Seagram's Responds: More Details On Their "Brazilian Rum"

Earlier this week, I wondered whether Seagram's launch of a "Brazilian Rum" was a tactic for marketing cachaça by a name that everyone already knew how to pronounce. My instincts said "no", but I just wanted to make sure.

Here's what Shawn Kelley of Pernod-Ricard (owners of Seagram's) had to say:

Seagram’s Rum is Brazilian rum made from sugar cane juice.

Made in Brazil? From sugarcane juice? Don't get your hopes up...

Our rum is a blend of pot still and column still rum that is distilled at a minimum of 55% ABV.

Therefore, not cachaça. After all, as Ed Hamilton at the Ministry of Rum tells us, "By law, cachaça must be distilled to between 38 and 48% ABV."

Our goal is to launch a rum from Seagram’s that appeals to everyone but has a point of differentiation (Brazilian origin) vs. cachaça, a smaller niche category still building momentum in the US.

As I figured, the situation isn't that Seagram's is marketing cachaça under a banner that's easier for the mass market to understand. Rather, Seagram's Brazilian Rum is simply not a cachaça at all, despite its origins and what it's made from. And companies like Seagram's are certainly not interested in "niche' categories.

Shawn assures that the plant is located in Brazil and is fully owned by Seagram's. The sugar cane, however, is sourced from different farm suppliers.

Comments

[Chris Barnes]

Seagrams Brazilian Rum tastes very much like tequila to me.

[Capn Jimbo]

Hello... Capn Jimbo here, of The Rum Project and Rum Project Forum:
http://rumproject.com/rumforum/

Let me clear this up for you. Unfortunately your citation of Ed Hamilton fails. On this page Hamilton states that cachaca "must be distilled to between 38 and 48% abv". Yet on his "Rum 101" page he contradicts himself and states it is "distilled to between 38 and 54% alcohol by volume".

Let me clear this up.

Here's the real deal: According to Brazilian law, cachaca must be distilled from 38 to 54%, but BOTTLED at 38 to 48%. Bottom line: the Seagrams product is absolutely cachaca in accord with Brazilian law.

Unfortunately until recently in the U.S. any spirit derived from sugar cane must be labeled as a rum - so cachaca imported into the US was called "Brazilian Rum." This apparently changed recently.

Bottom line: Seagram's "Brazilian Rum" is absolutely, positively cacahca in every regard.

Hope that helps. Do stop by The Rum Project where we have reviewed a number of cachacas and rums (more than 100)...

[Edward Hamilton]

As Capn Jimbo pointed out there was an inconsistency on one of the more than 50,000 pages on the Ministry of Rum website (corrected earlier last year). Cachaça is a spirit distilled from fresh cane juice or melado, boiled cane juice, (not molasses) to not more than 54% abv and bottled at between 38 and 48 % abv.

Since Seagram's Brazilian rum is distilled to 55% abv, according to Pernod, the parent company, they call this spirit Brazilian rum.
In the US, rum is a spirit distilled to less than 95% abv and bottled at not less than 40% abv. In the US, cachaça is also considered to be RUM but there is work being done to change that classification.

[Jordan]

It's a pretty fine distinction, but if it's being distilled at 55% ABV and the upper bound for cachaça is 54%, wouldn't that put Seagram's product outside of the limit? By kicking it up a percentage point, it almost sounds like they're specifically trying to make sure that their product will not be labeled as cachaça while being able to hedge their bets by flirting with the dividing line. If, down the road, cachaça actually takes off as a product category in its own right, they can always modify their distillation technique a smidge and slide back under the line.

Ultimately it's going to be something of a philosophical distinction, but it seems to me that Seagram's is trying to have it both ways.

[Biff Toogle]

I think that Jordan has it figured out. Capn Jimbo in his never ending quest to find fault with Ed Hamilton ignored his own post and came up with the wrong answer by 1 percentage point. He has a bone to pick with the MoR. Visit his Rum Project to confirm. Ed Hamilton just ignores him! Anyway, one thing is evident after tasting this Seagram's product: It's pretty darn good!

[Capn Jimbo's Rum Project]

No I'm a big fan of the Preacher. As are the Burr Brothers, and Dori over at the Polished Palate.

A super guy, one of the best, without whom the world of rum would be impoverished.

In the instant case, it is only fair to say that:

1. I was wrong. But was I really? Cachaca's max distillation is at 54%, and allegedly Seagram's is distilled at 55%. Now if you can taste a difference you're a better man than I. Practically speaking - it's a cachaca.

2. Although I'd take abundant issue with dear Mr. Hamilton's claim of "only one mistake in 50,000 pages", it remains... a mistaken claim on the website. And mentioned only as this citation was raised by the OP.

But I do agree that Seagram's is navigating the razor's edge with a legal, but not practical difference or as better said, featuring a distinction without a difference. Or vice versa.

So let's summarize. How bout we call Seagram's the "barely legally non-cachaca" cachaca? Unless of course the Hamilton crew would prefer to call it an agricole, lol. Your lawyer may know the difference. Your tongue won't...

A great product.

[Hammer]

Is it worth $11 for a 1.75 liter bottle? It is on closeout in Pennsylvania at the state run liquor stores. Some 750ml bottles are also on closeout at $6.