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Archive for September, 2015

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Sold Out! – 1st Annual Edmonton Rum Festival

Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 25, 2015

Rum Poster1st Annual Edmonton Rum Festival

(In Support of the MS Society)

The folks at Vines Riverbend Wine Merchants (who have produced the very successful Edmonton Whisky Festival for the past 5 years) have teamed up with the Alberta Division of the MS Society to bring you another premium spirits festival, the 1st Annual Edmonton Rum Festival. This is a unique chance to taste rums produced from around the world and to meet and discuss the noble spirit with industry and distillery representatives.

Monies raised at the event will help those affected by MS in our community, as well as help to fund research towards a cure.

Where: Edmonton Delta South Hotel

When: Friday, September 25, 2015 (Today)

From 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM

Ticket Price: $85.00 each (This Event is Sold Out)

The Edmonton Rum Festival is a must for any rum enthusiast or for those new to this exceptional spirit. The price of a ticket includes entrance and rum sampling (you do not have to buy drink tickets)

Please attend the 1st Annual Rum festival and enjoy yourself chatting in a relaxed atmosphere with Rum and spirit insiders and enthusiasts from across Canada and around the World.

All proceeds raised at this event are donated to the MS Society of Canada – Alberta Division.

For more information please contact:

Vines – Riverbend Wine Merchants (Edmonton)

Posted in Extras, Festivals | Tagged: | Comments Off on Sold Out! – 1st Annual Edmonton Rum Festival

# 91 Auchentoshan 1976 (Aged 28 Years)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 25, 2015

The 28-year-old, Auchentoshan 1976 is a Single Cask bottling, distilled in 1976, which I found and tasted at CSN Wine and Spirits in Calgary, Alberta. The store had purchased the entire cask of 156 bottles and at that time had approximately 20 bottles left in stock. (Note: CSN Wine and Spirits has many Single Cask bottlings for the avid Whisky enthusiast to enjoy. )

Auchebtoshan 28I was given a sample of this particular bottling by the Store Manager, J.P. Sandhu, who spent some time with me on a lazy Friday afternoon allowing me to sample some of the great selections of rum and single malt whisky which were available in his store. Although this whisky is certainly no longer available, it does rank as one of the truly great Scotch Whiskies I have tasted and deserves a spot on my Top 100 Spirits List.

Here is a link to my review of the #91 Spirit in my Rum Howler 2015 Top 100 Spirits Countdown:

#91 – Auchentoshan 1976 (Aged 28 Years)

“… The initial nose is full of lemon citrus and orange peel. A nice floral bouquet is evident in the glass as well with herbal qualities and a rich taint of heather. I sense a light peat aroma which begins to gain steam and turns smokey as the glass decants. Oak and vanilla have also began to build in the breezes which are speckled with scents of pine and moss …”

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You may follow my Countdown list of the 100 Best Spirits here: The Rum Howler 2015 – Top 100 Spirits

Posted in Awards, Extras, Scotch Whisky, Single Malt Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on # 91 Auchentoshan 1976 (Aged 28 Years)

# 92 Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban

Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 24, 2015

The Glenmorangie Distillery was officially licensed to produce whisky in 1843 (how long the distillery was unofficial is unknown to me). Glenmorangie, from the beginning, established a tradition of innovation beginning with the construction of tall gin styled stills which would be used to distill their whisky rather than the traditional shorter onion shaped stills in use at the time. They were also amongst the first distilleries to use American oak for maturing their whisky, and in the early 1990’s they were at the forefront of the new style of ‘extra matured’ whiskies which are finished (or perhaps we can say flavoured) by spending time in used wine barrels.

Quinta RubanThe Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban is a mature whisky (12 years old) that is first aged in ex bourbon casks for at least 10 years, and then finished or ‘extra matured’ in Ruby Port pipes from the Quintas of Portugal. The use of ruby Port pipes gives the Quinta Ruban a sweeter, fruitier flavour and finish.

Here is a link to my review of the #92 Spirit in my Rum Howler 2015 Top 100 Spirits Countdown:

#92 – Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban

“… The initial aroma in the breezes is fruity, oak filled, and stained with chocolate. I notice zesty citrus notes in the air as well as impressions of maraschino cherry and dry fruit. Oak spices seem to lift from the glass giving me indications of orange peel, and spicy pepper. As the glass sits, walnuts, pecans and the light scent of baking spices (vanilla, nutmeg, with hints of cinnamon) are added to the breezes …”

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You may follow my Countdown list of the 100 Best Spirits here: The Rum Howler 2015 – Top 100 Spirits

Posted in Awards, Extras, Scotch Whisky, Single Malt Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on # 92 Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban

#93 Dictador 20 Year Old Solera Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 23, 2015

Dictador is produced in Colombia on the Caribbean coast at Cartagena de Indias City. Rather than being produced from molasses, the rum is produced from the virgin honey of sugar cane which has been distilled upon a stainless steel alembic, and aged using Dicatador’s unique take on the solera-style aging system. Although the rum is produced upon a stainless steel alembic, the inner workings of this still contain more than enough copper such that it functions in basically the same manner as a copper pot still.

Dictador 20 SAM_1387Interestingly, the choice of the distillery to use sugar cane honey rather than molasses is based upon a peculiarity of Colombian government policy. It seems that the country has mandated that automobiles in Colombia must use a certain percentage of biofuels in conjunction with gasoline as their fuel source. As molasses is the most readily available source of biofuel, almost all molasses produced in Columbia is earmarked for biofuel production. This means that the folks at Dictador Rum have little choice but to produce and use their own sugar cane honey for rum production.

The Dictador 20 Year Old Rum, is a solera aged rum which is taken from the solera at the point where the average age of the rum within that solera row is at least 20 years of age.  (Some older rum is certainly within those barrels as well.)

Here is a link to my review of the #93 Spirit in my Rum Howler 2015 Top 100 Spirits Countdown:

#93 – Dictador 20 Year Old Solera Rum

“… The aroma from the glass is heavily tainted with oak and baking spice. I smell dark brown sugars and toffee which grow stronger and deeper as the glass decants. A hint of maple sits in the breezes, and accents of cinnamon, nutmeg as well as a firm dash of vanilla rise up to complement the strong oak aroma. There is a light smokey element as well which seems to imply sherry like scents of dried currants and raisins …”

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You may follow my Countdown list of the 100 Best Spirits here: The Rum Howler 2015 – Top 100 Spirits

Posted in Awards, Dark Rums, Extras, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on #93 Dictador 20 Year Old Solera Rum

#94 Glenfarclas 15 Year Old

Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 22, 2015

The Glenfarclas Distillery is located in the Glenfarclas valley on the Recherlich Farm at Ballindalloch which is in the heart of Speyside. The Distillery was purchased by the Grant Family in 1865, and it has remained in the control of the Grant Family for six generations up to the present day. In fact, Glenfarclas is one of only a few distilleries remaining in Scotland which is independently family owned and managed.

Glenfarclas 15 SAM_1740I have had several opportunities to meet George Grant (of that sixth generation of the Grant Family) right here in Edmonton at a tasting events sponsored by Pacific Wine & Spirits Inc, who are the local importer/distributor of Glenfarclas Highland Single Malt Whisky in Alberta. At each event I attended, I was allowed to sample the entire line-up of Glenfarclas Whisky. Each time, I took the time to write detailed tasting notes for each whisky.

Here is a link to my review of the #94 Spirit in my Rum Howler 2015 Top 100 Spirits Countdown:

#94 – Glenfarclas 15 Year Old

“… The nose is very rich with the scents and smells of the sherry influence upon the whisky. Dried fruit (raisins, dates, and prunes) lead out with a very noticeable accent of dark chocolate. Dark toffee smells enrich the air above the glass, and as the whisky sits, rich baking spiced build and build. I can smell rich brown Demerara sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla in the breezes above the glass …”

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You may follow my Countdown list of the 100 Best Spirits here: The Rum Howler 2015 – Top 100 Spirits

Posted in Awards, Extras, Scotch Whisky, Single Malt Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on #94 Glenfarclas 15 Year Old

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