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Archive for April, 2018

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Review: Herradura Silver Tequila

Posted by Arctic Wolf on April 30, 2018

The Herradura Tequila brand is owned by Brown-Froman. It is produced thirty miles from Guadalajara, in the state of Jalisco, in the town of Amatitan, at the Brown – Forman Tequila Distillery Mexico, S. de R.L. de C.V..

Herradura is produced from agave grown in the lowlands. This is important to know, because lowland agave will usually bring more earthy fruit flavours through the distillation than highland agave which tends to bring spice and citrus. The lowland character of the Herradura tequila was obvious during my tasting sessions and dealing with the strong earthy flavours of the spirit was particularly significant during cocktail construction.

The subject of this review, the Herradura Silver is a true 100% Weber Blue agave tequila. The agave used is cooked in old stone ovens, and distilled on old copper pot stills. When I tasted the Herradurra spirit several years ago I was told that it was an unaged spirit intended to bring to the palate the true unaltered taste of lowland tequila. I notice this time that my media notes make note that the spirit has been aged for 45 days in American Oak barrels which is meant to bring a touch of refinement to the spirit. It is bottled at 40 % alcohol by volume for the North American Market.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Herradura Silver Tequila

“… I notice firm earthy agave which to me resembles the aroma of baked squash and/or grilled zucchini. As the glass breathes I begin to notice some lemon citrus and both lemon and orange peel. There are hints of menthol/mint and the spiciness of hot white pepper in the air as well. As I adjust to the overt agave aroma, very light indications of sandalwood and oak spice are noticed which bring ever so light impressions of tea and chocolate into the air …”

Please enjoy my review which concludes with a delicious cocktail suggestion, Estrella de la Tarde (the Evening Star).

Chimo!

Posted in Blanco Tequila, Tequila, Tequila Review | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Herradura Silver Tequila

Review: Lohin McKinnon Wine Barreled Single Malt

Posted by Arctic Wolf on April 29, 2018

Central City Brewers + Distillers is a small craft producer of beer and Spirits. They began business as a brewpub in downtown Surrey (British Columbia), where they created their Red Racer craft beer. After this initial  success they turned their attention to spirits using Canadian barley to produce their whisky and Rocky Mountain Berries to produce their gin.

According to the company’s website:

We craft our premium spirits on 3 state-of-the-art Holstein Stills, manufactured in Germany on 3 different sizes: 2500 litre, 1250 Litre and 500 litre, to allow greater versatility. All fitted with reflux columns and one with up to 20 plates, this Stills are capable of producing up to 90% ABV and can produce almost any spirit our distiller can imagine.

I sampled their Lohin Mckinnon Wine Barreled Single Malt Whisky (a collaborative effort between Central City Brewery’s Master Brewer Gary Lohin, and Master Distiller Stuart McKinnon as part of my judging duties for the 2018 Canadian Whisky Awards. I kept brief notes for each of the spirits which I tasted, and after the reveal, I decided to pen a brief review based upon those tasting notes, as well as from a small tasting sample I was able to obtain afterwards.

Here is a link to that review:

Review: Lohin McKinnon Wine Barreled Single Malt

” … there was a very obvious sweetness in the air initially. More typical whisky scents gathered and settled into the breezes. After the tasting session when I sniffed my empty glass, the sweetness from the wine combined with the herbal tones in the whisky …”

Please enjoy my review of this new Canadian Single Malt, Chimo!

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Single Malt Whisky, Whisk(e)y | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Lohin McKinnon Wine Barreled Single Malt

Review: LMD Spiced Rum (Flavoured Alcohol Beverage)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on April 27, 2018

Last Mountain Distillery is part of a small wave of Micro-Distillers which have began to appear on the Canadian landscape over the last few years. These are small ‘mom and pop’ operations which make their spirits in small batches usually only a barrel or two at a time. This particular distillery is located in Lumsden, Saskatchewan, and it is owned and operated by the husband and wife team of Colin and Meredith Schmidt.

Last Mountain Distillery’s LMD Spiced Rum Flavoured Alcohol Beverage is produced from a blend of both aged and an un-aged cane spirits. It is flavoured with 5 different natural spices and Madagascar Vanilla. Although it is labelled as a ‘Rum Flavoured’ beverage, I must point out that if the spirit was produced (or sold) in the USA it could accurately be labelled as Spiced Rum. However, because it is being sold in Canada where the regulations concerning rum labeling are more stringent than in the USA, the spirit cannot be labelled as a Rum.

I suggest that those reading my review should bear in mind that many of the more famous spiced rums sold in the USA may actually have less aged rum in their make-up than does the LMD Spiced Rum Flavoured Alcohol Beverage.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: LMD Spiced Rum Flavoured Alcohol Beverage

“… The first sip brings a beguiling smoothness forward as the LMD Spiced brings a pleasant but light sweetness forward. Light flavours of vanilla and butterscotch are complemented by a firm (but not aggressive) spicy thrust. There is a light sense of earthiness and I receive mild impressions of both licorice and angelica root as well as perhaps a hint of a mineral content in the dram …”

Please enjoy my review which includes my serving suggestions, the Flying Machine, and the LMD Box Car.

Chimo!

 

Posted in Rum, Rum Reviews, Spiced Rum | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: LMD Spiced Rum (Flavoured Alcohol Beverage)

Review: Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula Cognac

Posted by Arctic Wolf on April 26, 2018

Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula

Cognac Ferrand is the result of a rare opportunity offered to a young man (Alexandre Gabriel) in 1989 by one of the oldest wine growing families in the Cognac region of France. According to Mr. Gabriel,

” I met a small Cognac producer who needed help selling his products to finish off his stock. This was Cognac Ferrand. I fell in love with the product and with the region. It all reminded me of what I grew up around. So when I was invited to become a partner and told that no one was going to continue if I didn’t, I just said….yes.”

Although that beginning may have seemed rather precarious to those on the outside, Alexandre made the most of his opportunity, and now Cognac Ferrand a well-respected producer with sales in more than 40 countries world-wide.

For Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula Cognac, Alexandre collected old bottles of cognac that were bottled at a young age and designed his Cognac based upon a particular bottle from 1840 replicating a style of cognac which had heretofore been lost.

The Heretic

In 1840, the appeal for Cognac was much more broadly based. Rather than being an after dinner indulgence consumed in a brandy snifter, those who consumed Cognac regularly mixed it with Seltzer water, and it was even the distilled spirit of choice for cocktails. Mr. Gabriel is convinced that bringing people back to the origins of cocktail culture through an original style cognac is a winning idea.

You may click on the following excerpt to read the full review:

Review: Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula Cognac

“… Even before I put my nose to the glass, I could sense the clean scent of fresh green grapes climbing into the air above the glass. When I did place my nose over the glass to inspect the breezes, I received enticing aromas of oak spices which gave me and impressions of freshly sanded oak  and sandalwood. Hints of cinnamon stained the oak spices …”

Of course I could not help but follow Alexandre Gabriel’s lead and constructed a somewhat heretical cocktail using not only his wonderful cognac, but also a 20-year-old brandy at the conclusion of my review.

Please enjoy the review, and my fantastic cocktail suggestion, the Heretic!

Posted in Brandy and Cognac Reviews, Cognac Review | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula Cognac

Review: Hundred Volt Canadian Whisky

Posted by Arctic Wolf on April 25, 2018

The Highwood Distillery is the only large locally (Albertan) owned distillery in Canada. It sits in the heart of the High River community, producing more than 300,000 cases of bottled spirits per year. Although the bulk of their production goes towards Vodka, Flavoured Vodka, and Premixes, they also produce a sizable (and growing) amount of Canadian Whisky each year. I consider the whisky produced at their distillery to be a unique product unlike anything else on the Canadian whisky landscape (I also find it very tasty). What is so original about the Highwood Whisky is the batch process they employ (see here).

Highwood’s  Hundred Volt Whisky is produced from prairie grains (corn and rye) in a batch style distillation (the grains are distilled and aged separately). The different styles of whisky are aged 3 to 5 years in charred American white oak barrels (without the addition of additives), and when they are mature, they is blended to produce that distinctive Canadian ‘rye’ flavour profile consistent with Canadian Whisky. The Hundred Volt Whisky is bottled at 50 % alcohol by volume, (One Hundred Proof).

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Hundred Volt Canadian Whisky

“… The nose is just a touch astringent as the high alcohol proof shows itself in the breezes. A nice combination of soft butterscotch, vanilla and almond scents reveal themselves along with some fine oak spices which gives the whisky a dusty dry appealing quality. Light accents of orange peel, ginger and cigarette tobacco can be found within the oak spice …”

Please enjoy my review of this new Canadian Whisky from Highwood Distillers.

Chimo

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , | 2 Comments »

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