Rum Diplomacy Part Deux: Excellence Rhum and Barbados Geographic Indicator
Boutique Excellence Rhum in Saint Jermain, Paris.
part 4.5 of a sojourn through paris with rum
A Solo Stroll to Excellence Rhum: The Parisian Rum Haven
I walked through the Jardins des Tuileries towards the Louvre, crossing the Seine and heading up the Left Bank. I turned right when I reached Rue Dauphine, near the Point Neuf bridge connecting to Île de la Cité, home of the Notre Dame cathedral. I had visited this area several times before and even walked into Excellence Rhum. Yet, on those occasions, I was accompanied by family members who either had other attractions in mind or were feeling hungry and tired. Now, I found myself alone in the serene afternoon, able to take my time.
Excellence Rhum: Where Old-World Charm Meets Sweet Indulgence
Excellence Rhum was roughly the same size as A’Rhûm on the ground floor but had an additional 25% of floor space upstairs. Upon entering, I noticed a central wooden tasting table adorned with bottles, gift boxes, and neatly arranged glasses. At the foot of the table, facing the entrance, were two shelves displaying various rums, including Bumbu, Plantation Stiggins’ Fancy, Don Papa, Kraken, and Pyrat. This was a dubiously curated selection of sugary sweet rums. I later realized it was placed there so the shopworkers didn’t have to look at them, but knowing they sell well, someone must pay the rent here. Let them drink cake!
Excellence Rhum blended seamlessly with its neighborhood, as A'Rhûm complemented its bright and modern art-filled surroundings of Pompidou. Situated on an ancient street, the store received less sunlight but possessed no less charm. Stepping inside felt like taking a journey back in time. The numerous bottles, though similar in selection to A'Rhûm, conveyed a different ambiance, evoking the atmosphere of a library or a quiet alcove within a church.
Shortly after my arrival, another customer entered the shop and engaged with the manager, sampling a couple of bottles before making a purchase, all within five minutes. Afterward, Florent, the manager, came to assist me. He inquired about my interests, and I shared my background with Faraday West Indies Rum and partiality to West Indian rums. Florent produced a bottle and poured me a sample of a clear rum. Its pleasant aroma got my attention—crisp, fresh-cut grass. This was Neisson Organic from Martinique, and its taste was unlike any agricole rum I had had. Hints of coconut and lime zest accompanied the familiar vegetal grass notes. When I asked about the price, 66 euros, I raised an eyebrow. It seemed steep for an unaged agricole, but the flavor was unlike any rum I had tasted. I don’t usually sip unaged rums, but I felt this one was worth its price. It would be perfect in the official cocktail of Martinique, ti’ punch, which consists of a squeezed lime wedge, rum, and a bit of cane syrup.
More customers arrived, prompting me to climb the stairs to the unaged rum section. There were cabinets with glass doors housing shelves of rum with backlighting. There were old steamer trunks filled with compartments holding rum and a sideboard with a dozen different bottles displayed along bright yellow ceramic pineapples and rubber plants. Rum Fire from Jamaica, Doorly’s from Barbados, Manao from Tahiti, Isautkier from Reunion, Sampan from Vietnam, and Rivers from Grenada. I saw a selection of rums from Renegade in Grenada, consisting of four different rums named for the fields the cane was grown.
When I returned downstairs, the shop was quiet, and Florent had placed a couple of bottles on the table. He poured me a rum with a dark hue. Its aroma carried notes of sweet grass and roasted nuts, while the taste mirrored these scents with an added touch of toasted marshmallow. This was La Mauny Ratafia from Martinique, an aperitif created by blending unaged La Mauny rum with pure sugar cane juice and some caramel coloring. Bottled at 33% alcohol, it was a limited production of 3,000 bottles and an exclusive offering for Excellence Rhum. It was a pleasant drink, and considering its classification as an aperitif rather than a rhum agricole, I found it fitting for a dessert beverage.
The Rum Wars: Barbados vs. France
Our conversation then veered toward the ongoing debates surrounding rum in Barbados, which had sparked a clash between two prominent figures in the industry: Richard Seale of Foursquare and Alexandre Gabriel of Plantation. Seale has proposed a Geographic Indicator (GI) for Barbados rum, while Alexandre Gabriel, who bought Barbados’ West Indies Rum Distillery (WIRD) in 2017, is against it. Gabriel owns Maison Ferrand in France, which makes cognac and Citadel gin. He introduced the Plantation line of rum in 2003. Seale aims to create a distinct class for Barbados rum, like Mexico's tequila, which had gained popularity thanks partly to its GI adopted in the 1970s. Seale's proposals, however, would impose restrictions on the practices followed by brands like Plantation, potentially disallowing them from labeling their rums as "Barbados Rum." Techniques such as adding sugar and second maturations in France might no longer be permitted under the proposed regulations.
I tried to remain indifferent as Barbados rum has existed for centuries without such distinctions. Florent seemed to support Gabriel's stance, citing concerns that these laws might stifle innovation. I agreed but noted the irony of the situation, being in France—the country is known for fiercely protecting artisanal ways through the Appellation D'origine Contrôlée (AOC). I asked what would happen if a non-French person purchased a distillery in Martinique and proposed the elimination of the AOC Martinique Rhum agricole. “Mais non, ce n'est pas possible!” Of course, that would never happen, and the French AOC does not restrict distillers from making molasses-based rum; it just can’t be labeled “Martinique Rhum agricole.”
Barbados: The Birthplace of Rum and its Quest for GI Status
Most enthusiasts recognize the former British colony of Barbados as the birthplace of rum. There is mention of the spirit called kill-devil as early as 1650. It was likely first produced there by Dutch settlers fleeing the Portuguese in Brazil. The Dutch had already been making a form of the spirit, arrack, which they learned in Indonesia and brought to the New World. Mount Gay famously boasts the year 1703 on their label. While rum plays an essential cultural role in most West Indian islands, perhaps nowhere else is rum so well accepted as part of the island’s identity as in Barbados. The island has over 1,500 rum shops that act as local meeting places to have rum, play dominoes, and pick up light groceries.
There are four distilleries in Barbados compared to seven in Martinique, six in Guadalupe, and three in Marie Galante. Richard Seale founded Foursquare in 1996, the same year Martinique Rhum agricole reached its AOC status. Today, the two existing legacy distilleries in Barbados are owned by French companies; Mount Gay is owned by Rémy Cointreau, and WIRD, founded in 1893, is owned by Gabriel’s Maison Ferrand. Mount Gay, Foursquare, and St. Nicholas Abby, locally owned and founded in 2006, are bidding to obtain a GI for Barbados rum together. Jamaica adopted a GI for its rums in 2016. Today, Jamaica has six distilleries, including one partly owned by Gabriel. Cuba established a GI for its rum in 2013 and applied for European Union recognition in 2021.
The Future of Barbados Rum: New Distilleries and the GI Debate
Two distilleries are being planned to open in Barbados in the coming years. These new entrants want the GI status for Barbados rum. Before Gabriel bought WIRD, the distillery was most associated with producing the locally beloved Cockspur Rum, which Gabriel did not buy. WIRD also made Doorly’s, the brand Richard Seale's family bought in 1993. Barbados law once required distilleries to only sell in bulk and not own brands, a legacy of the colonial system in which the final value add of goods was provided outside the colony. WIRD also produces bulk rum for brands like Malibu and Blue Chair, which flavor and bottle off the island. The new GI would not hurt their legacy business of producing bulk rum for these brands, as Barbados is not mentioned on their labels. The Plantation and new Stade’s line of rums that Gabriel owns would be affected.
The Tequila Model: The Road to Rum’s Resurgence
Plantation unabashedly adds “doses” of sugar to some of its rums, which would be a no-no. The GI for Barbados seems to make much sense. However, it would present a hurdle to the company, which recently bought WIRD and built one of the newest, most successful rum brands using new and innovative techniques. However, I believe the road to rum's resurgence lies in the tequila model – go pure and go premium.
After nearly an hour of enjoyable discussions and tastings, I purchased my sister a bottle of Renegade Hope for 55 Euros. Leaving Excellence Rhum, I was grateful for Florent's time and enthusiasm.
Author Owen Hyland founded Faraday West Indies Rum and lives in New Hampshire.