Archive for November, 2016

The Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown (#50 thru #46)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on November 21, 2016

2016rum_howler_badge Yesterday I began my Rum Howler Top 50 Canadian Whisky Countdown, and today I will begin my countdown of the Best Mixing Rums of 2016. During each of the past five years I have compiled a list of the Best Sipping Rums. And during each of those years, the list was dominated by premium rums whose prices were out of the reach of many of my readers. As a result, one of my readers requested that I change things up this year with a listing of the best non-premium rums.

I decided that compiling a listing of the best rums for mixing (aged less than five years) was the best way to approach this task. Of course this meant, the rums I would be analyzing and comparing would come from many different classes: White Rums, Amber and Anejo Rums, Spiced Rums, Dark Rums, and even Overproof Rums. Although these rum styles are quite dissimilar, there is one commonality that they all share. Each of these rum styles is normally enjoyed in a cocktail. Hence, my Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown.

And it is time to begin the reveal with Mixing Rums #50 thru 46:

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I hope everybody enjoys this years mixing rum countdown. You can follow the rankings by bookmarking this page which also provides some information regarding my ranking procedure:

The Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown

Posted in Awards, Extras | Tagged: 2016 Top 50, Appleton Estate VX, Blackheart Spiced Rum, El Dorao Superior Dark, Mixing Rums, Mount Gay Eclipse Silver, Review, Rum, Rum howler, Tanduay Gold Asian Rum | Comments Off on The Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown (#50 thru #46)

The Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Canadian Whisky Countdown (#50 – #46)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on November 20, 2016

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In compiling my list this year, I gathered as many of the newly bottled Canadian Whiskies as I could. This included both new brands as well as many of the whiskies which I had tasted and reviewed previously. I included all sample bottles I had received in 2015 and 2016 as well as many purchases from my private collection; however, I did not include any samples from brands which had been discontinued. I also re-scored and revised the tasting notes (and introductions when I felt the old information was no longer valid) for many of my published reviews.

This means that this year’s Top Canadian Whiskies of 2016 list and the reviews of each spirit accurately reflect how each of the various brands taste now, not how they may have scored and tasted several years ago. The list is also the most comprehensive year-end list I have ever completed for the Canadian Whisky category.

As always, I present my year-end list in reverse order. The first 25 Whiskies (#50 thru to #26) will be revealed five at a time, and then #25 thru to #1 will be revealed individually throughout the month of December. Let the Countdown of the Best Canadian Whiskies begin:

#50 Canadian Mist

” …. the corn appears to have melded into the wood spice with ripe grain, orange peel and butterscotch providing a nice accent. There also a light mustiness weaving through the air which reminds me of the smell of dry con husks. As the glass breathes some more I also notice some light bourbon notes building along with a nice accent of vanilla and almond …”

#49 Canadian Club Premium Canadian Whisky

“… Canadian Club as a brand, has one the most aggressive flavour profiles in the Canadian Whisky Category. There is a dank, organic, sour mash flavour which runs through the whisky. As well, the whisky is full of damp tobacco and fermenting fruit flavours. The spirit is spicy too, with oak tannins disguised as orange peel zest and rye spices heating up the mouth. Caramel flavours seep in and out as does an impression of vanilla …”

# 48 Gibson’s Finest Sterling Whisky

“… The whisky leads out with rye spices and ginger but underneath those spices is that same light butterscotch I noticed in the aroma. If I let the glass decant, I begin to taste a light whisper of corn and a few baking spices working their way into the flavour profile. The spices are more firm across the palate than they were on the nose especially orange peel, ginger and cardamom …”

#47 J.P Wiser’s Double Still Rye

“… The scents above the glass bring me a nice menagerie of different whisky smells. Butterscotch is melded into oak spice with a light but firm impression of pot distilled rye lurking in the breezes as well. Bits of cocoa reveal themselves as do some baking spices in the form of vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon. There is also a light but firm astringency rising into the air warning me that the whisky may have a bit of youthful exuberance …”

#46 Revel Stoke Deluxe Canadian Whisky

“… The flavour of the whisky leads out with a lightly sweet impression of toffee alongside both bitter and spicy rye grain. The mouthfeel is soft, however the whisky has plenty of wood spice to both heat and pucker the palate between sips. This is a dusty dry whisky, and as I sip, impressions of ripened grain fields and dry grassy hay lands both find their way into my consciousness. There is a touch of vanilla and a hint of cinnamon in the flavour profile as well and perhaps also just a light indication of menthol …”

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Please enjoy my Countdown of the Best Canadian Whiskies of 2016. Stay Tuned for numbers 45 through 41, Chimo!

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* You may follow my Canadian Whisky Countdown by bookmarking this link:

The Rum Howler – Top 50 Canadian Whiskies of 2016

Posted in Awards, Canadian Whisky, Extras, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: 2016 Top 50, Canadian Club, Canadian Mist, Canadian Whisky, Gibson's Finest Sterling, J.P. Wiser's Double Still Rye, Revel Stoke Deluxe, Review, Rum howler, Whisky | Comments Off on The Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Canadian Whisky Countdown (#50 – #46)

Review: Glenmorangie the Sherry Cask Finish Lasanta

Posted by Arctic Wolf on November 18, 2016

sherry-cask-lasanta-sam_2868 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. (I suggest flavoured because these used wine barrels rarely impart any oak into the whisky, and the primary result of their use is to impart some of the previously held wine’s flavour into the whisky.) The core range of Glenmorangie includes three of these unique extra matured whiskies, the Sherry cask Finish Lasanta, which is a Sherry finished whisky, the Nector D’or, which has a Sauternes wine finish, and the Quinta Ruban, which has a Ruby Port Finish.

Recently the Lasanta received a bit of a make-over from the distillery. Previously the expression was branded Glenmorangie the Lasanta, and to produce the whisky the distillery began with a spirit very similar to their Glenmorangie Original (a ten-year old spirit matured in first and second fill bourbon barrels) which was finished or extra matured in Spanish Olorosso Sherry Casks. The new Glenmorangie the Sherry Cask Lasanta on the other hand carries a full 12 Year Old age statement in clear view, and this spirit is extra matured for the two final years in a combination of Olorosso and PX Sherry Casks.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Glenmorangie the Sherry Cask Finish Lasanta

“… The initial aroma in the breezes carries obvious scents of dry raisins and dates. It is also oak filled with assertive wood spice, and it is stained with coca and cola.Taking my time with the glass I notice a few citrus notes and building baking spices (vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon) in the air as well …”

Please enjoy my review of the new Lasata expression from Glenmorangie.

Chimo!

Posted in Scotch Whisky, Single Malt Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: Glenmorangie, Lasanta, Review, Scotch, Sherry Cask Finish, Single Malt Whisky, Whisky | Comments Off on Review: Glenmorangie the Sherry Cask Finish Lasanta

Rum Howler Annual Rum Countdown (Best Mixing Rums)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on November 16, 2016

In addition to my Top 50 Canadian Whisky Countdown, I have been working on another special project during the year that is 2016 as I have been building, tasting and rating cocktails in secret throughout the year. As a result of these efforts, my annual 2016 Christmas Season Rum Countdown is going to be a little different from years past.

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royaloak Rather than building a list of the best premium rums this year, my Rum Howler year-end list will feature the very best rums (which I have tasted) which all of us love to serve in cocktails. (Those mixed drinks included the Rum Old Fashioned, the Cuba Libre, the Mojito, and the Daiquiri as well as libations specific to the class of rum I was rating.) Not only does my year-end rum list feature a completely different selection od spirits this year, it is also larger than ever with 50 spirits included for your cocktail enjoyment.

It is my intention that this list represents only those rums we love to mix. Therefore, all of the rums on this list would carry an age statement of less than 5 years. Additionally, if the rum was blended from spirit of different ages, then I used my best judgement to exclude any rum which would carry an average age of 5 or more years. Finally I also excluded any spirit which was marketed as a premium sipping rum. (Just to be clear, although these are all ‘Mixing Rums’, the truth is that many are just fine on their own as sippers giving the rum connoisseur the best of both worlds.)

As with any such list, there is always that one spirit which just missed being included. In this case it is Angostura Royal Oak Select Rum which landed in the #51 spot. And so today, as a sort of prequel to my Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown, I thought I would re-introduce you all to this fine rum from Angostura:

#51 Mixing Rum of 2016: Angostura Royal Oak Select Rum

“… I mixed a few bar drinks in my examinations beginning with the quintessential cocktail for a young amber rum, the Cuba Libre’. I followed that up with a Rum and Ginger cocktail and then a simple Daiquiri. Although all of the cocktails tasted nice, strangely enough I preferred the daiquiri. Of course, when I referred to my original review of this rum which I wrote almost five years ago, I saw that I had come to the same conclusion …”

Please enjoy my review of the Angostura Royal Oak Select Rum, and stay tuned for my Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rum Countdown!

The reveal begins on November 21st, Chimo!

Posted in Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: 2016 Rum Howler Top 50, Angostura, Mixing Rum, Review, Royal Oak Select, Rum | Comments Off on Rum Howler Annual Rum Countdown (Best Mixing Rums)

Top 50 Canadian Whisky Countdown (2016)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on November 14, 2016

It is that time of year again, and I have finished my private deliberations for my annual Canadian Whisky Countdown. This is an exercise I thoroughly enjoy every year. For the year that is 2016, my list is bigger than ever as I will have tasted close to 70 Canadian Whiskies during my deliberations.

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If you are wondering how I manage to rank all those whiskies, I will take this opportunity to walk you through the process.

royal-reserve-sam_2648 Almost every whisky I considered for this year’s countdown was already tasted and reviewed upon my website. I began with my review scores and placed all of the whisky samples into groupings based upon those scores. Then I tasted the newest bottling of every spirit within my groupings to ascertain whether any deserved to be moved up or down into higher or lower groups. I did not rank anything yet, I just want to recognize whether any spirit (in my opinion) had changed since my most recent review. Those spirits which seemed to have changed were moved up or down as required.

Then I tasted each spirit again. This time I assigned scores to each spirit and compared my new tasting notes and my new scores to my written reviews. All samples which seemed to show quantifiable deviation from my review scores and/or tasting notes were flagged as candidates for revised reviews. (This year, I noticed that an unusual number of samples were flagged.)

Then I did my final deliberations. Each spirit that had been flagged for re-scoring was tasted one more time and new tasting notes were written and new scores assigned. Then I tasted my final groupings one last time and assigned my rankings. The entire process kept me busy for almost ten weeks.

The Rum Howler 2016 Top Canadian Whisky Countdown is the largest ranking of Canadian Spirits I have ever completed. The reveal will begin on November 20th, starting with numbers 50 through to 46; however, I couldn’t help but reveal today, the spirit which would have been added if the list were extended by one:

#51 Royal Reserve Canadian Rye Whisky

“… I taste a nice old-fashioned rye profile with a light dryness that goes for the tonsils. The whisky is crisp on the tongue and the dryness has the ability to pucker the palate making it receptive to another sip. A good dose of caramel arrives with the rye, and the oak spices carry flavours of fresh fruit and citrus peel …”

Stay tuned for the 2016 Rum Howler Top Fifty Canadian Whisky Countdown; the reveal begins on November 20th.

Chimo!

Posted in Awards, Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: 2016 Rum Howler Canadian Whisky Countdown, Adam's Private Stock, Canadian Whisky, Review, Rum howler | Comments Off on Top 50 Canadian Whisky Countdown (2016)

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Archive for November, 2016

The Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown (#50 thru #46)

# 50 Mount Gay Eclipse Silver

#49 Blackheart Spiced Rum

#48 Tanduay Gold Asian Rum

#47 El Dorado Superior Dark Rum

# 46) Appleton Estate VX Rum