Oronoco at $14

[Cane/Able]

Shopper's Vineyard is selling Oronoco Rum at $14.09, more than $20 off of their normal price.

http://www.shoppersvineyard.com/stor...M-187p9289.htm

Stock up. The last time that something white, smooth and aged went for this little money was An Evening with Telly Savalas after they stopped making Kojack Made-for-TV movies.

**
Seth, why so low? I ask because just this week, the NH State Liquor Stores have put Oronoco on the clearance rack at $26.99, which:
1. saddened me for they are not going to carry it anymore and
2. made me think that I had a good deal on the remaining bottles
that is, until I checked the price on your site.

Is something up with Oronoco, or is this just a coincidence?

[Mistahunter]

Oronoco might be the rum that I have seen with the widest price variance across the US...

In south Jersey, I can get it for about $17-$18 a bottle...

I have seen it in other places in the $30's...

[Edward Hamilton]

Oronoco isn't exactly an aged white rum. It is, however, a highly distilled sugar cane juice spirit from Brazil blended with aged rum. The information I have is that the aged rum was from Venezuela but more recently I've been told that that component of the rum comes from Jamaica. According to the maker that is what gives it the vanilla flavor.

[Cane/Able]

Originally Posted by Edward Hamilton

Oronoco isn't exactly an aged white rum. It is, however, a highly distilled sugar cane juice spirit from Brazil blended with aged rum. The information I have is that the aged rum was from Venezuela but more recently I've been told that that component of the rum comes from Jamaica. According to the maker that is what gives it the vanilla flavor.

This would explain its unique flavor profile. (or at least for the whites that I have sampled)

Appreciate the information.

So, without going into Capn Jimbo territory, is anything that is distilled from sugarcane or a sugar product considered rum? Taking it to the extreme--Everclear distilled from sugar would be a rum? The distillation of a grain can end up as many different spirts--bourbon, whiskey, vodka, gin. Is rum unique in the spirit world in it's source-specific designation?


Edit: reading Rum 101 on this site clearly answers my questions. Thank you and never mind.

[Michael]

Originally Posted by Edward Hamilton

Oronoco isn't exactly an aged white rum. It is, however, a highly distilled sugar cane juice spirit from Brazil blended with aged rum. The information I have is that the aged rum was from Venezuela but more recently I've been told that that component of the rum comes from Jamaica. According to the maker that is what gives it the vanilla flavor.

Thanks for the information Ed.

That would explain the large difference in flavor and smell of the newer bottle of Oronoco which we compared to an older bottle here.

The newer version, IMO, lacks most of the fine qualities of the original, at least as a sipper. It is probably still a good mixer (I'll get to a comparison soon, before the old bottle is empty), but the $14.09 price may now be closer to the worth of the rum in that fancy bottle.

Perhaps Diageo got a little too clever with this one.

[Edward Hamilton]

Originally Posted by Cane/Able

Edit: reading Rum 101 on this site clearly answers my questions. Thank you and never mind.

Thanks for taking the time to read Rum 101, I've added a hyperlink to your last post.

[Edward Hamilton]

Originally Posted by Michael

Thanks for the information Ed.

That would explain the large difference in flavor and smell of the newer bottle of Oronoco which we compared to an older bottle here.

Perhaps Diageo got a little too clever with this one.

There was considerable tweaking in the beginning of the product launch. If you remember Oronoco and 10 Cane were launched about the same time and there was considerable effort to be first to market with a premium white cane spirit. Both of these products were positioned to be something other than rum but both seemed to miss their mark. The good news is that no one at either company missed any meals because their product didn't meet expectations.

In the interim I see improvements in both of these products and having visited the 10 Cane distillery I have seen their commitment to quality. One of the problems for each of these companies is that neither had produced or marketed a premium white sugar cane product and experienced a steep learning curve. It ain't vodka.

[Michael]

I'll try to take a more tolerant attitude.

We'll pick up another bottle of Oronoco, but it will probably have to wait until we finish the ones ordered when shoppers lowered the price to $17.99.

Perhaps the perceived loss in quality could be offset if Shopper's Vineyard began to carry Diplomático Blanco. You've always had a good price on the Reserva Exclusiva Seth. How are the chances that Diplomático Blanco makes its way to N.J. soon?

[itsme_timd]

Wow, I stopped by the store today and they had the Oronoco at $40.99 a bottle!

[Edward Hamilton]

Originally Posted by itsme_timd

Wow, I stopped by the store today and they had the Oronoco at $40.99 a bottle!

That was about the original retail price. Take a look at the lot number the next time you're in the store. If it's 00001A I'd pick it up and keep it as it will be a collector's item.