It's been quite a few months since I updated the sugar list last, so it was time to get cracking and see what's changed.
This list has been a very popular page on my website from the get go. I wish it was different, but it clearly shows people are interested in this type of information. If only all producers were forced to publish sugar content on their labels, so we wouldn't have to depend on independent lab tests to know what we are drinking. Seems like a no brainer, but unfortunately it isn't so.
Apart from knowing which rum has added sugar, it's also interesting to see how the various producers are dealing with the new EU rule of having a maximum of 20g of added sugar per liter. A product with a higher sugar content can't be labeled rum anymore. Some people thought this rule was a victory for consumers in general and brands who don't add sugar. I thought it wasn't. To me it seems like a missed opportunity to provide proper clarity to us consumers. In my opinion there should be a clear distinction between rum with added sugar and rum without it. That gives clarity to the consumer on what's being bought, less opportunity for companies to mislead and can help getting rid of the myth that sweetened rum is the more premium product. A 20g rule doesn't do any of that and is a winning compromise for brands like Zacapa, Plantation, Don Papa, Diplomático, El Dorado, Centenario etc.
The impact of the rule on the sugar content has been obvious in quite a few products. Which is a small step in the right direction. A few have decreased it to just under the 20g limit, like Plantation 20th, Zacapa 23, Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva and Diplomático Selección de Familia. Drastic changes seemed to have been made at Angostura. 1787 went from 30g to near zero for example. El Dorado apparently have made changes as well, but they aren't showing up in these lab tests yet.
There are a few expressions with increased sugar levels. This includes Dictador 12 and Diplomático Mantuano. They were under 20g/l and remain there, so it doesn't affect their status as rum in the EU.
Quite a lot of new entries in this update as well, including Don Papa Baroko, which doesn't have a surprising test result of course.
Click here to see the entire list, or use the link at the top of the page.
Updates that happened after March 2021 are situated at the bottom of the list. However, you can sort the list by name, ABV, sugar and date to resolve that.
