Bumbu The Original: A Pseudo-Rum to Avoid
When “X” marks the spot, it’s generally a good thing. Not so in the case of Bumbu.
Its official name is actually Bumbu Original Rum. As there’s very little that actually qualifies this stuff as rum, though, let’s just stick with Bumbu.
Rapper’s Delight?
No doubt you’ve heard of Bumbu and/or come across its flashy marketing and social media presence before. It is, after all, among the top trending spirits in the online world. Reasons for this, though, have very little to do with the spirit itself. Instead, Bumbu is Internet famous in large part owing to Lil Wayne.
The seminal rapper has been closely associated with the Bumbu brand virtually since its inception in 2016. His image is so synonymous with the “rum,” in fact, that it’s easy to assume he owns it.
(He does not, though he is an investor, and quite obviously, it’s strongest brand ambassador.)
Instead, Bumbu is a product of the Sovereign Brands Wine & Spirits Company. It’s produced in Barbados at the West Indies Rum Distillery.
But wait, isn’t Barbados the birthplace of rum? Aren’t all Barbadian rums great?
When a Rum Isn’t Actually Rum
The answer, of course, is yes, for the most part. As I alluded to above, though, Bumbu isn’t really rum.
Sovereign will tell you…
…our flagship Original Bumbu is blended from fine Barbados rum and hand-selected spices that evoke the rich and colorful history of the West Indies.
At just 35% ABV, though, Bumbu is more of an overly sweet and spiced bottled rum liqueur than anything else. If it was marketed as such, as opposed to being positioned as rum, that would be better.
You Might Like Bumbu if…
No matter how you position it, though, Bumbu just isn’t very appealing. At least not to me.
If you think you might like a pseudo-rum that’s super-sugary with a thick, near-syrup consistency, then maybe it can work for you.
For me, each sip is headache inducing. I can almost feel my teeth rotting as the sugar-spiced liquid enters my mouth.
Yeah, no thanks.
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