Or is "Caribbean Dark Spirit Drink" not actually rum? It looks like it should be called rum.

I'm an exiled Brit who now lives on a rum producing island, but who is currently back in the motherland for a visit. And I am very confused by this! Make it make sense!

by llamafarma73

33 comments
  1. Rum has to be 100% (cane) sugar and a specific abv. This is a blend that is below the % proof necessary to be legal called rum.

    low bar, and yet they’ve missed it.

  2. a)
    Rum is:

    (i)
    a spirit drink produced exclusively by alcoholic fermentation and distillation, either from molasses or syrup produced in the manufacture of cane sugar or from sugar-cane juice itself and distilled at less than 96 % vol. so that the distillate has the discernible specific organoleptic characteristics of rum, or

    (ii)
    a spirit drink produced exclusively by alcoholic fermentation and distillation of sugar-cane juice which has the aromatic characteristics specific to rum and a volatile substances content equal to or exceeding 225 grams per hectolitre of 100 % vol. alcohol. This spirit may be placed on the market with the word ‘agricultural’ qualifying the sales denomination ‘rum’ accompanied by any of the geographical indications of the French Overseas Departments and the Autonomous Region of Madeira as registered in [F49Great Britain’s GIs Register].

    *(b)
    The minimum alcoholic strength by volume of rum shall be 37,5 %.*

    (c)
    No addition of alcohol as defined in Annex I(5), diluted or not, shall take place.

    (d)
    Rum shall not be flavoured.

    (e)
    Rum may only contain added caramel as a means to adapt colour.

    (f)
    The word ‘traditionnel’ may supplement any of the geographical indications mentioned in category 1 of Annex III [F50 for rum in Great Britain’s GIs Register] where the rum is produced by distillation at less than 90 % vol., after alcoholic fermentation of alcohol-producing materials originating exclusively in the place of production considered. This rum must have a volatile substances content equal to or exceeding 225 grams per hectolitre of 100 % vol. alcohol and must not be sweetened. The use of the word ‘traditionnel’ does not prevent the use of the terms ‘from sugar production’ or ‘agricultural’ which may be added to the sales denomination ‘rum’ and to geographical indications.

    This provision shall not affect the use of the word ‘traditionnel’ for all products not covered by this provision, according to their own specific criteria.

    https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2008/110

  3. they know if they label it “rum” customers will be breaking into it on the way home, can’t wait for a hit of that neat sweet rum.

  4. Ah this reminds me of my Barman days and people would ask for a house vodka and a house Bacardi 🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️

  5. It’s because they can’t call it rum unless it’s actually rum. A bit like you can’t call champagne by that name unless it was produced in the Champagne region.

    I watched a program about companies who make shitty meat products and one made ‘sausages’ that were basically 70% connective tissue and muscle. Their ‘sausages’ were 30% beef, so they were forced to call them ‘beef-style sticks’ or something ridiculous. Anything but sausages. A bit like how crab sticks were forced to change to ‘seafood sticks’ as they contain fuck all crab.

  6. It’s rum substitute. Rum analog.

    Can also be used as an insect repellant, paint stripper, engine coolant, delousing agent and graffiti remover. Ideal for removing chewing gum from pavements, sealing the edges of carriageway repairs and as brake cleaner.

    Bottoms up!!

  7. Most ‘rum’ these days can’t be called rum. Spirit drink is on all of the labels. There are other spirit drinks available out there now.

  8. Yes! Believe me.. after drinking a bottle of this me and the fire brigade and the poor victims at the harbour had the same thoughts!

  9. They can’t call it ‘rum’ unless it’s distilled in the Sultanate of Rum, which is quite difficult as it hasn’t existed for 600 years.

  10. Seeing these always makes me think of B99 where the whole squad brings, what is legally called ‘Wine Drink’, to The Captain’s party

  11. Student me: What a bargain, that’ll be great for pre-drinks

    Adult me: I’ve got a hangover just looking at that bottle

  12. Probably because it’s a lower alcohol content… They’ll make them just below the threshold to lower the price point.

  13. Probably because they’re using cheaper ingredients than they are legally allowed to, or it fails to meet a standard (such as ABV).

  14. As well as everyone elses answer, they clearly do al rum rum, cause its a Rum section, that says Rum.

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