Bumbu The Original

I clearly didn’t expect such overwhelmingly cloying sweetness in a food product. That’s exactly why I’m flipping the script this time and starting with the tasting notes.

On the nose, a buttery caramel cream leads the way, slowly unfolding into marshmallow foam steeped in an overly sweet pear compote. On the palate, above all, there's liquid, caramelized sugar, followed by banana-infused marzipan and white chocolate. The finish recalls condensed milk.

You don’t exactly need a trained palate to detect the avalanche of additives here. Yet bold marketing, likely fueled by ignorance, seems to be paving the brand’s way to the top. What’s especially striking is that Bumbu Original isn’t even a rum imitation, which at least by definition would aim to mimic a rum-like character. No, it’s simply a spirit drink. And really, that should be the end of the story, if not for the die-hard fans of plastic luxury who refuse to accept this fact, as evident in nearly every comment section and review.

Technical details? The sugarcane is sourced from the Caribbean and South America, distilled using column stills, no age statement. Although the producer doesn’t disclose it, independent analyses (Systembolaget, Alko) reveal a sugar content of around 50 grams per liter. And now, a quote from the official website — with emphasis added by me:

"Bumbu is made at a historic Barbadian distillery founded in 1893 and continuously operated for more than 120 years. Our rum is distilled using two continuous stills. The yeast used during fermentation is a distillery secret that dates back as far as 1840, when some of our original iron pot stills were cast. We’ve also got a lovely white-sand beach a few steps out the back door."

Call me petty, but don’t those few lines imply that Bumbu has its own distillery and a storied past? In reality, Sovereign Brands was founded in 1999, and the Bumbu brand only debuted in 2016. While the rum base does come from Barbados’ WIRD, that distillery — primarily a contract producer—supplies around twenty other brands. That’s not necessarily a flaw, but it certainly puts the brand’s claimed uniqueness into perspective.

À propos, brand creator Brett Berish has a sharp sense of the market: “You can’t get someone to try your brand unless it looks good. And you can’t get them to come back if it doesn’t taste good”. He also knows exactly who he’s aiming for: “Our focus is to develop a product with our partners that we think can capture an audience in search for something special, unique, or different”.

The irony is that the brand’s most recognizable and best-selling product is so “special, unique, or different” that it doesn’t even qualify as rum. And perhaps not a soul would mention it, if only Bumbu Original weren’t promoted in such a misleading manner.

In fact, a class action lawsuit was filed two years ago and I’d like to share two especially noteworthy quotes from it:

> The Product does not qualify as rum due to the addition of ingredients, including flavoring materials, which alter its class and type [27 C.F.R. § 5.155].

> The Product is closer to a cordial or liqueur because it is believed to contain added sugar and flavorings beyond threshold to qualify under this type of beverage [27 CFR 5.150(a)].

Nevertheless, the most prominent part of the bottle features an eye-catching embossing that reads “Bumbu Rum Co.” along with the phrase “rum with natural flavors”, while the actual, accurate classification — “spirit drink” — is discreetly relegated to the back label.

And for dessert.

It seems the sole remaining defense from Bumbu’s advocates is freedom of choice: the consumer’s right to decide, that unquestionable right to be oneself and express individuality. Yet every choice, by its very nature, shapes reality — a subtle but tangible influence on the world. And even if, in the context of a spirit drink or rum, that may sound absurdly inflated, it still holds true for every expression of the material world.

To the point — this whole argument isn’t about restricting anyone’s freedom of choice, but about pushing back against the normalization of an illusion. Moralizing? Perhaps. For those curious, I recommend looking up the concept of unconscious incompetence. And now, a simple guide for the stubborn: if you enjoy Bumbu, that’s fine. But if someone asks what kind of rum you like — don’t say Bumbu (The Original). 🙄