I like a lot of what's going on here, but some of these matchups are very weird. Kraken vs Black Tot? Price aside, I don't see how the two could ever be compared, other than by color. Hamilton 86 Demerara would've been a better comparison. Still not similar flavor-wise, but it at least serves a more similar purpose to the kraken, is more available, and cheaper. Weirdest one for me though is Zacapa 23 vs Foursquare 07. For someone who primarily drinks Ron Zacapa, the ABV of the Foursquare would in itself likely be way too much of a jump. Foursquare 2007 is also long discontinued and basically impossible to find now. If you have a source, let me know and I'll buy multiple bottles. RL Seale 12 would've been a much better comparison. It's cheaper, actually available to purchase, and lower proof at 46% abv which is a good jump up from 40%, but not huge, while still having a similar flavor profile to the Foursquare ECS releases. I like the point of these videos, just wanted to make some suggestions! Also just FYI, there isn't any Hampden Estate in the Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still, it's entirely Worthy Park.
Picking alternatives is tricky. Appreciate the suggestions! Jump in our exclusive online education platform! Join using the link in the video description! Cheers!
Since you did ask for feedback... Started off okay, and the concept might have worked. However… It appears to be clickbait. Designed to get you to sign up to purchase $250-350 sample packs. What’s the real (other) problems? To title a video as “10 Rums You Should Not Buy!” And then go on to compare rums with different production techniques, proof levels, and intended flavour profiles is as about as helpful as comparing a house boat to an apartment. I also ponder as to who this is supposed to be pitched at. If it's to help, as you say, "choosing the right rum can elevate your cocktails, sipping experience, and appreciation for this incredible spirit" then this falls short IMHO and as a lover of rum I found it more a disservice to the category. Respectfully, and intended kindly, I appreciate your expertise, rum knowledge and spirits judging may not be at the level as others, but it begs the question as to why you want an intended audience to be steered in the wrong direction (not entirely, but enough for two wheels to be constantly hitting the kerb). By the time I got half way through, the aforementioned observations were clearly demonstrated with needless and unhelpful statements, such as “comes down to individual preferences” “depends on intended use” “all and all this is a judgement call” “okay, this one might be a mismatch” etc when in every single example you're comparing two rums! What was the point? The use of “smooth” as a descriptor on multiple occasions is also a red flag to anyone that understands how to judge spirits. Examples in this video, to illustrate… 1. No idea what the point is comparing a $12-15 rum with a $20-25 rum (Plantation 3 Star). IMHO, it’s as redundant as comparing a budget TV like Hisense with a Sony or Samsung. If the point was to highlight ‘premium’ surely there would have been way better options than 3 Star? Probitas/Veritas, FdC 4yr, WP Silver, Rum Fire… off the top of my head. (BTW Bacardi Heritage 89 proof would easily 'compete' against 3 Star, if that was your aim) 2. Bumbu? If you’re new(ish) to rum then you’d probably use the tasting notes you described here. If you’ve tasted “a world of rums” then I would suspect you would never say things like “complex flavour profile” for a 35% rum, let alone the heavy sweetening that somehow means “smooth rum” 3. Kraken vs Black Tot. Argh!!! Black Tot rums are of high quality, and to say it’s “a risky choice” putting it up against Kraken is an understatement. “Naive” and “insulting” seem more appropriate. What’s next? Comparing McDonalds quarter pounder with Wagyu beef served at French Laundry? 4. Ron Zacapa v Foursquare 2007. These rums live on entirely different planets. Again, what was the point? Obviously not the similarities. Maybe the price point? Ah, no. Not even that, by your own admission. To then finish with, “Up to the consumer” seems redundant, doesn't it? Maybe I missed something. Happy to hear the explanation. 5. “Real McCoy 3 year old white rum is a great alternative to Havana Club” Again, a cheap Bacardi product sold at $15-20 vs an independent bottler’s rum sourced from Foursquare that sells for $25-30. The point was? 6. Mount Gay. Really? Comparing two expressions, clearly price pointed and positioned for different uses, somehow qualifies this as fitting “10 Rums You Should Not Buy!”? The admission of quilt comes at the very end. I'll be honest, I did let out a sigh. Hopefully, this will also help you, and those that viewed this video, re needed corrections... 1. “Don Facundo founded Bacardi” Not trying to be picky, but it’s a real shame this still gets regurgitated as a way to wipe out the person who actually taught Facundo Bacardí Massó how to distill, and was the co-founder of Bacardi i.e. José Leon Boutellier. Let alone, Facundo’s brother, José was very much part of the company in 1862 - he sold out in 1874. Boutellier, quite old by then also sold most of his shares. 2. Bacardi established plants outside Cuba long before the 1959 revolution* and although unrest has always been part of Cuba’s history, the main drivers were financial - plants closer to markets and tax incentives. 1931 for Mexico plant, 1936 for Puerto Rico. *you state "political upheaval during the Cuban revolution" You don't state which one, so I'm assuming you meant 1959? 3. Bumbu. For most countries outside the US it would be illegal to label this as rum. Further, in the US, the TTB clearly states rum can contain additives that are harmless coloring/flavoring/blending materials and do not exceed 2½% by volume of the finished product. Bumbu falls short of that. Even if you or others disagree on this point, you can’t argue that the TTB also states rum must be “bottled at not less than 40% alcohol by volume (80 proof).” 4. Havana Club. It would take way too long to explain here why the description given is inaccurate, and as to why it is again, an unhelpful comparison but feel free to message me and I'll try to help you out. I appreciate you reading through this feedback, Robert, and as said, I'm hope it helps you with your rum journey.
No mentions for Appleton rums or rhume agricole? Interested in your favourites. Cuban Havana Club white is much more flavourful than the Bacardi Havana Club. Up here in Canada we have Newfoundland Screech which is an experience in itself. Guaranteed to get a kitchen party started. Cheers
Native English language almost always choose British tradition rums, sometimes is a cuestión of real qualitiy but sometimes is an endogamic chovinism tick that don’t match with reality.
We don't have access to Cuban rum in the US market. I will do a video on Cuban rum in the future. I travel. Jump in our exclusive online education platform! Join using the link in the video description! Cheers!
Plantation has shown themselves to care very little about local traditions. While I agree it's better than Bacardi I still won't buy it because of their business practices. BTW...46% is not high proof. In fact 46% should be the industry standard.
It was higher proof than the other, but thanks for pointing that out. I live in a world of cask strength spirits. Jump in our exclusive online education platform! Join using the link in the video description! Cheers!
I put Bacardi White Rum as in a vodka tasting. Very few people identified it as a ringer.
I like a lot of what's going on here, but some of these matchups are very weird.
Kraken vs Black Tot? Price aside, I don't see how the two could ever be compared, other than by color. Hamilton 86 Demerara would've been a better comparison. Still not similar flavor-wise, but it at least serves a more similar purpose to the kraken, is more available, and cheaper.
Weirdest one for me though is Zacapa 23 vs Foursquare 07. For someone who primarily drinks Ron Zacapa, the ABV of the Foursquare would in itself likely be way too much of a jump. Foursquare 2007 is also long discontinued and basically impossible to find now. If you have a source, let me know and I'll buy multiple bottles. RL Seale 12 would've been a much better comparison. It's cheaper, actually available to purchase, and lower proof at 46% abv which is a good jump up from 40%, but not huge, while still having a similar flavor profile to the Foursquare ECS releases.
I like the point of these videos, just wanted to make some suggestions!
Also just FYI, there isn't any Hampden Estate in the Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still, it's entirely Worthy Park.
Picking alternatives is tricky. Appreciate the suggestions! Jump in our exclusive online education platform! Join using the link in the video description! Cheers!
Ron Zacapa is my all-time favorite.
I would have liked to see some French Rhum compared.
Comparing rums is hard because the profiles are so different and individual.
Agree! Jump in our exclusive online education platform! Join using the link in the video description! Cheers!
Since you did ask for feedback...
Started off okay, and the concept might have worked. However…
It appears to be clickbait. Designed to get you to sign up to purchase $250-350 sample packs.
What’s the real (other) problems?
To title a video as “10 Rums You Should Not Buy!” And then go on to compare rums with different production techniques, proof levels, and intended flavour profiles is as about as helpful as comparing a house boat to an apartment.
I also ponder as to who this is supposed to be pitched at. If it's to help, as you say, "choosing the right rum can elevate your cocktails, sipping experience, and appreciation for this incredible spirit" then this falls short IMHO and as a lover of rum I found it more a disservice to the category. Respectfully, and intended kindly, I appreciate your expertise, rum knowledge and spirits judging may not be at the level as others, but it begs the question as to why you want an intended audience to be steered in the wrong direction (not entirely, but enough for two wheels to be constantly hitting the kerb).
By the time I got half way through, the aforementioned observations were clearly demonstrated with needless and unhelpful statements, such as “comes down to individual preferences” “depends on intended use” “all and all this is a judgement call” “okay, this one might be a mismatch” etc when in every single example you're comparing two rums! What was the point? The use of “smooth” as a descriptor on multiple occasions is also a red flag to anyone that understands how to judge spirits.
Examples in this video, to illustrate…
1. No idea what the point is comparing a $12-15 rum with a $20-25 rum (Plantation 3 Star). IMHO, it’s as redundant as comparing a budget TV like Hisense with a Sony or Samsung. If the point was to highlight ‘premium’ surely there would have been way better options than 3 Star? Probitas/Veritas, FdC 4yr, WP Silver, Rum Fire… off the top of my head. (BTW Bacardi Heritage 89 proof would easily 'compete' against 3 Star, if that was your aim)
2. Bumbu? If you’re new(ish) to rum then you’d probably use the tasting notes you described here. If you’ve tasted “a world of rums” then I would suspect you would never say things like “complex flavour profile” for a 35% rum, let alone the heavy sweetening that somehow means “smooth rum”
3. Kraken vs Black Tot. Argh!!! Black Tot rums are of high quality, and to say it’s “a risky choice” putting it up against Kraken is an understatement. “Naive” and “insulting” seem more appropriate. What’s next? Comparing McDonalds quarter pounder with Wagyu beef served at French Laundry?
4. Ron Zacapa v Foursquare 2007. These rums live on entirely different planets. Again, what was the point? Obviously not the similarities. Maybe the price point? Ah, no. Not even that, by your own admission. To then finish with, “Up to the consumer” seems redundant, doesn't it? Maybe I missed something. Happy to hear the explanation.
5. “Real McCoy 3 year old white rum is a great alternative to Havana Club” Again, a cheap Bacardi product sold at $15-20 vs an independent bottler’s rum sourced from Foursquare that sells for $25-30. The point was?
6. Mount Gay. Really? Comparing two expressions, clearly price pointed and positioned for different uses, somehow qualifies this as fitting “10 Rums You Should Not Buy!”? The admission of quilt comes at the very end. I'll be honest, I did let out a sigh.
Hopefully, this will also help you, and those that viewed this video, re needed corrections...
1. “Don Facundo founded Bacardi” Not trying to be picky, but it’s a real shame this still gets regurgitated as a way to wipe out the person who actually taught Facundo Bacardí Massó how to distill, and was the co-founder of Bacardi i.e. José Leon Boutellier. Let alone, Facundo’s brother, José was very much part of the company in 1862 - he sold out in 1874. Boutellier, quite old by then also sold most of his shares.
2. Bacardi established plants outside Cuba long before the 1959 revolution* and although unrest has always been part of Cuba’s history, the main drivers were financial - plants closer to markets and tax incentives. 1931 for Mexico plant, 1936 for Puerto Rico. *you state "political upheaval during the Cuban revolution" You don't state which one, so I'm assuming you meant 1959?
3. Bumbu. For most countries outside the US it would be illegal to label this as rum. Further, in the US, the TTB clearly states rum can contain additives that are harmless coloring/flavoring/blending materials and do not exceed 2½% by volume of the finished product. Bumbu falls short of that. Even if you or others disagree on this point, you can’t argue that the TTB also states rum must be “bottled at not less than 40% alcohol by volume (80 proof).”
4. Havana Club. It would take way too long to explain here why the description given is inaccurate, and as to why it is again, an unhelpful comparison but feel free to message me and I'll try to help you out.
I appreciate you reading through this feedback, Robert, and as said, I'm hope it helps you with your rum journey.
I appreciate the feedback. Thanks for the detail. We're not here to mislead or misinform. Cheers!
Monday sounds like a snow day. I may take up some of your better substitutions for better choices of rum.🍹
Glad to be of service! Jump in our exclusive online education platform! Join using the link in the video description! Cheers!
No mentions for Appleton rums or rhume agricole? Interested in your favourites. Cuban Havana Club white is much more flavourful than the Bacardi Havana Club. Up here in Canada we have Newfoundland Screech which is an experience in itself. Guaranteed to get a kitchen party started. Cheers
Native English language almost always choose British tradition rums, sometimes is a cuestión of real qualitiy but sometimes is an endogamic chovinism tick that don’t match with reality.
Bumbu is pronounced "Bum-u"
Thanks! Jump in our exclusive online education platform! Join using the link in the video description! Cheers!
Pusser's didn't make your list. I guess they wouldn't pay you.
I am not paid by any of the brands. Jump in our exclusive online education platform! Join using the link in the video description! Cheers!
Not one drop of actual Cuban rum. Shame.
Cuban rum is mid. Also this guy is American and can't access Cuban products
True but I travel. Jump in our exclusive online education platform! Join using the link in the video description! Cheers!
We don't have access to Cuban rum in the US market. I will do a video on Cuban rum in the future. I travel. Jump in our exclusive online education platform! Join using the link in the video description! Cheers!
Plantation has shown themselves to care very little about local traditions. While I agree it's better than Bacardi I still won't buy it because of their business practices. BTW...46% is not high proof. In fact 46% should be the industry standard.
It was higher proof than the other, but thanks for pointing that out. I live in a world of cask strength spirits. Jump in our exclusive online education platform! Join using the link in the video description! Cheers!