The Rum Howler Blog

(A Website for Spirited Reviews)

  • Copyright

    Copyright is inherent when an original work is created. This means that the producer of original work is automatically granted copyright protection. This copyright protection not only exists in North America, but extends to other countries as well. Thus, all of the work produced on this blog is protected by copyright, including all of the pictures and all of the articles. These original works may not be copied or reused in any way whatsoever without the permission of the author, Chip Dykstra.

  • Cocktails and Recipes

    Click Image for Awesome Recipes

  • Industry Interviews

    Interviews

    Click the Image for Great Interviews with the Movers of Industry

  • The Rum Howler Interview (Good Food Revolution)

    Click on the Image to see my interview on Good Food Revolution

  • The Rum Howler Blog

    Unknown's avatar

  • Rum Reviews

  • Whisky Reviews

  • Gin Reviews

  • Tequila Reviews

  • Vodka Reviews

  • Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

    Join 1,092 other subscribers

  • Subscribe

  • Visitors

    • 15,537,069 pageviews since inception

  • Archives

  • Follow The Rum Howler Blog on WordPress.com

Author Archive

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »

Review: Herradura Reposado Tequila

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 4, 2012

Thirty miles from Guadalajara, in the state of Jalisco, in the town of Amatitan, is where the Herradura LDN can be found. Herradura LDN makes a true 100% Weber Blue agave tequila. The agave is cooked in old stone ovens, and distilled on old copper pot stills.

Herradura Reposado tequila has won numerous awards and accolades for the Herradura company. As well, Herradura LDN is credited on more than one website as pioneering the movement towards aging tequila in oak and making Reposado and Anejo Tequila. Reposado means rested, and literally the implication is that this style of tequila ‘rests’ in oak. By law reposado tequila must spend more than two months and less than one year in oak to be considered  “Reposado”.  The Herradura Reposado rests in oak for eleven months.

I first reviewed the Herradura Reposado on my website in January of 2010. Recently I received a new bottle, and this past weekend I put it through the paces of my review system and revised my original review. Here is an excerpt from that review:

“… Once we pour the Herradura Reposado our nose is immediately greeted with an intense, earthy, agave scent. Getting past the intensity of that earthy agave is difficult, but letting the glass rest for a few moments allows us to catch sweeter tones of caramel and to a lesser extent vanilla. The spiciness of red chili peppers and a hint of citrus complete the nose …”

My complete review is available here:

Review: Herradura Reposado Tequila

As well I have included a classic Tequila recipe, the Toreador.

Please enjoy the review and the classic cocktail….

Cheers!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Reposado Tequila, Tequila, Tequila Review | Tagged: , , , | Comments Off on Review: Herradura Reposado Tequila

Review: London Dock Rum (Favell’s 100 Proof)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 3, 2012

 

Favell’s London Dock Rum is (according to the label anyways) blended and bottled in Canada for White Favell (Vinters). The Canadian agency responsible for blending and bottling this rum is the Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation (NLC).

The label tells us that London Dock is a Demerara Rum produced in Guyana; therefore I can deduce that the rum was distilled on the East Bank of the Demerara River at the facilities of Demerara Distillers Ltd. (DDL).  (This information was confirmed to me by both the NLC and Demerara Distillers.) It is apparently produced from original marques of rum which in the past would have been shipped to England to mature in the London Docks, hence the name London Dock Rum. Of course, the rum no longer travels to England to mature, rather it travels from Demerara County in Guyana in bulk to St. John’s Newfoundland to be blended bottled by the NLC. London Dock is an old style Demerara rum, with strong flavours of molasses and treacle.

(I was given a sample bottle by the NLC for the purpose of a review here on my website.)

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“… The Rum has a strong aromas of molasses and burnt caramel. There is also a bit of astringency rising into the air which is not unexpected from a young overproof rum. I say young because I detect only a light  ‘woodiness’ rising from the glass. Other scents drift up from the glass into the breezes, in particular I notice a bit of orange marmalade and banana peel …”

You may read the full review here:

Review: London Dock Rum (Favell’s 100 Proof)

As well please enjoy my suggested cocktail, the Cosmopolitan Rum Swizzle!

Cheers!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Dark Rums, Overproof Rum, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: London Dock Rum (Favell’s 100 Proof)

Review: London Dock Rum (Favell’s 70 Proof)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 3, 2012

Favell’s London Dock Rum is (according to the label anyways) is blended and bottled in Canada for White Favell (Vinters). The Canadian agency responsible for blending and bottling this rum is the Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation (NLC).

The label tells us that London Dock is a Demerara Rum produced in Guyana; therefore I can deduce that the rum was distilled on the East Bank of the Demerara River at the facilities of Demerara Distillers Ltd. (DDL).  (This information was confirmed to me by both the NLC and Demerara Distillers.) It is apparently produced from original marques of rum which in the past would have been shipped to England to mature in the London Docks, hence the name London Dock Rum. Of course, the rum no longer travels to England to mature, rather it travels from Demerara County in Guyana in bulk to St. John’s Newfoundland to be blended bottled by the NLC. London Dock is an old style Demerara rum, with strong flavours of molasses and treacle.

(I was given a sample bottle by the NLC for the purpose of a review here on my website.)

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“… The London Dock Rum has a strong aroma of molasses and burnt caramel, and there is only a light essence of ‘woodiness’ rising from the glass. (My general impression from the aroma is that the rum has been aged somewhere in the range of two years or so.) Other smells drift up from the glass, a bit of orange and banana peel, some indications of vanilla and some  medium sweet baking spices …”

You may read my full review here:

Review: London Dock Rum (Favell’s 70 Proof)

Included with the review are two cocktail suggestions for this rum, the Mandeville, and Baron Bliss.

Please enjoy the review and the cocktails suggestions that follow, Cheers!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: London Dock Rum (Favell’s 70 Proof)

Review: Auchentoshan Three Wood Single Malt Whisky

Posted by Arctic Wolf on May 31, 2012

The Auchentoshan Distillery is somewhat of an anomaly amongst Scottish Distillers. It is the only Scottish Distillery that triple distills their entire core range of whisky. Triple distillation is common amongst Irish distillers, but very uncommon for a distillery producing Single Malt Whisky. The result of the triple distillation is a more laid back easy-going style of whisky which perhaps carries more floral elements, but which also may be a little less robust in character than traditional single malts.

The Auchentoshan Three Wood Single Malt Whisky is a recent addition to that core range of Auchentoshan Single Malts. It is (of course) a triple distilled whisky which has been matured in three different styles of Oak. These are in order: American Bourbon, Spanish Oloroso Sherry, and Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks. This unique aging process leads to a complex whisky with flavours from each style of oak imprinted upon the whisky. I recently received a sample bottle of the Auchentoshan Three Wood from the Regional Manager of Shiralli Agencies who are the local importer and distributor of Morrison Bowmore products. (The Auchentoshan Distillery and its brands are owned by Morrison Bowmore.)

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“…  The whisky is rich with the aroma of oak which has firm stains of the sherry cask  influence (dates, raisins and prunes), as well as some sweet toffee (brown sugar, vanilla and butterscotch) overtones. As the glass breathes, I sense a bit of a woodland aroma with scents of  elderberry and willow thicket rising into the breezes with perhaps a bit of heather as well. Fruity tones are growing which remind me of blackberries and saskatoons …”

You may read the full review here:

Review: Auchentoshan Three Wood Single Malt Whisky

Please enjoy the review as well as my new cocktail suggestion, The Autocrat Cocktail.

Cheers!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Scotch Whisky, Single Malt Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Auchentoshan Three Wood Single Malt Whisky

Review: Cruz del sol Reposado Tequila

Posted by Arctic Wolf on May 29, 2012

According to the website information, Cruz Tequila contains no chemicals, additives or flavorings. It is produced from pure 100% blue agave grown in the Mexican State of Jalisco. After harvesting this agave, it is steamed in traditional hornos (or brick ovens) for two days. The cooked agave is then allowed to cool after which the juice is extracted and then fermented. The Cruz Del Sol Reposado is double distilled and aged in oak barrels for five months. All of the Cruz Tequila is packaged and bottled using recycled materials. This includes the blown glass bottles and the aluminum caps as well as the aluminum cross on the front label.

This product is being brought into my home market of Alberta by local the Importer PB Beverages who arranged for me to receive a sample bottle to review here on my website.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“… The initial aroma from the glass is lightly sweet with the mild punky aroma of agave combining well with the muted scent of white pepper. There is a mild vanilla which rises into the air above the glass, and a mellow fruity citrus scent which winds through the breezes… “

You may read the full review here:

Review: Cruz del sol Reposado Tequila

As well I have constructed a nice new recipe I recommend for this spirit called, The Lonely Silver Rain.

Please enjoy the cocktail and the review.

Cheers!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Reposado Tequila, Tequila, Tequila Review | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Cruz del sol Reposado Tequila

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »