a bit foggy this morning and at least I didn't have to walk out into a bright morning sun today.  The little shower and the clouds were welcome.

     The Kingfisher was out this morning getting his morning meal and all in all it was quite the nice morning.   I'm normally in bed by 9 or 10, and these 3am getting into bed are hard on this old guy, but it was a party for a friend and worth staying up for.

     I know that in my younger days, the late nights were easy to handle for a few days in a row, but these days even one is rough.  I guess that is the price of the years of experience and something that you just have to be aware of.   I'm not going to complain about this because it was a fun party that all who attended enjoyed immensely.

                                       By the way I will be in bed by 8 tonight!!!  ;o)

January's Cocktail Barbancourt

    I am offering another cocktail utilizing the combination of Rhum Barbancourt Four Star and Pango.   This combination offers flavors that are conducive to many varieties of cocktail.   The smokey flavor of the Four Star Rhum when combined with the pineapple and mango flavors of the Pango will lend itself to many many possibilities for a choice cocktail.

Bahama Bob's Haitian Surprise

·          1 oz. Rhum Barbancourt Pango

·          1 ½ oz. Rhum Barbancourt 3 Star

·          ¾ oz. Triple Sec

·          1 oz. Grapefruit Juice

·          1 ½ oz. Pineapple Juice

·          ½ oz. Cane Syrup (Simple Sugar Syrup)

·          2 Dashes of Bitters

 

Place all ingredients into a shaker filled with ice and shake until chilled.  Pour into a Collin's

glass and garnish with an orange wheel and cherry.

 

Hope you get the chance to enjoy this cocktail this month and try your own ideas using Rhum Barbancourt Four Star and Pango.  ;o)

 

More on the Fiscal Cliff Tax Cuts

     It is good to see that I am not the only one that is a bit miffed about the "pork barrel" antics that took place in Washington D.C. under the guise of the "Fiscal Cliff".

Lobbyists help smooth the way for Diageo's jumbo-sized tax breaks 

 The deal will mean Diageo saves many millions more dollars in rebates 

Source: The Independent 

by Jim Armitage  

Friday 11 January 2013 

Global Outlook All that fiscal cliff business had investors reaching for the drinks cabinet over the new year. But when the bill was passed, one British corporate giant had more reason to celebrate than most. For, believe it or not, thanks to the weird world of United States lobbying, the Smirnoff-to-Guinness giant Diageo emerged as one of the biggest beneficiaries.

While we naive observers in the rest of the globe thought the legislation was all about saving the US from economic collapse, in fact, for a small but powerful Washington lobbying elite, it was more about driving through a few jumbo-sized special-interest-group tax breaks.

The rest of the world, and US taxpayers, focused on the deep public spending cuts and tax rises for the wealthy presaged by the bill, but President Barack Obama shoehorned in a host of completely unrelated "pork barrel" tax breaks for big business.

One of them was a two-year extension to the tax break mainly benefiting Diageo's Captain Morgan rum distillery in the US Virgin Islands.

The deal will mean Diageo saves many millions more dollars in rebates, which rivals argue makes it hard for the company ever to lose money on the liquor.

It's impossible to state exactly how much Diageo will save as the break is based on how much rum the company manages to shift from its shiny new distillery in the US territory. Some reports have put the annual benefit at around $50m (£31m).

You could argue that's not much for a multi-billion dollar operation like Diageo, but it's a whole lot more than the company paid the Washington lobbyists Trent Lott and John Breaux to push for the change. Data obtainable through the OpenSecrets.org website suggest Diageo paid the pair's firm only $120,000 last year.

Perhaps the duo, a former Republican and Democrat senator, should up their rates. They may need to, since another client, the Lance Armstrong Foundation, may not be paying its $100,000-$250,000 annual lobbying dues for much longer.

As a Brit, whose pension is, I presume, partly invested in the world's biggest drinks company, it's hard not to have mixed feelings. On the one hand, you have to admire Diageo for its political nous in hiring two of the most effective lobbyists in Washington to do its bidding so well. The way the White House jingoistically abused BP after the Deepwater Horizon disaster highlighted how British firms don't always play the game with such elan.

But this kind of lobbying in foreign climes is reputationally risky. As the US media focused on the Armageddon Averted fiscal cliff story, the tale of Diageo's nice little earner didn't cause much of a stink. But think about it: "hard-pressed American taxpayers bail out Limey booze peddlers," could have played pretty big in other circumstances.

Incidentally, Diageo, which did not comment on my queries about this story, managed to get tax incentives worth some $2.7bn when it moved its Captain Morgan distillery from impoverished Puerto Rico to the US Virgin Islands.

 

Read More at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/comment/jim-armitage-lobbyists-help-smooth-the-way-for-diageos-jumbosized-tax-breaks-8448830.html  

 

     I just could not let this article pass in all good conscience.    Enough of my "soap box" orations and back to the issue at hand, good rum.   ;o)

Waking up to the Serenity of Sunday Morning

 

Starting my day just before sunrise inspires me to get going as the day does.  It is the feeling of having someone else to walk into the day with you.  ;o)

 

 

 

2013 Miami Rum Renaissance Festival

     The 2013 edition of the Miami Rum Renaissance, April 15 thru the 21, 2013 is just around the corner.  It is time to make your reservations for a room and get your tickets for one of the best rum events anywhere.    You can go on line and get it all taken care of at http://www.rumrenaissance.com/ 
This year the event has moved to the Miami Convention Center near the Airport, making it possible for it to be larger than ever and provide space for even more rum producers to be involved.

    There is a Grand Tasting on Saturday and Sunday, seminars, cocktail contests, lifestyle events, and a rum awards events happening there.     If you have an interest in rum, this is the event that you have been waiting for all year.  

    As it stands now, I will be there for the entire week of the event as a judge for the rum competition, and attending all of the special events hosted by the rum producers during the week.


   Get on line and make your reservations and get your tickets for the rum event of the year.    I'll be looking forward to meeting many of you in Miami at the Rum Renaissance Festival.  ;o)

Thinking of Some Really Nice Rums

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   Sitting her in the office this morning with some really nice rums on my mind.   It came to my mind what a fun collection of premium rums that I have sitting here.   Having done a fair amount of traveling to rum producing countries has given me a chance to sample and obtain quite a few sipping rums.   There are nights when I'm very content to sit on the aft deck and watch the sun setting with a snifter of fine rum that tantalizes my nose and palate.

     Today I'm thinking about rums like Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva, Ron Abuelo Centuria, El Dorado 21,15, and 12 year old, Rhum Barbancourt 15 Year, and Doorley's XO to name a few.   Any one of these fine rums will meet my needs, but the one that I choose will be affected by what kind of mood that I am in at that moment.   That is the wonderful thing about rum, no two taste the same nor do they have the same effect on me.   Some calm me and make me sleepy, while others make me a bit more bubbly and joyous, and some of the others just make me feel warm all over.

     You just got to get to know your favorite rums and when to partake of the individual one that is fitting for that moment.   There are rums for every individuals taste and wants if you just take the time to try them and savor the qualities of each of them.    Some are expensive and worth the price, some are inexpensive and a real bonus when you discover one of these.   Next time that you are in your favorite liquor store, take some time to browse the rum section and take home one that you haven't tried before.  You just might find a new favorite.  ;o)

Hemingway's Pilar

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    Pilar was Hemingway's famed 38 foot fishing boat that he acquired on April 18, 1934 for the price of $7495.00.  Hemingway was still living in Key West at the time, but later took with him on his move to Cuba.  Today the boat has been restored and resides as part of the Hemingway Museum on the grounds of Finca la Vigia in San Francisco de Paula, Cuba.    This is a must see for any one that has any interest in the real Ernest Hemingway.    Fishing and hunting were two of his biggest passions in life, and Pilar a nickname of his second wife Pauline.

    Hemingway and Pilar covered much of the area from the North Coast of Cuba and Bimini to the Marquesas Keys and Key West during the years 1934 til 1959.    There were many many stories of the adventures of Hemingway and Pilar that were a part of on his many voyages.  There were wild party's, fighting, and fishing in Bimini, the "Hemingway Patrols" from 1942 and 1943 looking for German U-Boats off of Bimini and Cuba, and the many fishing stories, Pilar and Hemingway were deeply entrenched in the nautical history of the area. 

     For it's day, the boat was fitted with many innovations that are still a part of fishing boats today.  I had a "Bimini" top with a steering station located high above for spotting the fish, engines designed with fishing in mind, a livewell for fish and bait, and a roller on the transom to aid in the pulling of large fish into the boat.   For it's day one of the best fishing yachts in the world.  Hemingway and Pilar were responsible for many many records and was the first to pull a absolutely pristine Giant Tuna aboard.  This boat has so much history and so many firsts that it is impossible to cover, but between the boat and the man, few could compete when it came to fishing.  The Pilar was the inspiration for many of the books that Ernest Hemingway wrote during the years he and Pilar were together on the seas.   ;o)

Bahama Bob's Vizcaya Daiquiri

  Wednesday Cocktail Time brings out an old favorite on mine.  Vizcaya Cask 12 Rum and J. D. Taylor Velvet Falernum.   Daiquiri's are one of my favorite cocktails because of the simplicity of the recipe and the exquisite taste of them.   This is one that I really like because of the way that the rum and the falernum come together and dazzle your palate.

Bahama Bob's Vizcaya Daiquiri

·         1 ½ oz. Vizcaya Cask 12

·         ½ oz. Velvet Falernum

·         ½ oz. Cane Syrup

·         ½ oz. Lime Juice

Place in a shaker filled with ice and shake until chilled and strain into a martini glass.    Garnish with a lime wheel.

 

Try this one out soon and enjoy the experience.  ;o)

 

Bacardi Purchases St-Germain liqueur

By Bacardi Limited

HAMILTON, BERMUDA, JAN. 8, 2013 — /PRNewswire/ -- Bacardi Limited, the largest privately held spirits company in the world, has acquired St-Germain, the super-premium elderflower liqueur.

"St-Germain is one of the most exciting brands in the industry today. Since its launch only six years ago as a modern liqueur with a delicious and distinctive taste, St-Germain has stayed true to its French craftsmanship, engaged the bartending community in a way that few spirits brands have, and won some of the industry's most prestigious awards," said Facundo L. Bacardi, Chairman of Bacardi Limited.

Heralded as "one of the most influential cocktail components introduced in the last decade" (The New York Times, December 2009) and the go-to ingredient for top mixologists, St-Germain is currently available in all 50 states in the United States and has a growing presence in international markets.

"I chose to work with Bacardi as we share many of the same cultural tenets. They are truly committed to quality, integrity and maintaining the energy and aura we have worked so hard to create. As a 150-year-old private and closely-held company that was founded on principles of quality, integrity and innovation, Bacardi is committed to the long-term. This allows Bacardi to have the latitude to maintain our 'stop at nothing' approach to our artisanal production process," said Robert Cooper, creator of St-Germain and President of The Cooper Spirits Company. "With Bacardi's help, St-Germain can now become a truly international brand. That's something that would have been difficult for me to achieve as a small, creative brand-building company."

     T
Read more here: http://www.heraldonline.com/2013/01/08/4526871/bacardi-acquires-st-germain-liqueur.html#storylink=cpy

Read More at www.bacardi.com
 

This is exciting news to many bartenders who make use of this really fine liqueur to liven up their cocktails.   For some time St. Germain has been hard to locate, this move will improve the distribution and give more and more people access to its beautiful elderberry flavor.  

Use it like a as an accent for many of your cocktails and you will be amazed how it brings them to life.   I'm currently experimenting with it is several of my premier tiki style cocktails and found it to be absolutely delightful.  It adds a subtle brightness to the cocktail that is unique.   Be careful not to use more than a few drops, because you can also over power a cocktail with it.

Pick up a bottle at any fine liquor store and start experimenting with it on your own.  You will be surprised what it can do for your cocktail talents.  ;o)

 

 

 

Rum for All Enters Second Year

Source: Spirit Journal, Inc
January 7, 2013

Spirit Journal, Inc.'s Rum For All, the groundbreaking Rum advocacy initiative, is entering its second full year of activities with an ambitious docket of planned trade/media and consumer events. Rum For All is the unique, innovative partnership between blue chip rum producers and independent spirits experts and journalists F. Paul Pacult and Sean Ludford.

The core goal of the initiative is to educate beverage industry trade professionals, media and, starting in 2013, consumers through dynamic seminar/tasting events, an educational website and active social media about the folklore, history, production and mixology applications of Rum.

Said Ludford, "In our first full year, Paul and I hosted major events in Vancouver, New York, San Francisco, New Orleans, Boston and Dallas geared directly to beverage retailers, bartenders and media. This year, the Rum For All roadshow will hit Chicago, Denver, New York and Washington D.C., with more cities in the planning stage, including the Pacific Northwest. The resurgence of the Rum category is evident just by the crowds that Rum For All is attracting in every city."

Added Pacult, "In 2013, we will be adding one, possibly two new Rum producer members to the remarkable roster of existing A-list producers. And on Saturday, April 13th in New York, we will host our exciting Rum For All "Rum Day at Astor Center", where consumers will get the daylong opportunity to attend a formal sit down Rum tasting and cocktail party. Another tasty perk for attendees will be that Astor Wine & Spirits will be featuring selected Rums at special sale prices that day. How could any red-blooded American imbiber not love that concept?"

The Rum For All Founding Members for 2013 are:

            10 Cane, Trinidad                             Appleton Estate, Jamaica

            Bacardi, Puerto Rico                         Banks Rum

            Brugal, Dominican Republic            Cruzan, Virgin Islands

            Denizen                                             Depaz, Martinique

            Diplomatico, Venezuela                   Don Q, Puerto Rico

            Mount Gay, Barbados                       Ron Abuelo, Panama

            Shellback, Barbados                         Zacapa Rum, Nicaragua

For more information and/or to subscribe to the monthly Rum For All e-newsletter, please log onto www.rumforall.com. You can also like Rum For All on FaceBook www.facebook.com/rumforall.


Rum for All is doing a great job of bringing the gospel of rum to America.  This is a great source of information and knowledge for the rum enthusiast.   F. Paul Pacult and Sean Ludford are dong much for the rum industry and expanding the horizons of the spirits consumers to the virtues of rum.   

The seminars on rum at the many of their events have been very positive among bartenders and enthusiasts as well, and I hope they are able to continue their great work  raising the awareness of the rum category.    ;o)

 

The Fog Rolls Into Key West

     Fog rolling into Key West is an unusual sight, but yesterday morning it rolled down the Gulf of Mexico like something out of a Steven Spielberg movie.    It stayed around most of the day making it even more unusual.   

Finca la Vigia: Hemingway's Cuban Home

   This is a part of the trip to Cuba in September that I have not taken the time to write about yet.   The home that Ernest Hemingway spent nearly 20 years and was visited by so many celebrities of the era.        Hemingway’s Home in Cuba, located in San Francisco de Paula, just outside of Havana.    Hemingway bought the house with the royalties from For Whom the Bell Tolls in 1940.    The house was originally built by Spanish Achitect Miguel Pascusl y Baguer in 1886.    Hemingway purchased the house in 1940 for the sum of $12,500.     After Hemingway’s death in 1961, the Cuban Government became the owner of the property either with or without the approval of Mary Hemingway to whom his will passed the ownership of the property, his royalties, and most other belongings.

     It has been said that when lanky Gary Cooper visited Hemingway that he was too tall for any of  the beds, so he slept on the couch.  When a visiting Ava Gardener was wilting in the tropical heat, she was said to have gone "skinny dipping" in the pool, where the water usually a bit green in color, but very refreshing  anyway.   There were many other notables of the time that visited Hemingway at Finca la Vigia, like Spencer Tracy, Marlene Dietrich, George Plimpton and Jean-Paul Satre, all guests at the hilltop estate.

     The View from the back porch down towad Havana is also very spectacular.  The house has a vibe of warmth and friendliness that makes you feel very much at home there.  I can understand why all of the friends took the time to stop by and spend time with Ernest at Finca La Vigia.   This home was unique in many ways, from the cats, the cows, the tower observatory, from which he had a clear view of the pool where several of his famous guests were know to swim in the buff.   

     All in all it is a great view of the man's lifestyle and where he wrote so many of his novels and short stories.  The twenty or so years he spent here at Finca la Vigia were some of his most productive as far as his writing went, and I feel like they were some of his happiest years as well.     Seeing Pilar in the back area was also a thrill, a story I will pursue at a later time.   ;o)

Diplomatico on My Mind

iv>      I'm sitting here thinking about a nice rum, and Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva has come to mind.   It has been a while since I got top sit down and just sip this fine spirit.   There is something that I really like about this rum, maybe the notes of brandy on the palate or even the big bold Grand Marnier style finish, or all of the above.  This makes a really fine rum to sit on the back of the boat and just put my feet up in the air with.

    The fine work of Tito Cordero and the fine people of DUSA in Venezuela make this a wonderful sipping kind of rum.   If you haven't tried any of the fine Diplomatico line of rums, you need to, especially the Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva.  All of the line make for some really good mixing, but when it comes to a sipper, the reserva exclusiva can not be beat.  ;o)

  

The United States Extends Cover Over Subsidy

Diageo Grand Opening of Rum Distillery in St. Croix

     "It is U.S. policy to tax rum producers like Diageo and Bacardi nearly $14 for every gallon of rum they make outside the country and sell in the U.S. But the tax is merely a gimmick that gets reinvested in the Virgin Islands and the Puerto Rico in the form of aid. The alcohol industry's more than $13/per gallon kickback has been extended as part of the fiscal cliff negotiations. Pro Publica estimates the tax break gives Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands a total of $480 million in aid for rum production."

read more at http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2013/01/02/fiscal-cliff-pork-asparagus-nascar-rum.

     It seems that here we are in a fiscal disaster and we still don't want to give up feeding the $480 Million for the rum cover over tax program that is causing so much problem throughout the rum producing world.     It would seem to me that the money could be better spent investing in American rum producers not only in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, but those within the boarders of the United States proper.   This is a one sided program that is a direct aide of money to these companies and not just a tax break that was offered to so many other foreign corporations that have opted to build plants here in the United States.

     "Prime Minister Freundel Stuart made this clear as he spoke with members of the media following a tour of Foursquare Rum Distillery in St Philip on Friday."

     "Stuart disclosed that, at present, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands were able to purchase products much cheaper than Caribbean rum producers and, as a result, this gave them an unfair advantage as far as their rum exports were concerned. He said this matter was engaging the attention of CARICOM states and was being "actively" addressed."

     He added: "The rum industry is too important to Barbados, and yes it is a CARICOM issue, but I don't think any CARICOM country has any reason to be as concerned about this as Barbados. Rum is assuming an importance for Barbados that we cannot afford to ignore. So, this is a front burner issue and we are following it very closely."

     "The prime minister disclosed that he recently held lengthy discussions with the US Assistant Secretary of State on the matter and also met with Barbados's ambassador to Washington, John Beale, as well as Barbados's ambassador to CARICOM, Robert &lsquo;Bobby' Morris. Furthermore, he explained that Barbados's ambassador to Geneva, Dr Marion Williams, was also looking into the issue."

     It seems that the issue keeps falling on deaf ears here in Washington, D.C., I wonder what it will take to wake up the congress to an issue that is not only hurting the rum industry as a whole, but the rum producers within the United States as well who are paying an excise tax to the Federal Government.   After a promise to help the "middle class" in the less than 2 month ago elections we are hand $480 million off to be invested in companies that are not even American companies.