Legal battle continues over what constitutes Jamaican rum | EUROtoday

Rum is a key a part of Jamaica’s cultural identification, however what precisely makes a rum Jamaican?

That query is on the centre of a dispute that’s persevering with to rumble on the Caribbean island, as some producers want to strengthen guidelines on what can, and can’t, be known as “Jamaica rum”.

In October of final yr, Jamaica’s Intellectual Property Office (JIPO) permitted amendments to the geographical indication (GI) designation for Jamaica Rum that was initially arrange in 2016. The greatest change is that ageing the rum abroad is now prohibited.

The modification was known as for by the Spirits Pool Association (SPA), the commerce organisation that seeks to talk as a single voice for Jamaica’s six rum distilleries – Appleton (which is owned by J Wray and Nephew), Clarendon, Hampden Estate, Long Pond, New Yarmouth and Worthy Park Estate.

The SPO’s argument is {that a} stronger GI is required for the appellation to be formally recognised in its two key export markets – the EU and the US.

It says this may give Jamaican rum higher safety towards opponents, and result in extra drinkers recognising it as a premium product made to excessive specs in a sure geographic location.

But the modification has brought about fairly a stir in Jamaica, as a result of one of many greatest producers claims it will put it out of enterprise.

This firm, National Rums of Jamaica (NRJ), owns Long Pond and 73% of Clarendon. NRJ is comprised of three shareholders – the federal government of Jamaica, Demerara Distillers of Guyana and the Barbados-based West Indies Rum Distillery (Wird).

The key issue is that Wird has since 2017 been owned by French spirits agency Maison Ferrand. Its enterprise mannequin depends closely on exporting rum in bulk and ageing abroad – one thing not allowed underneath Jamaica’s new GI.

It argues that rum aged outdoors of Jamaica continues to be Jamaican rum, and that the island has exported and aged rum overseas for hundreds of years.

And so, the NRJ is interesting the ruling of JIPO, with a listening to scheduled for 28 April.

The Spirits Pool Association says that Wird solely began to have points with the geographical indication after its takeover by Maison Ferrard.

“What we’re saying is, if you truly believe in Jamaica rum, age it in Jamaica,” says Christopher Gentles, normal supervisor of the SPA.

Rum is usually made by fermenting after which distilling sugarcane molasses, the thick treacle-like substance leftover after refined sugar has been produced from the harvested vegetation.

Mr Gentles says that ageing the rum earlier than it’s bought is of paramount significance, and that doing so outdoors of Jamaica invalidates the merchandise authenticity and uniqueness. And so, he provides that “we were a little bit puzzled” by the NRJ’s objection.

The SPA additionally factors out that exporting and ageing spirits abroad means Jamaica misses out on the value-added processes like refining, bottling, labelling and distributing in addition to different secondary advantages to the native financial system like rum tourism.

Both the NRJ and Maison Ferrard declined to remark.

The use of GIs makes a product distinctive, and opens up three potential sources of worth, in line with Dev Gangjee, professor of mental property regulation on the University of Oxford.

“The first is simply a price premium. Research shows products can charge a price that is 1.5 to 2.7 times more than standard.”

This is not all the time mirrored in revenue as GI merchandise are sometimes dearer to make, he provides.

The second cause is “they anchor production in that region”. This stops a product from turning into generic and shedding its worth – like cheddar cheese, which was initially from a selected a part of the UK however is now a by-word for a generalised sort of cheese.

Lastly, Prof Gangjee says GIs assist to promote the area and “opens up other aspects of history and geography”, citing France’s profitable wine tourism business.

Examples of profitable and longstanding GIs are Scotch whisky, champagne, and Parma ham.

Another Caribbean nation equally embroiled in a dispute over GI and rum is Barbados. Currently the island does not have a scheme.

Barbados has 5 distilleries and 4 agreed on the wording of a proposed Barbados rum GI. The sole objector was Wird, which owns manufacturers akin to Cockspur.

Similarly to the scenario in Jamaica, it objects to the proposed guidelines towards ageing abroad.

The failure by Barbados to acquire a GI has pissed off the opposite producers, together with Richard Seale, proprietor of the island’s Foursquare distillery. “We need to have intrinsic industries that are rooted here, tied here, that cannot be separated from here,” he says.

Back in Jamaica, the SPA needs the nation’s rum to use for the EU’s Protected Geographical Indication classification, however this can’t occur till the proceedings on the JIPO have concluded.

Mr Gentles hopes {that a} compromise might be reached, even when it signifies that either side are usually not completely blissful. “It is my firm believe that one day we will put this behind us,” he says.

And whereas the SPA hopes {that a} stronger GI will increase acclaim and enterprise, it’s also about satisfaction in a product intimately linked to Jamaica’s historical past.

In the times following the October ruling Jamaican newspaper, The Gleaner, endorsed the JIPO determination, saying there have been many examples of companies “with no association to Jamaica attempting to appropriate the mystique of the island’s brand”.

It concluded: “When foreign entities become owners of uniquely Jamaican products, there should be a commitment to robustly maintain the integrity of the brand.”