Vanilla Rums.

[newfiedvdr]

I recently purchased bottles of Zaya 12yo and Atlantico rums while on vacation. They are not available where I live and was eager to try something different. I must say that I am really disappointed that both turned out to be vanilla rums. Not only that but the vanilla taste isn't even subtle its cloying. I don't know what's going on in the rum industry lately. Why doesn't the label state that they are a spiced or otherwise flavored rum? I may buy a rum such as the above at Christmas time for a rum and coke but otherwise I am not a fan. I also find that my non rum drinking card playing buddies did enjoy rum and cokes mixed with the above two rums. Because of the cloying vanilla additive and no mention of such on the label then I can't consider them to be honest rums and it makes me wonder what they are trying to hide with regards to the taste. At least Pyrat XO states that it is aged in used orange liqueur casks and that would be a hint for the orange flavor (which I do like). Examples of honest rums which are currently in my cabinet are: Havana Club 7Mount Gay Black Barrel, Bacardi 8 (yes Bacardi! Bacardi 8 rum imho is as honest as it gets), Plantation 20th anniversary Barbados Rum and (everyone bow down)....El Dorado 15. My apologies to Zaya and Atlantico fans..I just had to vent.

[mamajuana]

Originally Posted by newfiedvdr

I recently purchased bottles of Zaya 12yo and Atlantico rums while on vacation. They are not available where I live and was eager to try something different. I must say that I am really disappointed that both turned out to be vanilla rums. Not only that but the vanilla taste isn't even subtle its cloying. I don't know what's going on in the rum industry lately. Why doesn't the label state that they are a spiced or otherwise flavored rum? I may buy a rum such as the above at Christmas time for a rum and coke but otherwise I am not a fan. I also find that my non rum drinking card playing buddies did enjoy rum and cokes mixed with the above two rums. Because of the cloying vanilla additive and no mention of such on the label then I can't consider them to be honest rums and it makes me wonder what they are trying to hide with regards to the taste. At least Pyrat XO states that it is aged in used orange liqueur casks and that would be a hint for the orange flavor (which I do like). Examples of honest rums which are currently in my cabinet are: Havana Club 7Mount Gay Black Barrel, Bacardi 8 (yes Bacardi! Bacardi 8 rum imho is as honest as it gets), Plantation 20th anniversary Barbados Rum and (everyone bow down)....El Dorado 15. My apologies to Zaya and Atlantico fans..I just had to vent.

I can only assume you had the Atlantico white which does have a vanilla hit on the palate. I can tell you that this is not an added feature to this rum but rather imparted from the aging of this rum. This rum I did pan as it is does have additives added but not after fermentation only prior to.

Zaya as other offerings produced by the angostura distillery currently and have additives such as sugar etc that are not listed. I wish they would stop the practice. These past few years Angostura has perfected suspending solids in liquid so the results of this practice are not as obvious or show as clearly as the rum sits on a shelve and flocculation occurs.

As to why nothing is listed the laws in some countries allow for this. In the USA rum producers can get away with adding up to 2% of non rum product to a bottle before declaring it as something other than rum. 2% in concentrate can be a lot. Consider that one rum producer adds 1 cup of vanilla concentrate to a 500 bottle lot and the scent and taste is clear as day while they do not list this additive at all. Thats 236~ ML to a 375,000 ML lot far less than 2% to impart a huge flavor.

[newfiedvdr]

Actually it was Atlantico Private Cask Ron Anejado Solera, a dark rum. I purchased it recently on a trip to Las Vegas and it wasn't a cheap rum! I purchased it based on the description on the box that said it was created from selected Carribean rums and blended together to create something truly special, etc etc. I'm sipping a Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum and Coke now as I type and I decided to grab the laptop and that bottle of Atlantico. I just uncorked it and took another sniff and yes, that sweet, cloying vanilla smell! Why would they do this to as they say a carefully selected and blended rum? I'm guessing it is done to increase sales from people who enjoy that taste profile but my beef is that the label should state "Spiced Rum" or Vanilla infused Rum' I don't really mind if there's a list of ingrediants but the label should tell you what type of rum is inside the bottle. Boy, This Mount Gay and Coke is good!

[Carl]

Hey Newfiedvdr: Greetings from the other end of the country!
I'm with you on that vanilla crap. I put my Zaya in the microwave cart with the cooking wine. Put it in a chocolate cake instead of vanilla and you can't tell the difference. Same alcohol content and it lasts a lot longer.
Four of my favourites come via the Newfoundland Liquor corp. Old Sam and Screech are always in my cabinet, (I can get 'em here) and I brought back some Cabot Tower and some London Dock this summer. Have to hoard them though,; it might be a while before I can get to Nfld again.
What do you like from home? I'll watch for it at the more intelligent liquor stores when I go to Calgary at the end of the month.
Cheers

[newfiedvdr]

Hi Carl, Nice to hear from you. The local dark rums I enjoy the most are Screech ( recently won several gold medals at prestigious rum events, go figure!) and Old Sam, a Demerara which is rich on flavor. I agree that Zaya would make a nice cake flavoring, albeit an expensive one.

[Edward Hamilton]

Whenever I get a lot of vanilla in the initial taste or nose after the blender has told me that comes from the aging barrels I look them right in the eye and ask them to explain how they get the vanilla from the barrels without getting any of the smoky oak or spice that are also imparted from barrels.
I have yet to find a blender that can look me in eye and tell me anything other than something unrelated to the question.

I see a lot of people buying expensive rums based on claims made on the label or box. While Atlantico is a blend of Caribbean distillates, I can't tell you what else has been added, but everyone who tastes it can see there is more than distillates in that bottle.

So you don't think I'm picking on Atlantico, here are a few more that have undisclosed ingredients: Angostura, Papa Pilar, Pyrat and Zaya.

[bunnyhugs]

The Angostura range annoys me for being too vanilla.

[Carl]

Originally Posted by newfiedvdr

I agree that Zaya would make a nice cake flavoring, albeit an expensive one.

Actually I think ounce for ounce they're about the same.

[Berbician]

Angostura 1919 is particularly loaded with vanilla.

[Carl]

Tonights sipper is Angostura 7 yo, and while its not nearly as bad as Zaya, I think I'm going to save it for a friend of ours who is from Tobago. Its not locally available, so I don't think I'll get another one. Unless there's a non-vanilla Angostura, here's a non-drinker of their product.