The makers of Cruzan Rum have a plan to comply with the airline industrys decision to ban passengers from carrying the venerable distillers 151-proof libation on flights: tone it down a little.
Last week, Sen. Adelbert Bryan voiced concern that American Airlines employees were requiring passengers boarding outbound flights to leave behind bottles of 151 rum. Because 151 rum is flammable, the International Air Transportation Association lobbied successfully for its ban on flights.
In a letter to Delegate to Congress Donna Christian Christensen, Bryan said the prohibition against tourists carrying the potent rum on flights could damage rum sales, from which the V.I. government receives money. He urged the delegate to take the issue to the Congressional Black Caucus and the Department of Interior, which has oversight of the territory.
"This could very well lead to a serious decline in retail rum sales," Bryan said. "The economic viability of the territory is inextricably bound to the economic health of the Virgin Islands Rum Industries Ltd., the manufacturers of Cruzan Rum."
Bryan said the Internal Revenue Matching Fund depends on excise taxes returned by the federal government to the territory on rum manufactured on St. Croix. The territory now receives approximately $50 million a year in rum excise taxes.
Gary Nelthropp, V.I. Rum Industries' senior vice president for production and sales, said he was grateful for Bryans efforts. However, he said the company is already planning a move to make up for any lost 151-proof rum sales.
V.I. Rum already distills a 120-proof rum for the mainland market, called Clipper. The company will make that rum available in the territory until it starts to produce a higher-proof product that meets the airline industrys limit, which is 140 proof.
"The specifications for the airlines is that it needs to be under 140 proof. They made an internal decision … we have to work within those parameters," Nelthropp said. "Were going to start making that within the next two or three months."