Geographical Indications (GI) seem to become more and more common, or popular, in the rum world these days. Several countries have them for rum, with different rules and regulations tied to them. Rum producers and the governments of their countries are realizing the product they produce has certain unique characteristics to it and should be protected as such. This is a step in the right direction of recognizing and respecting rum and its production processes as world class. Additionally it can provide financial benefits for producers.
In rum enthusiast circles, the stories about GI applications and struggles in Barbados and Jamaica are likely the most well known. Maison Ferrand (Plantation/Planteray) is disrespecting and blocking a GI being established in Barbados and preventing the strengthening of the existing one in Jamaica. I’ve written about that here and here. In those articles you’ll also find a little more info about GIs in general.
The good news on the GI front comes from St Lucia. They have been working on establishing a GI for quite some time now. As part of that process, they asked me for permission to use some of my St Lucia rum articles as “expert” proof of the uniqueness of their products. Naturally I said yes to this request. It’s an honour for me to be asked that question by a producer I respect very much. I don’t have illusions that my writing will be crucial in them getting a GI, but even if it made 0.0001% difference, I’d be proud of that.
I had the pleasure of having a nice back and forth email conversation with Margaret Monplaisir, CEO of Saint Lucia Distillers, about this subject. One of the things I asked her was if there are any limitations on types of stills and barrels being used:“At this stage we have only stipulated that distillation, aging and blending must be done in Saint Lucia with rainwater from Saint Lucia to qualify as a Saint Lucia Rum. We did not restrict barrels and stills, as our strength is blending and we want access to variety. We focused more on the environmental conditions (terroir).”
We also chatted about there being no clear rule on sweetening in the GI proposal. I haven’t been given permission to write about their reasoning behind this, which I will respect of course. My personal opinion is that it's a risky approach. Look at Barbados. A foreign entity comes in and now there is a distilled and bottled in Barbados rum with added sugar (Stades) and a GI process that’s been halted because of that same party. This would have happened in Jamaica too, if it wasn't for the existing rules that were in place before Maison Ferrand acquired a stake in National Rums of Jamaica. What’s there to stop anyone from buying St Lucia Distillers, or building a new distillery on the island and producing heavily sweetened “rums”? It could potentially devalue the St Lucia rum brand. How about St Lucian bulk rum that’s sweetened in a different country? I know they don’t sell bulk rum anymore, but companies like Main Rum still have stocks. Again, what if a new distillery is built in St Lucia and starts selling bulk? I hope they can strengthen their GI over time.
The current status of the GI proposal is that it’s with the registrar, awaiting final approval. I asked Margaret where the GI would be applicable if approved:”Currently, the registration applies only to Saint Lucia, but we followed the format for EU registration, so once it’s approved locally, we’ll proceed with the EU registration.”
I’ve made a summary of some of the more important points of the GI proposal below.
Geographical Area
Saint Lucia Rum is exclusively fermented, distilled, and aged on the 238 square mile island of St. Lucia, located 14°N and 61°W, or about 24 miles (39 km) south of Martinique and 21 miles (34 km) north of Saint Vincent. The Atlantic Ocean borders he island on its coast and the Caribbean Sea on its west coast. It is situated in the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles within the archipelago island chain of the Caribbean. Production of St. Lucia Rum must take place on the island of St. Lucia. Sugarcane juice is derived from sugarcane grown on the island of Saint Lucia.
Product Description
Saint Lucia Rum is a spirit drink obtained exclusively by alcohol fermentation of sugarcane-based raw materials, distillation, and ageing/maturation on the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia.
The rum possesses distinct sensory values unmistakably reflective of the artisanal intertwining of the island’s French and English cultures in its creation under strict processing conditions on the island.
All varieties of rum may be single distillate or maturate or a mixture of distillates or maturates, derived from substrate of sugarcane molasses, sugarcane juice or any other substrate from a sugarcane source, alone or in combination, and may be distilled on pot still or column still or in combination.
Flavoured Rum – distilled and blended in Saint Lucia; aged or unaged or a mixture of aged and unaged Saint Lucia Rums to which natural flavouring materials have been added with or without the addition of sugar. If the predominant flavouring material added is a known spice, the Flavoured Rum may be designated Spiced Rum.
Chemical Requirements
The declared alcohol strength shall be not less than 37.5% alcohol by volume and the declared bottling alcohol strength shall be not greater than 80% alcohol by volume. Methanol (methyl alcohol) concentration shall be not greater than 400 mg/L of absolute alcohol. The concentration of total congeners shall be not less than 150 mg/L of absolute alcohol. The concentration of ethyl carbamate (urethane) shall be not greater than 0.15 mg/L.
Organoleptic Requirements
Saint Lucia Rum has a noteworthy complexity of aroma, taste, and a distinct flavour profile with balanced notes of sweetness, tropical fruitiness, and slightly salty notes reminiscent of the sea breeze in Saint Lucia.
Planting the Sugarcane
For those rums that use sugarcane juice as the fermentation substrate, this must be obtained from sugarcane grown exclusively in Saint Lucia. The sugarcane is cultivated in alluvial soils that are mineral-rich, well-drained and have good nutrient
Obtaining Sugarcane Molasses
The molasses only comes from sugarcane and is sourced from sugarcane-producing countries with the following quality requirements: Brix – min 80°; pH - min 4.95; Ash: - max 12.5% by weight.
Distillation
Distillation enables the concentration of alcohol and select congeners coming from the fermented sugarcane molasses or fermented sugarcane juice. It also serves to control or eliminate undesirable components in the fermentation media from entering the final distillate.
The distillation process takes place in pot and column stills fully or partially made of copper. Light to medium bodied rums are produced on the column still whereas the pot stills produce medium to heavy bodied rums with robust flavour notes.
Saint Lucia Rum must be aged and matured in sealed new or used American and/or European oak casks or other wooden casks as required, only on the island of Saint Lucia. Used casks previously storing other alcohol beverages such as brandy, sherry, port wine, whisk(e)y (including bourbon), wine, etc. are used.
Blending
The blending of Saint Lucia Rum must take place on the island of Saint Lucia.
Blending with rums from outside Saint Lucia or with rums which do not satisfy the technical
specifications of Saint Lucia Rum is not permitted. To support the reputation of the existing brands and the creation of new ones as tastes evolve, the art of blending in the production of rum in Saint Lucia is more important than ever.
Plain caramel colour may be used to make slight colour adjustments to ensure colour consistency in the final blend.
Link with the geographical environment or origin
The specificity of Saint Lucia Rum lies in the combination of many factors stemming from:
i. The agro-ecological conditions of the surrounding hills that support and replenish the rich
minerals and nutrients found in the surface water, groundwater and the alluvial soil of the
planting area and which are all intertwined, particularly affecting the fermentation and
sugarcane cultivation aspects of the production processes for Saint Lucia Rum.
ii. The year-round micro-climatic conditions which are advantageous to the
ageing/maturation of Saint Lucia Rum.
iii. The authentic character of the production process with a conscious effort to preserve the
artisanal quality stemming from years of tradition.
iv. The thoughtful and careful introduction of elements of modern science into the traditional
production process.
These aspects have served to merge nature, tradition, art and science into the operation,
culminating in the delivery of a rum truly representative of the history and culture of Saint Lucia.
Environmental Conditions
The volcanic island of Saint Lucia is more mountainous than most Caribbean islands, with the
highest point being Mount Gimie, at 950 metres (3,120 feet) above sea level. Forests cover about 77% of the land area.
The island’s volcanic igneous rock formations (andesite and basalt) with small areas of coral reef formations in the northern and southern parts of the island afford rich minerals and nutrients to continually descend to enrich the surface water, groundwater and the alluvial soil and further distinguishes it from other Caribbean territories.
Specific labeling rules
The words “Saint Lucia Rum” shall appear on the labelling and shall be accompanied by:
i) The words “Geographical Indication” or the initials “GI” in a font size that is comparable
to other lettering on the label; or
ii) The Saint Lucia Rum GI logo (registered as a trademark) is owned by the GI applicant.
The following shall appear on the principal display panel of the label:
1) Brand name
2) Product name
3) Alcohol content
4) Net content
5) The name and address of the manufacturer
6) The country of origin
The labelling may eventually use a Saint Lucia National GI logo.
Supervisor Authority
Saint Lucia Rum must be produced in accordance with the technical specifications set out herein for the Geographical Indication. These technical specifications are the basis for which all Saint Lucia Rum producers must comply. The Technical Specifications demonstrate the geographical link with the country of origin and include details of the principal physical, chemical, organoleptic and specific characteristics, and labelling requirements of Saint Lucia Rum.
In order to maintain the authenticity of the Geographical Indication for Saint Lucia Rum, the
Saint Lucia Bureau of Standards (SLBS) or an accredited Certification or Control body, which
must be competent and impartial, will be responsible for verifying the Geographical Indication of Saint Lucia Rum in accordance with Saint Lucia's laws and international obligations.
Comentários