The tussle among a quartet of rum distillers who fail to agree on what constitutes authentic Barbados rum continues to drag on, prompting one of the major rum-makers to warn that the integrity and future of one of Barbados’ most cherished exports are at stake.
As delays continue in the geographical indication (GI) registration process, Foursquare Rum Distillery owner Richard Seale warns that without protection, Barbados’ iconic rum faces exploitation by unauthentic products.
Export Barbados, the state export promotion agency, has stalled applications for “Barbados Rum” and “Barbados Falernum” that were filed in 2020.
Three main distillers, Seale’s Foursquare, Larry Warren of St Nicholas Abbey and Raphael Grisoni of Mount Gay Distilleries have repeatedly accused the government of dithering on a GI to protect Barbados rum.
A GI would present a complication for a fourth distillery and the island’s second oldest – West Indies Rum Distillery – which ages some of its Barbadian-made rum in France.
The original proposal for the GI, originally backed by the other three distilleries, would require Barbados rum to be aged here with local water, only pot and column stills and without added sugar, among other specifications.
Addressing differing producer views on issues like maturation methods and the use of additives, Seale said: “This is a red herring. A distraction to create confusion and move discussion away from the salient objective of protecting Barbados rum.”
He argued that these debates detract from the core goal of ensuring that products labelled as Barbados rum genuinely reflect the island’s craftsmanship and purity.
“Of course, products labelled as Barbados rum should contain 100 per cent Barbados rum, and Barbados rum is, of course, made in Barbados, free of adulteration. At the moment, no such protection exists,” he said.
Without a GI, Seale added, there is nothing to stop products marketed as Barbados rum from containing minimal authentic local ingredients, being mixed with lower quality imports, or being modified with artificial flavours, all unaware to the customers.
“Products marked as Barbados rum in export markets may contain very little Barbados rum, may even be blended with cheaper origins and adulterated with sweeteners and flavourings without the consumer knowing,” the expert distiller said.
GI registration is crucial to protect the reputation and economic value of one of the nation’s cherished exports, Seale noted.
A GI functions like a trademark, safeguarding authenticity by legally enforcing the product’s origin and production standards.
Seale warned that the absence of this protection leaves the brand vulnerable to exploitation and quality dilution, further noting, “While indigenous Barbados rum brands have invested over the last 40 years, we have not only built the value attributed to our brands, but we have also enhanced the value of the provenance of Barbados rum.
“Without protection, this leaves us exposed to exploitation by brands claiming Barbados origin, and further, it risks damaging and undermining the very value we have created by poor-quality products using our good name.”
Seale underscored that GI registration could lead to broader economic benefits for Barbados, boosting both tourism and exports by solidifying the island’s reputation for premium rum.
“A GI is analogous to a trademark. Registration of intellectual property in itself does not have a direct economic impact,” he said, adding that allowing brands to use the Barbados rum label without authenticity standards could have long-term consequences, calling it “an act of pure folly.”
As it stands, any Barbados rum producer can apply for GI registration, with the option for others to object. Seale suggested this process could allow for progress without unnecessary stalling.
Shortly after taking up the post of chief executive officer at Export Barbados in April 2021, Mark Hill said a strictly scientific approach to the process must be completed before any official labelling can be done.
“Export Barbados roots and makes its decisions based on data,” said Hill. “We use scientific data to make our decisions and we will not be rushed. Our stuff has to be sound so there is scientific credibility to everything that we are saying.”
Hill did not give a timeline for when the GI could be ready.
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