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Review: Siempre (Plata) Tequila

Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 14, 2017

Siempre is a new tequila brand owned by Monica Sanita and Alex Lecroix. The spirit they created has been available in the Ontario market for about 6 months and after gaining some recognition they are beginning to expand into Alberta, Quebec, California and Nevada (this coming September).

According to my correspondence with Alex, this is an ultra premium tequila produced in Tequila, Mexico from 100% Blue Weber agave. Interestingly this Plata spirit is a product of both highland agave, and lowland agave (in equal measure). In the production of tequila, highland agave brings strong fruity citrus notes and a little hot pepper into both the delivery and in the finish. Lowland tequila brings firm earthy flavours of the agave fruit into the flavour profile. Siempre Tequila, it would seem, attempts to bring the best of both agave worlds to the tequila aficionado.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Siempre (Plata) Tequila

“… I sense a duality in the glass as the earthy qualities of the lowland agave seems to be roughened by black pepper and hints of orange peel. The breezes above the glass hint at additional impressions grilled pineapple, mushy banana and green pepper corns. As I am enjoying the aroma, I begin to notice light herbal impressions as well, a hint of heather and light green grass and a dab of mint or menthol …”

Please enjoy my review which concludes with my cocktail recommendation, the Toreador.

Chimo!

 

Posted in Blanco Tequila, Tequila, Tequila Review | Tagged: , , , | Comments Off on Review: Siempre (Plata) Tequila

Summer Cocktails No 2: The Gimlet

Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 10, 2017

The Gimlet is perhaps my favourite gin cocktail. This simple serving though, is not without its share of controversy as over time a growing group of ‘cocktail police’ began to insist that the libation must be made in a particular way in order to properly be called a Gimlet. Any other construction they maintained ws not the bar drink which we call the Gimlet.

At the center of this controversy is a lime cordial called Rose’s Lime, which according to those aforementioned ‘protectors of the cocktail’ must be used in the bar drink’s construction rather than sweetened lime juice. I did a bit of research, and discovered that the controversy over the Gimlet stretched back to at least 1953 when a description found in the Raymond Chandler novel, The Long Goodbye, stated:

“a real gimlet is half gin and half Rose’s lime juice and nothing else”

The fact that this statement made it into Chandler’s novel indicates that bartenders of the time were already arguing over the proper form of this simple cocktail, and it very well could be that the popularity of Raymond Chandler as a novelist and screenwriter fueled the belief among those Cocktail Police that this was the only construction that should be considered as proper.

However; If one goes back even further in time (all the way to 1928), we can find a different viewpoint put forward by D.B. Wesson in his book, I’ll never be Cured, where his description of the Gimlet is:

 “gin, a spot of lime, and soda.”

Apparently, in this earlier period, the recipe for the Gimlet was more generic and even included soda as the sweetener. This indicates to me that the narrative put forward by the aforementioned cocktail protectors should be reassessed.

The truth is that we have not found a definitive starting point for the recipe of the Gimlet. It is also true that almost all bar servings evolve over time as better ingredients are discovered, and newer versions of the mixed servings are put forward. Even the word ‘cocktail’ has evolved over time from its beginnings when the term referred to a very specific style of bar drink to the present when it now refers to a large variety of bar drinks.

I say, let’s avoid stagnation and allow evolution to continue!

Here is the Gimlet in it’s most basic form mixed with one of my favorite Dry Gins, No 3 London Dry Gin and fresh Lime Juice:

The Gimlet

2 oz No 3 London Dry Gin
3/4 oz Fresh Lime Juice
1/2 oz Sugar Syrup (1:1 Ratio)
Ice
Lime Slice for garnish

Add the three main ingredients into a metal shaker with ice
Shake until the outside of the shaker begins to frost
Double strain into a Cocktail Glass
Float a Lime Slice on top
Enjoy

If  you are interested in more of my cocktail recipes, please click this link (Cocktails and Recipes) for more of my mixed drink recipes!

You may read my review of No 3 London Dry Gin Gin here: (Review: No 3 London Dry Gin)

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Review: Writers Tears Copper Pot Irish Whiskey

Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 7, 2017

Bernard and Rosemary Walsh began producing their own independent Irish Whiskey brands in 2007 with the introduction of The Irishman 70 (aka The Irishman Original Clan in the USA) and The Irishman – Single Malt. In 2009 they expanded the portfolio with the introduction Writers Tears, a boutique brand which was created to bring additional nuance to the Irish Whiskey Category. Although these brands are distilled and aged by a third-party distillery, Bernard and Rosemary recently opened the Walsh Whiskey Distillery and began to produce their own new-make spirit in 2016.

The subject of this review, Writers Tears Copper Pot Irish Whisky, This Whiskey is a vatting of Single Malt and Single Pot Still whiskeys (60% Pot Still and 40% Single Malt), triple-distilled, and aged in American Oak ex-bourbon casks.

Here is a link to my full Review:

Review: Writers Tears Copper Pot Irish Whiskey

“… I really like the nose which seems very well-balanced with just the right amounts of spice and sweetness. Although the oak and barley-like scents dominate, they do not smother the lighter nuances which continue to wind their way into the breezes above the glass …”

Please enjoy my review which concludes with my latest mixed drink creation, the Munster Cocktail.

Chimo!

Posted in Irish Whskey, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Writers Tears Copper Pot Irish Whiskey

Review: Fonseca Bin No. 27 Finest Reserve

Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 5, 2017

Although Fonseca is well-known to collectors for their outstanding Vintage Port, the flagship of the brand is Bin 27 Finest Reserve. This blend was launched in Britain about 40 years ago at a time when Port wine was evolving from a style of predominantly young immature wines.

The requirement to decant and finish the bottle before oxidation impaired its flavour meant that Vintage Port Wines were not necessarily the best choice for casual consumption. Fonseca developed a new wine the called ‘Vintage Character’ by blending across different vintages achieving a wine which was consistent in style from one bottling to the next. This new wine shared the same character of the popular Fonseca Vintage Ports; however it could be served directly from the bottle with no need to decant or strain the fines from the bottle.

Fonseca decided to call the new blend Bin 27 and within five years of its introduction it was being sold throughout the World (in almost 30 countries). Today the brand is sold as Fonseca Bin No. 27 Finest Reserve.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Fonseca Bin No. 27 Finest Reserve

“… The nose is rich and fruity with aromas of dark BC Cherries, ripe sliced plums, juicy blackberries and dark black currants. There is a spiciness in the breezes which reminds me of raisins, some twig-like tannins and grape skins as well as hints of cocoa which compliment the ripe fruitiness of the wine …”

Please enjoy this long overdue review of another outstanding Port Wine.

Chimo!

Posted in Ruby Port, Wine Reviews - Port | Tagged: , , , | Comments Off on Review: Fonseca Bin No. 27 Finest Reserve

Summer Cocktails #1: Cuba Libre’

Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 3, 2017

This summer I am going to post a mixed drink series featuring some of my favourite Summer Cocktails, and I am going to start with one of my favourites, the Cuba Libre’.

It is generally believed that this rum based drink was first created in Havana, Cuba, in 1900 which makes a lot of sense as it was about the time that Coca Cola (the main mixing ingredient) was introduced upon the island. It is not a stretch to think that very soon after the soda drink was introduced, bartenders and rum enthusiasts, would be mixing rum and the new cola drink together.

As for the name, Cuba Libre’ can be translated to mean ‘Free Cuba’ which is said to refer to Cuba’s freedom from the Spanish Occupation which had been won just two years prior in 1898.

The simple Cuba Libre’ is a mixture of Coca Cola and  Rum with a Squeeze of Lime. For the purposes of this posting I am going to use a new Black Strap Rum sent to me by the folks at the Last Straw Distillery located at 40 Pippin Rd. in Vaughan, Ontario. I will be reviewing this new rum in a few short weeks, but suffice it to say my initial tasting sessions have revealed a rum which although it is not dark, nonetheless contains a wonderful backdrop of black strap molasses flavour which pairs with Cola and Lime wonderfully.

Here is, the Cuba Libre’.

Cuba Libre’
(the classic Rum and Coke recipe)

1 1/2 oz. Last Straw Distillery Black Strap Rum
4 oz Coca Cola
Lime wedge
Ice Cubes

Rub the rim of a standard rocks glass or highball glass with lime
Squeeze the lime over the glass to release some juice into the drink and fill with the glass with ice
Add Rum and fill with Coca Cola
Drop in the lime wedge and stir

As with all of my cocktail suggestions, please enjoy responsibly!

If  you are interested in more of my cocktail recipes, please click this link (Cocktails and Recipes) for more of my mixed drink recipes!

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