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Archive for July, 2018

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Review: CAMUS VSOP Elegance

Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 22, 2018

CAMUS VS Elegance is the introductory spirit of the CAMUS Range. Its construction begins with a selection of eaux-de-vie made from wines distilled without lees. Of particular note on the CAMUS website is a reference to the aromas of the wine and the flavors of the Charente terroir, characterized by delicate fruity and floral notes which are particularly important for the CAMUS VS Elegance blend.

The ages of the varies blended Cognac in the VS Elegance must be (by law) a minimum of two years of age, although to maintain a consistent flavour profile from year to year, it would not be unusual for some of the specific Cognac in the blend to be aged longer.

Here is a link to my review:

Review: CAMUS VS Elegance

“… The merry little breezes above the glass bring a very nicely fruited mixture of green grape and apricot brandy into the air which are both melded nicely into rising scents of fine oak spice and light butterscotch. There is a gentle floral sweetness in the breezes represented by indications of rose petals, garden lilies and lightly perfumed iris …”

Please Enjoy the review which includes my recommended serving, the Presbyterian Cocktail.

Chimo!

 

Posted in Brandy and Cognac Reviews, Cognac Review | Tagged: , , , | Comments Off on Review: CAMUS VSOP Elegance

Review: The Glenlivet 15 Year Old (French Oak Reserve)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 19, 2018

The Glenlivet Distillery is located near Ballindalloch in Moray, Scotland. The Distillery was founded in 1824. It remained open during the first World War as well as and through the Great Depression with its only during World War II. The Glenlivet brand is owned by the French conglomerate Pernod Ricard, and has grown to be largest selling single malt whisky in North America and the second largest selling single malt whisky globally.

According to the Glenlivet website:

The 15 Year Old gets its distinctive rich and exotic character from a process of selective maturation in which a proportion of the spirit is matured in French oak casks. In fact, we at The Glenlivet were one of the first to use French oak for making whisky, a technique that has since been imitated the world over.

The Limousin oak we use is cut in France’s Dordogne region, where it’s often used to mature cognacs. Its low density allows whisky to sink deep into the wood, and we carefully control how long the whisky matures in the casks so as not to overpower the desired result: a unique, pleasing spiciness.

Here is a link to my review:

Review: The Glenlivet 15 Year Old (French Oak Reserve)

” … The whisky is much better than the flavour descriptors indicate. The flavours develop over time making this a whisky I would allow to sit for ten or fifteen minutes to maximize my enjoyment …”

Please enjoy my review which conclude with my recommended serving, an Old Fashioned with Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters.

Posted in Scotch Whisky, Single Malt Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisky Review | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: The Glenlivet 15 Year Old (French Oak Reserve)

FIRE AT LONG POND DISTILLERY IN JAMAICA

Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 17, 2018

FIRE AT LONG POND DISTILLERY IN JAMAICA – BUT HISTORIC DISTILLERY IS STILL STANDING.

The entire team of Long Pond and National Rums of Jamaica is relieved to announce that nobody was harmed in the fire at Long Pond Distillery in Jamaica and that damages only occurred to production materials and buildings.

As of this morning, July 17, the fire is contained, except for the Bagasse dump at the Sugar Factory which is still under fire at this point. Firefighters are working to bring it under control.

The distillery itself including the stills have not been affected. The fire started in cane fields near the Long Pond distillery, midday on July 16. It quickly spread touching some part of the fermentation room and the fresh rum stocks (approximately 65,000 liters have been destroyed). As we don’t store or age rum at Long Pond Distillery, the aged rum stock was not affected. We are currently assessing the full extent of the damages.

The entire team of Long Pond and National Rums of Jamaica are working actively toward getting our stills back to normal production schedule.

 “In the middle of this difficulty, I know I can count on my team as well as our owners, the Jamaican Government, Maison Ferrand and Demerara Distillers Ltd. We are all committed for Long Pond to distill again this one of a kind rum as soon as possible” says Winston Harrison, CEO of National Rums of Jamaica.

(LONG POND DISTILLERY July 17th, 2018)

 

 

Posted in Extras, Howls | Tagged: , , , | Comments Off on FIRE AT LONG POND DISTILLERY IN JAMAICA

Review: El Jimador Silver Tequila

Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 16, 2018

El Jimador Tequila is owned by Brown-Froman. The Brand is produced thirty miles from Guadalajara, in the state of Jalisco, in the town of Amatitan, at Brown – Forman Tequila Distillery Mexico, S. de R.L. de C.V. which is also referred to as Hacienda Herradura. The Hacienda also produces the more premium Herradura brand as well as Suave 35 and Antiguo. The Jimador tequila is named to pay homage to the jimadors who harvest agave. After it is harvested, the agave is cooked in clay ovens. The juice is extracted after cooking using steel bladed shredders after which it is distilled on old copper pot stills.

Because Hacienda Herradura is located in the Central Lowlands of Jalisco rather than in the Highlands we can expect a more earthy style of tequila than which would be produced in the Highlands where the agave tends to produce a spirit with higher citrus notes and a sharper squeal of peppery spice.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: El Jimador Silver Tequila

“… The breezes above the glass brought me nice citrus notes (lime in particular) which were joined by an earthy agave scent which seemed to hint at boiled celery and baked squash (maybe some grilled pineapple as well) …”

Please enjoy my review which features a cocktail I have not shared previously, the Juan Collins.

Chimo!

Posted in Blanco Tequila, Tequila, Tequila Review | Tagged: , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Review: J.P. Wiser’s Union 52 Canadian Whisky

Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 15, 2018

And now for something different ….

J.P. Wiser’s Union 52 Canadian Whisky is a blend of mature 16-year-old Canadian whiskies with an extremely old single malt whisky that was distilled in the Highlands of Scotland. (Eighteen barrels of this whisky had been stored and aged at one of the J.P. Wiser’s warehouses in Canada since 1964. Apparently, if you go poking around in the aging warehouses in Canada, you can find all manner of strange spirits lurking around.)

You are probably wondering how in the world they can call this Canadian Whisky when spirit originally distilled in Scotland is part of the blend. This has to do of course with the latitude that Canadian Whisky producers are given. In Canada up to 9% (actually 9.09%) of the volume may be other aged spirit or wine which can used to augment the whisky’s flavour.

Although the majority of Canadian Whisky is made with 100 % Canadian Spirit, the use of the use of a Scottish spirit to augment flavour is well within the Canadian guidelines for making whisky. And it is a practice which allows tremendous freedom for the master blender to experiment, as J.P. Wiser’s Master Blender obviously has.

Here is a link to my full Review:

Review: J.P. Wiser’s Union 52 Canadian Whisky

The dominant flavours of the whisky are oak, vanilla, caramel, baking spices (cloves and cinnamon) and dark fruit (dates and figs) with hints of peat. I also taste black licorice, toasted walnut, and an herbal component which brings forward green sawgrass, willow and hints of menthol.

Please enjoy the review of this unusual Canadian Whisky!

Chimo!

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisky Review | Tagged: , , , | Comments Off on Review: J.P. Wiser’s Union 52 Canadian Whisky

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