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Archive for April, 2018

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Review: Crown Royal Vanilla Canadian Whisky

Posted by Arctic Wolf on April 11, 2018

Crown Royal Canadian Whisky is produced in Gimli, Manitoba, at the Crown Royal Distillery. The distillery and the brand are owned by the spirits conglomerate, Diageo, and I think it is fair to say that Crown Royal is Diageo’s flagship Canadian Whisky brand. About a year ago Crown Royal Vanilla Whisky was introduced as an addition to the Crown Royal family of whiskies.

According to the Crown Royal website:

“To create this extraordinary blend, Crown Royal whiskies are carefully selected by our master whisky blenders and infused with the rich flavor of Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla. The result is a uniquely sophisticated whisky, bursting with the bold flavor of vanilla and the distinctive smoothness of Crown Royal.”

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Crown Royal Vanilla Canadian Whisky

” … The initial aroma brings a combination of butterscotch and vanilla forward with some nice oak and grain spices. It is nice that the underlying Crown Royal Whisky can break through the sweetened vanilla …”

Please enjoy my review, which includes a nice cocktail suggestion, the Railroader.

Chimo!

 

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , | Comments Off on Review: Crown Royal Vanilla Canadian Whisky

Review: Don Julio Añejo Tequila

Posted by Arctic Wolf on April 9, 2018

Tequila Añejo Old Fashioned

Don Julio is a 100% Blue Weber Agave Tequila made from agave grown in the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico. As a highland tequila,we can expect the Don Julio to exhibit strong fruity citrus notes and to have a little hot pepper in the finish. The company was established by Don Julio González, who apparently began to examine the prospect of making his own Tequila in 1942. He established his distillery called, La Primavera, (TEQUILA DON JULIO NOM 1449, DOT 163, LOCATION: Atotonilco, Jalisco) and spent nearly forty years refining his Tequila into the spirit which now bears his name.

Don Julio Añejo is produced in small batches, aged in American white-oak barrels for eighteen months.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Don Julio Añejo Tequila

“… The agave flavour is mellow accented by mild touches of white pepper, and the sweetness of light caramel. I taste a light oak presence and an underlying honey-like sweetness which is very appealing. There are some fruit flavours, in particular lime zest and apricot jam, and these flavours are melded very well into the agave, the light oak, and the caramel …”

Please enjoy my review which concludes with my cocktail suggestion, the Tequila Añejo Old Fashioned.

Posted in Anejo Tequila, Tequila, Tequila Review | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Don Julio Añejo Tequila

Review: Park Distillery Classic Vodka

Posted by Arctic Wolf on April 8, 2018

Park Distillery  is located in the town of Banff, Alberta. The facility is not just a distillery, it is also a restaurant and bar which opened in May of 2015 shortly after the Provincial government introduced new regulations which allowed for Craft distilleries to operate. Located high in the Mountains of Banff Provincial Park, the Distillery proudly serves regionally produced food in its restaurant, and local (sourced from high-altitude family farms in the Alberta foothills) grains to produce their spirits.

Park Distillery Vodka is produced on the distillery’s 600L Kothe Pot – Twin Column Hybrid Still. It is made from 100% Alberta Triticale (hybrid of wheat and rye) and glacial water which originated at six high glaciers in the Rocky Mountains. This water gains minerality as it travels across rich limestone deposits. The spirit is bottled at 40 % alcohol by volume.

When I tasted the Park Distillery Vodka for the first time, I conducted a side by side tasting with several other locally produced craft vodkas. From that line-up, I chose the two which I felt were the best spirits and decided to write full reviews for them.

This is the review for the Park Distillery Vodka.

Review: Park Distillery Classic Vodka

“… I felt the vodka brought a very light minty aroma into the air which was combined with a sort of lemony scent. There was also light impressions of grain spice.  When sipped the vodka was quite flavourful with mint, grain spice , lemon and a light vegetal flavour …”

Please enjoy my review which includes my cocktail suggestion, the Lemon-Lime Vodka Gimlet.

Chimo!

 

Posted in Vodka, Vodka Reviews | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Park Distillery Classic Vodka

Review: Plantation Jamaica (2002) Vintage Edition

Posted by Arctic Wolf on April 6, 2018

Cognac Ferrand has long had a special relationship with a variety of Caribbean rum producers which is based upon the rum producer’s need for quality oak casks to age their rum. Based upon this relationship, Cognac Ferrand is able to acquire certain old and unique batches of rum from various Caribbean sources, which they bring back to France and finish in their own warehouses and of course their own Cognac Casks.

Plantation Jamaica (2002) Vintage Edition was first aged in bourbon casks in tropical Jamaica after which it was transported to the Chateau de Bonbonnet in France, where it was aged for 3 more years in used 350 litre Pierre Ferrand Cognac casks to enhance the rum before it was bottled as part of Cognac Ferrand’s growing line-up of Vintage Plantation Rums.

Here is a link to my recently published review:

Review: Plantation Jamaica (2002) Vintage Edition

“… When I bring my glass to my nose I notice the characteristic aromatic esters and funk of the Jamaican Pot Still. I decide to wait a few minutes to let the air above the glass settle and then I begin again. The breezes are teaming with scents of butterscotch and peppery baking spices (vanilla, cinnamon, and a touch of nutmeg) …”

Please enjoy my review which now includes a wonderful mixed drink suggestion, 1878 Rum Cocktail.

Chimo!

Posted in Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , | 2 Comments »

Review: J.P. Wiser’s 35 Years Old Canadian Whisky

Posted by Arctic Wolf on April 5, 2018

This past fall, I sampled and reviewed J.P. Wiser’s 35 Year Old Whisky. Unfortunately, within my bottle, I found a light taint of mold which I did not enjoy which I discussed in the review. To the credit of the brand owner, Corby’s, they approached me and wanted to get to the bottom of the problem. I was sent lab samples, a new bottle to replace the bottle which had the moldy taint, and they took back the moldy bottle to examine it in their own lab.

I of course tasted everything they sent me, and when I was a juror for the 2018 Canadian Whisky Awards, I sampled the spirit once again; this time in a blind format. None of my subsequent encounters with the new samples showed me any hint of the mold I had tasted in my original bottle. So after careful consideration, I have decided that my original bottle was a one-off, and a new review for the 35 Year Old Whisky was appropriate.

Here is a link to that new review:

Review: J.P. Wiser’s 35 Years Old Canadian Whisky

” … Initially the breezes above the glass brought me a combination of fine oak spices melded with scents of both corn and rye grain. Then some lovely deep smells of maple began to build with vanilla and lush baking spices (cinnamon, brown sugar, with hints of both nutmeg and cloves.) Nutty almond impressions began to give way to marzipan and alongside were fruity smells of canned apricots and marmalade …”

Please enjoy my review, Chimo!

 

 

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: J.P. Wiser’s 35 Years Old Canadian Whisky

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