A Taste of Things To Come

by

A Taste of Things To Come

The month of January presents us with an almost natural landmark: it symbolizes the start of the recurring cycle of time around our solar system; it also serves us as a soap box atop which we can judge our performance during the previous cycle and imagine how we see the new one unfold.

January is, not ironically, named after Janus, the Roman god of beginnings and transitions, so all these attributes -and many more- are quite fitting.

For us at “Got Rum?”, January allows us the opportunity to change the visual theme of our  columns. It is also the perfect time to introduce new sections and new team members. As you will soon discover, this issue includes a new contributor and column (Chef Whitley and “Cooking with Rum”). This is the most visible changes and, therefore, the easiest ones to spot. But just like with icebergs, what lies beneath the surface, beyond the gaze of the naked eye, is often larger and more impactful.

As I write these lines, we are wrapping up preparations to launch the first issue of “Got Rum? Latino,” a Spanish version of the magazine, which will make its debut at the Rum Trade Festival in Tulum, Mexico, in the month of March. We are also working on additional ways to share our content with the rum community around the world, but you’ll have to wait a bit longer before I tell you more about these.

Given the recent actions by the US government towards the “normalization” of foreign relations with Cuba, I think it is appropriate to share a few comments now; each of these points will be addressed in more depth in subsequent issues of the magazine.

There will be repercussions in the region and beyond, as both the United States and Cuba seek to normalize their political relations. But before we go into what these repercussions may be, I feel compelled to clarify one point:

• American president Barak Obama has not ended the embargo. This is worth saying out loud a couple of times. Ending the embargo requires action by Congress: it cannot be done by the president alone.

Now that we got this small point out of the way, let’s look at the aforementioned talking points:

Tourism

Caribbean island nations fear, rightfully so, that their tourism-derived income will fall once Americans are able to travel to Cuba freely.

Sugar

Sugarcane agriculture is vital to many countries in the Caribbean. Chinese-owned Pan Caribbean Sugar Company is becoming a power player. Will US investments in Cuba help revitalize the sector? What type of guarantees will American companies seek in order to protect those investments?

Tobacco

Cigar business is suffering in the USA, with fewer and fewer cigar-friendly establishments and more anti-smoking campaigns. Will the influx of “true” Cuban cigars provide a much needed boost and, if so, will it last?

Oil

For many years, Venezuela has been supplying fuel to its allies in the Caribbean, Central and South America. Much of this supply was given with delayed payment options. Well, Venezuela’s economy is finally catching up to its spending and the fuel valve is shutting down, literally. This makes Cuba a good potential client for a nearby refiner. How will payment for the oil be negotiated?

And last, but not least, Rum

Bacardi and Pernod Ricard are sitting at opposite ends of the table when it comes to the Havana Club brand, with Bacardi owning the trademark in the USA while Pernod Ricard has the distribution rights in the rest of the world. Will Bacardi, for example, ask the US Customs and Border Protection agency to stop the importation (by individuals and/or corporations) of Havana Club rums produced in Cuba, not because of the embargo, but because of trademark infringement (USITC Section 337)?

The flexing of lobbying power by both companies has the potential to make the average episode of Games of Thrones seem like child’s play.

The forbidden fruit is always the one most desired by men, not because it is the best, but because it is forbidden. In the USA, Cuban rum and Cuban cigars have often been revered. Their availability to the average consumer will definitely provide an immediate financial gain to the producers, but will the market share gain be sustainable? Only time will tell.

Fortunately for us, it is only January…

Cheers,

Luis Ayala, Editor and Publisher