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Review: Flor de Caña Centenario 18

Posted by Arctic Wolf on January 7, 2016

fdc-18Flor de Caña has a history of rum production which is dated to 1890 at the San Antonio Sugar Mill, in Chichigalpa, Nicaragua. The company was founded by Francisco Alfredo Pellas and today, over 120 years later, the company is led headed by the fifth generation of the Pellas family. It has grown to be not only one of Central America’s leading brands of rum, it is also one of the most recognized rum brands in the world.

Recently, the entire Flor de Caña line-up has received a make-over with splashy new bottle designs. Part of this redesign was the elimination of a definitive age statement upon the new labels. Correspondence with the company indicates that the Company wanted to modernize the bottle presentation; but they maintain that no changes to the flavour profile of their rums has occurred. Further persistence on my part has revealed however that the age profile of their rums has indeed changed. Coinciding with the bottle modernization was a new blending regimen. In the previous iteration of the Flor de Caña Centenario 18 Year Old Rum, the entire contents of the bottle were stated to be a minimum of 18 years old. The new bottling however, the Flor de Caña Centenario 18 is now blended to an average age of 18 years. It is a subtle, but meaningful difference which strongly implies that the brand is across the board is younger than it was before.

I decided that it would not be a bad idea to investigate the newest iteration, and I shall begin the review with a brand new bottle of Flor de Caña Centenario 18.

Here is a link to my first new Rum Review of 2016:

Review: Flor de Caña Centenario 18

“… This is a clean dry rum displaying a strong fine oak spice personality. This spicy personality is tempered slightly with mild indications of butterscotch accenting the oak spice. There is a lightly bitter flavour of poplar sap and tobacco keeping the mouth dry and heated. As I let the rum breathe the butterscotch sweetness grows slightly in intensity providing a nice foil for the dry spicy bitterness. I can taste a ribbon of orange peel and vanilla and a growing impression of marzipan …”

Please enjoy my review!

Posted in Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , | 6 Comments »

Cocktail Hour: The Winter Cocktail

Posted by Arctic Wolf on January 6, 2016

Well aged rums (and whiskies) can and should be sipped neat or on the rocks with ice. Having said that, there is no reason not to enjoy such spirits in wonderful cocktails as well. Aged spirits add a wonderful depth of character to our cocktail experience which cannot be denied. For best results, always use fresh ingredients and when mixing different spirits do your best to select spirits of similar quality.

Here is a yummy Winter Cocktail I constructed with the Flor de Caña Centenario 18 Rum in mind.

Winter CocktailWinter Cocktail

1 3/4 oz Flor de Caña Centenario 18 Rum
1/8 oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Orange Curacao
1/8 oz Lime Juice
1/16 oz of sugar syrup (1:1 ratio)
3 drops of Bitters (Fees Cocktail Bitters)
ice
coil of orange peel

Fill a metal shaker 1/3 full of ice
Add all of the ingredients into the cocktail shaker
Shake and strain into a small rocks glass
Add a lump of ice and a coil of orange peel

Enjoy Responsibly!

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

(Note: My review for the new non age stated (NAS) Flor de Caña Centenario 18 Rum will publish in just a few short days.)

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Cocktail Hour: The Winter Cocktail

2016 Edmonton Whisky Festival

Posted by Arctic Wolf on January 5, 2016

Edmonton Whisky Festival2016 Edmonton Whisky Festival

(In Support of the MS Society)

Once again the folks at Vines Riverbend Wine Merchants have teamed up with the Alberta Division of the MS Society to bring you Edmonton’s Premier Whisky Festival. This is a unique chance to taste whiskies from around the world and to meet and discuss the noble spirit with industry and distillery representatives. Monies raised at the event will help those affected by MS in our community, as well as help to fund research towards a cure.

Where: Edmonton Delta South Hotel

When: Wednesday, January 13, 2016 (7:00 – 10:00pm)

Ticket Price: $85.00 each (purchase online here)

The 2016 Edmonton Whisky Festival is a must for any whisky enthusiast and for those new to the exciting world of whisky. The price of your ticket includes entrance, whisky sampling, and the annual commemorative Edmonton Whisky Festival Glencairn Whisky Glass (see photo).

Please attend and enjoy yourself chatting in a relaxed atmosphere with whisky and scotch principals and enthusiasts from across Canada and around the world (The Rum Howler will be their too).

Master Classes

The always popular whisky Master Classes are brought to you by some of the whisky world’s most prominent luminaries. They begin at 6:30pm (and cost an additional $25 on top of your Festival ticket cost).

The lineup includes:

The Bourbon Masterclass with ‘Whisky Chef’ Matt Jones
The Adelphi Masterclass with Alex Bruce
The Bruichladdich Masterclass with Reed Pettit
The Springbank Masterclass with Ronald Watson

All proceeds raised at this event are donated to the MS Society of Canada – Alberta Division.

For more information please contact:

Vines – Riverbend Wine Merchants (Edmonton)
Telephone: 434-9444
Email: info@vineswinemerchants.com

or visit the Edmonton Whisky Festival Website

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Tickets are now available from Vines or through the event website: (purchase online here)

Posted in Extras, Festivals, Festivals and Events | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on 2016 Edmonton Whisky Festival

Review: Forty Creek Three Grain Harmony

Posted by Arctic Wolf on January 3, 2016

Forty Creek WhiskyFC Three grain Harmony has for the last number of years produced a special limited release whisky and allowed the public to participate in the release by offering to let you choose your own numbered bottle. As well you can have your bottle signed by their own Master Distiller and Whisky Maker, John Hall, when you arrive to pick up your pre-ordered bottles. These special release whiskies are built upon the foundation of the company’s flagship whisky, Forty Creek Barrel Select, and are basically versions of this whisky which have undergone some special aging or finishing technique which would bring a new character to the Forty creek Whisky.

Forty Creek Three Grain Harmony was the 2015 release made available last fall in Ontario and in other select Canadian Markets.

Here is a link to my review:

Review: Forty Creek Three Grain Harmony

“… The initial nose is rich with rich butterscotch and toffee and moderately spicy oak and tree sap.  As the glass sits two notes capture my attention, one which appeals to me strongly, a rich spicy rye note full of ginger and fresh grain, and one note which seems discordant, a sour dank fruit-filled note of fermented apricot and sour mash …”

Please enjoy my first review of 2016.

Chimo!

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Forty Creek Three Grain Harmony

Cocktail Hour: The Ruby Manhattan

Posted by Arctic Wolf on January 2, 2016

Everybody who regularly follows my reviews knows that I love to make cocktails. I am by no means a proficient at this craft, but I keep trying nonetheless. Recently, when I was tasting John Hall’s new Forty Creek Three Grain Harmony, I seemed to find light flavours of red licorice and hints of fermented red wine in the flavour profile of the whisky which made me think that a Manhattan Cocktail might be a suitable cocktail choice for this spirit.

One of the ingredients for the Manhattan, Sweet Vermouth, is tricky for the home bartender as it tend to become rather nasty soon after the bottle has been opened. For this reason I like to switch out the Vermouth and instead use Ruby Port which has a longer shelf life, and which I also can enjoy on its own. With the substitution the Classic Manhattan becomes an equally wonderful bar drink called the Ruby Manhattan. It is simple to make and with John Hall’s new Forty Creek Three Grain Harmony, it is downright tasty!

Winter ManhattanRuby Manhattan

2 oz Forty Creek Three Grain Harmony
3/4 oz Offley Ruby Port Wine
Dash of Angostura Bitters (optional)
3 Large Ice cubes
Brandied Cherry (See recipe here)
Twist of Orange Peel

Add the whisky, the Port Wine, and the optional bitters with 3 large ice cubes in a Martini Shaker.
Shake vigorously to chill the mixture.
Add a brandied cherry to your chilled glass.
Strain the mixed ingredients over the cherry but do not add the ice.
Rub the cut edge of the orange peel over the rim of the glass and twist it over the drink. (This will release the oil from the orange zest into the drink) Discard the peel.

Garnish with orange peel if preferred.

Enjoy Responsibly!

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

Note: My review for Forty Creek Three Grain Harmony will be published tomorrow.

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Cocktail Hour: The Ruby Manhattan

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