Within the ongoing quest to disprove the uninformed Rum has No Guidelines trope, I’ve written about a number of cane spirits geographical indications, some in full, others summarized. The total set is on the market right here.
To maintain this transient, I gained’t assessment all of the nuances of geographical indications (GIs.) Should you’re unfamiliar with them, I recommend first studying Geographical Indication Quick Info.
What follows is a translated abstract of Venezuela’s key rum rules, together with its GI. Passages associated to administrative particulars are omitted for brevity.
Regardless of intensive looking and quite a few inquiries, I’ve been unable to acquire a duplicate of the 2019 DOC updates, solely summaries. What seems under is predicated on the 2003 model. Ought to somebody have the precise 2019 textual content, and never a abstract, please let me know.
Venezuela’s Key Rules
Venezuela’s rum rules are primarily enshrined in two paperwork:
- COVENIN-RON commonplace (3040-93): the definition of rum bought in Venezuela or exported.
- Denomination of Managed Origin (DOC) Ron de Venezuela. This primary model was ratified in 2003 and subsequently up to date in 2019. In 2020, Venezuela utilized for EU recognition of Ron de Venezuela.
Rum Normal (COVENIN 3040-93)
3 Definitions
3.1 Rum is made by way of the distillation of fermented sugarcane or its derivatives and aged in oak containers.
4 Supplies, Design, and Manufacture
4.1 The usage of pure sweeteners akin to fructose, sucrose, glucose, and others authorized by the well being authority is allowed.
4.2 Solely caramel could also be used as a colorant.
4.3 To enhance the aroma, coloration, and style, the addition of caramel, recent or dry fruit macerations, bark, maceration of oak chips, and different authorized substances is allowed.
5 Necessities
5.4 Rum have to be matured in oak vessels for the time specified within the tax legal guidelines.
5.5 The next practices are usually not permitted:
5.5.1 Bodily or chemical processes substituting or imitating the method of oak maturation.
5.5.2 Chemical processes for accelerating pure ageing in oak.
5.8 Rum should adjust to the next limits:
| Attribute | Limits |
| Alcoholic energy at 15°C | Between 40 and 50% ABV |
| Methanol | 10 gr/hlAA max |
| Furfural | 6 gr/hlAA max |
| Esters (as ethyl acetate) | 200 gr/hlAA max |
| Aldehydes (as aldehyde) | 40 gr/hlAA max |
Denomination of Managed Origin Ron de Venezuela
Article 1 Rum assembly the outlined standards might use Ron de Venezuela’s protected wording.
Article 4 Ron de Venezuela have to be produced inside twelve designated states:
- Aragua
- Barinas
- Carabobo
- Cojedes
- Lara
- Miranda
- Monagas
- Portuguese
- Sucre
- Táchira
- Trujillo
- Yaracuy
The manufacturing space is outlined as the place sugarcane cultivation and processing, fermentation, distillation, ageing, and packaging happens.
Article 5 Rum assembly the Ron de Venezuela necessities have to be made out of sugarcane and its derivatives, sourced from licensed rising areas (Article 4). If there’s a molasses scarcity, the regulatory council might grant authorization to make use of as much as 40 % imported sugarcane byproducts, i.e., molasses.
Articles 6 The cultivation of sugar cane have to be carried out inside the geographical areas declared as “manufacturing areas”
Article 7 Distillation can solely happen in distilleries registered inside the allowed manufacturing space.
If there’s a scarcity of distilled alcohol from licensed distilleries, the regulatory council might enable using as much as 40 % imported uncooked alcohols or imported completed alcohols.
Word: Imported uncooked alcohols is presumably flema.
Article 9 Rum have to be aged in white oak barrels within the ageing warehouses of a registered rum producer. Word: A separate regulation (LISAEA) specifies that the barrels should maintain at the least 150 liters.
Article 10 The mixing of rums have to be performed within the services of a registered rum producer. In case of shortages, the regulatory council might enable utilizing imported aged rum, as much as 40 % of the full.
Article 12 Rums should meet the necessities outlined in COVENIN 3040-93.
The next firms are listed within the DOC as having rum assembly the Ron de Venezuela necessities:
- Rones del Caribe, C.A
- C.A. Ron Santa Teresa
- Destilería Carúpano
- Destilería Veroes, C.A.
- Central de Licores Unidos de Venezuela, C.A. Celiveca
- Destilerías Unidas Diplomático
- Industrias Bravo & Cia, S.A.
- Alcoholes Y añejos Monagas
- Diageo Venezuela, C.A
- Complejo Industrial Licorero del Centro, C.A. (CILCCA)
- Corporación Alcoholes del Caribe, S.A. (CACSA)
- Alnova, C.A.
- Destilerías Unidas, S.A. (DUSA)
