Post #605343 by bigbrotiki on Sat, Sep 3, 2011 9:57 AM

Well there you go! I added my second post because I wanted to make clear that I was not aiming to squelch any discussion of the stuff, merely to inform Luki about the general feelings here regarding spiced rum and Bacardi.

I don't know what the Mai Kai uses. Liquor companies can afford to give huge discounts to large restaurants who take them because they save so much money. I know that the Kanaloa, that amazing Tiki temple in London, was initially stocked with the appropriate variety of individual rums, and than a big company made them an offer they couldn't refuse, and now all the drinks are made with that line of rums. There have been umpteenth Tiki events that were and are sponsored by such brands as Sailor Jerry, Captain Morgan, and Red Rum. These companies have large P.R. budgets, and that money needs to get spent. Also, we all know that the company that makes Trader Vic's rums does not do justice to the name.

That is just the reality out there. We here can turn our noses up on that stuff, because we control what goes into our home bars and into our cocktails, but out there, it's a jungle, and if some company "sponsors" their brand at a Tiki place it still does not make it a better product.

Back to the subject in question, here is an introduction on Oakheart that does make it sound interesting:

"Co-developed by over 4,000 consumers and hundreds of bartenders, Bacardi OakHeart takes their traditional Bacardi Superior and blends it with Bacardi Gold, giving it the perfect mixability of Superior and the smooth finish of Gold. This gives it the perfect base for them to add their blend of spices which includes maple, cinnamon, nutmeg, honey, vanilla and caramel before being filtered. The end product is “slightly peppery, with a noticeable rum-kick, BACARDÍ OAKHEART is a spirit with a vibrant amber hue and taste that is distinctly its own” and with a nice smokiness lent from the double charred barrels it was mellowed in.

Bacardi recommends making an Oak & Coke, which I’m sure you can figure out is a rum and Coke, and it looks like the two may be sold in the same packaging with a bottle of Bacardi OakHeart and a 2-liter bottle of Coca-Cola. Rum and coke not your thing? It’s great over ice too.

Pricing is suggested at $12.99 and will release nationwide beginning in September."

The "smokiness" sounds appealing, but then they mess it all up with packaging it as "Oak and Coke". Some marketing genius must be very proud of that line, and that it caught shows you WHERE the market for this brand lies.

And last not least, the price is SCARY low, it seems like Bacardi is really pushing to break into the non-light rum market now that the interest in it is growing.