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Review: Magic Moment Remix Lemon Flavoured Vodka

Posted by Arctic Wolf on October 18, 2012

This is my fifth review of the new Magic Moments Remix flavours from Radico Khaitan Ltd. (Radio Cask) who is one of India’s oldest and largest liquor manufacturers. (Radico Khaitan was formerly known as the Rampur Distillery which was established in 1943.)  The Magic Moments brand was launched in Canada this year and the Company has also introduced 6 vodka flavors or ‘remixes’, each bottled at 37.5 % alcohol by volume. These remix flavours are, Green Apple, Lemon, Orange, Chocolate, Raspberry, and Lemongrass and Ginger. These flavoured Vodkas have been well received in other parts of the world and if you have been reading my previous reviews you will know that I have been impressed by their quality as well.

AA Impex Ltd. (here is a link to the Magic Moments North America Website) has recently began to distribute the Vodka and the Remix flavours across Canada. As part of their media campaign I was sent samples of each spirit and my reviews have roughly coincided with the launching of the brand.

Here is an excerpt from the latest review, the Magic Moments Remix Lemon Flavoured Vodka:

“… Sipping on the spirit is very pleasant. The lemon flavour is lightly sweet and not aggressive at all. The palate is heated by grain spices in a pleasant way, and the overall effect of the spice and the lemon reminds me of lemon drop candies; (although not a s sharp nor as sweet as those candies can be)…. “

Here is a link to the full review which contains two excellent recipes, Pleasantville, and the Lemon Sky Soldier.

Review: Magic Moment Remix Lemon Flavoured Vodka

Please enjoy the review!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Flavoured Vodka, Vodka, Vodka Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Magic Moment Remix Lemon Flavoured Vodka

Review: anCnoc 12 Year old Single Malt Whisky

Posted by Arctic Wolf on October 16, 2012

Inver House Distillers own five Scottish distilleries, Pulteney, Balblair, Knockdhu, Speyburn, and Balmenach. The company produces a diverse portfolio of brands which includes not only Scotch Whisky (Single Malt, Blended Malt, and Blended), but also Vodka, Gin, liqueurs, and premixes. The subject of this review, the anCnoc 12 Year is a Single Malt Whisky produced at the Knockdhu Distillery (which is located under the dark ‘Knock Hill’, known to the local villagers by its Gaelic name of ‘Cnoc Dubh’). Production of anCnoc began at the Distillery in 1894 following the discovery of several springs of clear water on the southern slopes of the aforementioned Knock Hill.

The  anCnoc whisky is produced on the distillery’s original style copper pot stills and worms (which condense the vapourized alcohol), and it has been produced that way for over 100 years. The resulting whisky is aged in American oak and Spanish oak barrels (which were previously used to age either bourbon or sherry). These casks are stored in dunnage warehouses where the thick granite walls ensure a stable ambient temperature which results in a consistent (or predictable) aging regimen.

I was sent a sample of the anCnoc 12 Year Old Single Malt Whisky by Woodman Wine and Spirits, who are the Ontario distributors for the anCnoc brand. The Whisky has recently been released in Ontario, Canada and is available through the Whisky Shop at the LCBO.

Here is an excerpt from the review:

“…There is so much going on that it is hard to start. Smells of sweet lowland grasses, willow thicket, and almost ripe barley are I guess, as good of a place to begin as any other. Wondering in and out of the breezes above the glass are scents of fresh honey, tart green apples, and lemongrass as well…”

Here is a link to my Review:

Review: anCnoc 12 Year old Single Malt Whisky

Please enjoy the review of this remarkable whisky!

Posted in Scotch Whisky, Single Malt Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: anCnoc 12 Year old Single Malt Whisky

Review: Potter’s Superior White Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on October 14, 2012

According to Highwood DistillersPotter’s Superior White Rum is sourced in the Caribbean. They do not specify a country of origin (which may mean that the rum is sourced from more than one location), and they do not make any age claim. However, I have been told that the rum in the bottle is not an infant spirit, and I can verify that based upon Canadian Law all rum in Canada must be aged for at least one year in the oak barrel. And according to my understanding, all the rum used in the Potter’s blend has been aged for at least a year its the country of origin. As well, some of the rum is also additionally aged in oak barrels at the Highwood facility in High River, Alberta. The blend is charcoal filtered to be clear, and then is bottled at 40 % alcohol by volume.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“… The rum in the glass is crystal clear with no hints of colour at all. It displays a bit of a candied flair when I bring it to my nose, with scents reminiscent of cotton candy and ever so light hints of candy cane. There are very light notes of caramel and brown sugar, banana, and citrus zest and maybe even a little fresh from the oven meringue… “

Here is a link to the full review:

Review: Potter’s Superior White Rum

I provided two nice recipes at the end of the review, Rum and Tonic, and Red Sky at Night.

Please enjoy the review and the delicious cocktails!

Cheers!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Rum, Rum Reviews, White Rums | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Potter’s Superior White Rum

Review: Magic Moments Remix Orange Flavoured Vodka

Posted by Arctic Wolf on October 11, 2012

This is my fourth review of the new Magic Moments Remix flavours from Radico Khaitan Ltd. (Radio Cask) who is one of India’s oldest and largest liquor manufacturers. (Radico Khaitan was formerly known as the Rampur Distillery which was established in 1943.)  The Magic Moments brand was launched in Canada this year and the Company has also 6 new vodka flavors or ‘remixes’, each bottled at 37.5 % alcohol by volume. These remix flavours are, Green Apple, Lemon, Orange, Chocolate, Raspberry, and Lemongrass and Ginger. These flavoured Vodkas have been well received in other parts of the world  as all of these remix flavours have been recent award winners at the International Spirits Challenge and Monde Selection Award 2011.

AA Impex Ltd. has recently began to import the Magic Moments Vodka and the Remixes from India into Canada. They sent me samples of each spirit such that they could be reviewed here on my website.  (Here is a link to the Magic Moments North America Website.)

Here is an excerpt from my review for the Magic Moments Remix Orange Flavoured Vodka.

“… The Orange Remix displays a nice mellow aroma of orange candy drops which smells very pleasant in the glass. It is a light aroma with mild accents of spiciness (and perhaps just a touch of mint rising into the breezes as well). I compared the aroma to Triple Sec afterwards, and found the Magic Moments to be far less penetrating and more subdued. So far this flavoured spirit appears to be very approachable… “

Here is a link to the full review:

Review: Magic Moments Remix Orange Flavoured Vodka

I included a nice cocktail at the end of the review, the The Orange Blossom Breeze.

Please enjoy my review, and the delicious cocktail which concludes the review.

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Flavoured Vodka, Vodka, Vodka Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Magic Moments Remix Orange Flavoured Vodka

Review: Writers Tears Pot Still Irish Whiskey

Posted by Arctic Wolf on October 9, 2012

Pure Pot Still Irish Whiskey is traditionally made from a mash comprised of both malted and unmalted barley which is distilled in a pot still. This style of whiskey was apparently produced as a reaction to British taxes on malted whiskey which were introduced in 1802. To reduce the taxable amount on their whisky, Irish distillers began to add more unmalted barley into the distillation. The result was what we have come to know as Irish Pure Pot Still Whisky.

Writers Tears Pot Still Irish Whisky contains both Single Malt Whiskey and the aforementioned Pure Pot Still Whiskey in its construction. As is the tradition in Ireland, the whiskey is triple distilled and matured in American Oak (bourbon) barrels. I was sent a bottle of the Writers Tears to review here on my website and asked to coordinate the publication of the review to coincide roughly with the reintroduction of the whiskey to the Ontario market (on October 14) after an absence of about one year from the store shelves.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“… The initial aroma from the glass has a bit of a bourbon flair complemented by honeyed butterscotch, punky Halloween toffee, oak spices, and obvious taints of vanilla and almond. There is a bit of citrus orange peel in the air and an underlying herbal element which to me has a resemblance to freshly cut lowland hay, willow thickets, and those lush ferns that grow near wetlands… “

You may read my full review here:

Review: Writers Tears Pot Still Irish Whiskey

Please enjoy the review!

Posted in Irish Whskey, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , | 2 Comments »