Legitimate commerce or price gouging?

Several hundred years ago, rum was utilized as a form of currency. Sailors received a daily ration of rum, traders used it to barter for slaves and even in the American colonies rum was viewed as a commodity.

From a commercial point of view, rum (as well as alcohol in general) is a profitable industry. I can appreciate legitimate commerce and I don't begrudge a merchant making a profit. But sometimes things get taken a little too far.

First off..... Let me officially go on the record in saying that in my opinion, all these "club cards" that the grocery stores are promoting are nothing more than price gouging with a smiley face on it. I mean, seriously.....

I was in a Von's grocery store the other day with the intent to pick up a bottle or two of Sailor Jerry's. Now granted, this wasn't my usual grocery store but it was a convenient stop-off on the way home. I stroll into the liquor section and holy smokes, a 750ml bottle of Sailor Jerry's was priced at $20.99 !!! Since I had a shopping cart with some other stuff to buy and didn't really want to go out of my way to an Albertson's just to save a few bucks on one bottle of rum, I decided to just suck it up and pay the price.

When I went through the checkout, it turns out that using my Von's ClubCard saved an insane $11 on ONE bottle of Sailor Jerry's.

Now let's all take a hard look at this from a consumer's point of view. If I know that Von's is for certain making a profit off one bottle of rum when they're selling at $9.99 then why the heck should I feel good about "saving" $11 off their regular price of $20.99 ??? Do they think I'm that stupid to think they're not turning a profit at their "Club" price? Come ON people.....!

Look. Let's just cut to the chase. After I've gone shopping and I look at my receipt, invariable there's this little blurb at the bottom that says "You've Saved $xx.xx !!!" The reality of it is that the store has over-priced everything by an additional $xx.xx above their profit margin. By getting me to sign up for their shopping "Club Card" they're attempting to convince me that I am getting extra savings that in reality is nothing more than price gouging on their part.

I would rather pay an up front price rather than play a little game with the grocery store on product pricing. I've got no problems with a merchant making a buck off me, but DAMN. When they're so blatent about the "savings" I'm getting by being a member of their stupid shopping club, that just comes across as price gouging. All they're doing is telling me just how much they're ripping me off with their inflated prices, not how much I've "saved".

Check me out..... I'm famous !!!

So the other day, I did a little "Google-fu" on the name of my blog. Lo and behold, I seem to have made it onto the Sailor Jerry's "Hype" webpage. And as their "new favorite blog" no less! Ahhhhh..... A little bit of notoriety going to my head and all, LOL.

Sailor Jerry's "Hype" webpage

Now if I can just work out an advertising deal with them in exchange for free rum, then I'd really be set!

Happy Birthday Marines : 233 Years and Counting

And today marks the celebration of the 233rd birthday of my beloved Marine Corps.

Currently, the rum is flowing freely. Sailor Jerry, Kilo Kai and of course, the Cap'n

Right off the bat, I'd like to link to another blog with an interesting entry for today concerning one of the Corps' earliest heroes, Lt Presley O'Bannon. It's a good read and worth the minute or two it'll take.

"Bloggo, the Dog Boy" and something of interest for Marines

As I look back and reminisce over the time I spent in the Corps, I'm humbled to read the present day accounts of this generation of Marines. It doesn't have to be heroic actions taken while under fire in battle, there are numerous other occasions where young Marines have acted and saved lives. A prime example of this was a news story today concerning six young Marines who rescued numerous people from a hotel fire.

Fast-acting Marines Save Lives In Hotel Fire

I have no worries that the future of my Corps is in good hands when I read stuff like this.

And now, back to the rum!

The Usual Suspects - Sailor Jerry Spiced Navy Rum

Sailor Jerry's is a relative newcomer to the rum industry. And let me tell you, this Sailor makes the Cap'n look like a landlubber.

Okay, corny nautical jokes aside..... This is quite possibly the best kept secret in the rum drinking world for two reasons . So don't run out and tell all your friends or we may be faced with a shortage!

When you do track down a bottle of Sailor Jerry, the first thing you'll notice is the price. While it usually runs in the $12-$14 range, I've on occasion found it for as little as $9 and change (if you use those annoying grocery store "discount member cards"). Do NOT let the price fool you. Sailor Jerry is nowhere near the same category of the other rums in a similar price range. Like I said, it's a well kept secret.

The second reason I think it's the best kept secret in the rum drinking world is the flavour. Open the bottle and take a whiff, you'll get a pleasantly spicy scent with a hint of cherry vanilla. And NO harsh odor of alcohol like most rums exhibit upon being opened. Taking a small sip tells you that this is one of a few rums that you can drink neat or on the rocks.

Now here is where the problem lies. To pour a glass and sip slowly? Or to throw it in with Coca-Cola and a twist of lime? Ahhhhh..... decisions, decisions, decisions!!!

Either way, Sailor Jerry has made it into "The Usual Suspects" line-up of rums for me.

Interestingly enough, there's quite a story behind the "Sailor Jerry" name on the bottle. It's not just some marketing gimmick someone got paid too much to think up. Norman "Sailor Jerry" Collins was an iconic American who was considered the foremost tattoo artist of his time. You can read more at the company's homepage: Sailor Jerry Rum.

The Usual Suspects - Captain Morgan Private Stock

There's a lot to be said for being a creature of habit. When the rum stocks are dwindling, it's easy to get a re-supply if I am not the one going to the store.

It seems that Captain Morgan is the generic standard for spiced rums everywhere I go. Very few restaurants or bars use anything other than the Cap'n and I chalk that up to a very succesful marketing drive by Diageo (which happens to be the largest multinational beer, wine and spirits company in the world).

A little history, courtesy of Wikipedia, about Captain Morgan:

In 1944, the Seagram Company started producing rum under the name "Captain Morgan Rum Company".

Seagram CEO Samuel Bronfman purchased a distillery named Long Pond from the Jamaican gov't. Among the buyers of raw rum from the Long Pond distillery was a Kingston pharmacy named Levy Brothers. The Levy family had been purchasing raw rum, adding medicinal herbs and spices, aging and bottling it. Bronfman liked the rum product and bought the rights to it.

In 1984, "Captain Morgan Orignal Spiced Rum" was introduced to the United States.

Captain Morgan is, by volume, the second largest brand of spirits in the US and the seventh largest worldwide. In 2007, 7.6 million 9-liter cases were sold.

Normally I skip the regular Captain Morgan and go for the tastier, more palatable Private Stock. There's enough of a difference in flavour that this is one of my "regulars" which I know I can count on.

If not sipping the Private Stock "neat" or on ice, I've found that DrPepper rather than the usual Coca-Cola brings out the spicy flavours in this rum. There's a smooth molasses taste, a pleasant hint of vanilla with teases of spice AND an 80-proof rating. Compared to the original spiced Cap'n it's a night and day difference to me. Combined with the almost spicy bite that DrPepper itself has, this makes for an interesting drink if you're looking for something different than the typical rum & coke found in most drinking establishments.

The Rum and I

First off, a little about my personal preferences in rum.

I like the spiced stuff. In my (humble) opinion spiced rums have such a wide range of varieties and flavors that it's probably impossible to run out of options.

The clear rums, such as Bacardi produces, really hold no appeal to me.

Stuff with fruity flavorings added, like the offerings from Malibu, actually kind of annoy me. They seem to be cheap attempts to scrape in a few bucks more from the public rather than an effort to expand the range of rum flavors.

Since spiced rums run the gamut from sharp with a bite to sugary sweet, it makes things quite interesting when I am deciding on what to try next. Normally, I opt to mix with some sort of soda (usually Coca-Cola). I've discovered from talking to other fellow rum aficionados that different sodas can bring different flavors to particular rums. Coca-Cola, Pepsi-Cola, DrPepper, Sprite, even A&W Root Beer. The possible combinations are endless and only regulated by an individual's taste. While a rum may taste "blah" by itself, adding a splash of some additional flavor in the form of a soda may be just what it takes to really bring out various hidden potentials in the drink.

I will initially judge a rum by it's coloring. Normally, I've found that the lighter colors tend to be milder while the darker they get the more spicey (or bitter to some) the taste gets. An inexpensive mid-range rum, like Captain Morgan for example, will have a light caramel to almost golden tint about it. The Cap'n Morgan "Tattoo" or the "Black Label" varieties are quite a bit spicier and tend to be a bit darker. Something like 10 Cane on the other hand, is more of a very light straw color and is quite mild tasting to me.

For example, an average colored rum gets mixed with Coca-Cola right from the get-go. I'll normally get a good sniff of the rum as soon as I open the bottle, then a small swig to gauge the taste and flavor. For the first go-round, a small portion will go into a glass with a few ice cubes, then at least an equal amount of Coca-Cola. From there I'll gradually add Coke until I reach a pleasing taste. For me a general rule of thumb is that "if" it takes more than a 4:1 mix of Coke to rum then I need to try something different.

Now I don't keep a fridge stocked with a dozen varieties of sodas. If I've got anything in addition to Coca-Cola it's likely to be DrPepper. It has a bit of a kick that I've found blends with quite a few varieties of spiced rums and it also brings a different taste out of drinks that I've tried before. For someone looking to try a little something out of the ordinary, it's something I can recommend.

And so it begins!

I officially have a blog now.

Uh-oh, the world as we know it may be doomed now. :-)

My justification for starting a blog hit me last night while I was standing in Lee's Liquor. I was trying to figure out just what newest variety of rum to try and it dawned on me that I honestly have gotten to the point where I can't remember every single flavour I've tried over the years.

The lightbulb suddenly flickered on and I said to myself, "Self, you should REALLY keep track of what you like and dislike about various varieties of rum. That way you don't end up buying a less than flavourful bottle of rum that you've tried before."

That was right about when Heather (the fiancee) came back over to the rum aisle to see what I was muttering to myself under my breath. I do that from time to time, you see. Keeps people on their toes and all. ;-)

Sooooo..... Here we go! ! ! "Adventures In Rum" was just a snazzy sounding title that just happened to be available when I registered the blog. Personally, I think it sounds kinda cool in an internationally jet-setting adventurous sort of fashion. Hopefully I can live up to that.