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

    • 15,541,610 pageviews since inception

  • Archives

  • Follow The Rum Howler Blog on WordPress.com

Author Archive

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »

Revisiting: Appleton Estate VX Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 14, 2011

Appleton Estate VX Rum is the entry-level rum in the Appleton Estate family of rums.  It is a blend of up to fifteen Jamaican rums of various styles which have been aged in hand crafted oak.

I was afforded a chance to revisit Appleton Vx recently when the media company representing the brand sent me a bottle. Although I have already reviewed the rum, the company felt I should have some handy to use as a resource for my cocktail explorations.  Of course, the first thing I did when I opened my bottle was to sample a bit while I read my original review.

Here is an excerpt from that review:

” The rum displays an amber colour with orange flashes.  Surprisingly (to me) the rum when swirled left nice long skinny legs in my glass indicating a buttery oil present.  The aroma is very spicy, and full of oak tannin.  I smell a firm and distinct orange peel, and light brown sugar and molasses rising in the tangy oak spice….”

The rum of course has not changed and you may read the entire review here:

Review: Appleton Estate VX Rum

I was supposed to be using the rum for cocktails, and so the next thing I did was to make the original cocktail that I designed for the Appleton Vx called, the Traveller.  One Traveller led to another, and the 200 ml sample I was sent disappeared pretty quickly. Fortunately I have my own 750 ml bottle that will allow me to keep ‘travelling’ with my Appleton VX.

Here is a Link to that nice cocktail and a few nice variations:

The Traveller Cocktail

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , | 4 Comments »

Review: Zubrowka (Bison Grass) Vodka

Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 13, 2011

Zubrowka or ‘Bison Grass’ Vodka is an original Polish Vodka distilled at the Polmos Bialystok Distillery located 200 km northeast of Warsaw. In this region of the world, Vodka(or at least a spirit similar to Vodka) has been flavoured with Bison Grass for over 600 years. The Bison grass (Hierochloe odorata or Herchloe Australis) grows in the Białowieża Forest (which lies in Northern Poland and Belarus), although distinct varieties of this herbal grass grow in other locations as well including North America where the plant has been known as ‘Sweetgrass’ or ‘Holy Grass’.

I should mention that received a bottle of Zubrowka Vodka from Ashley Calapatia, who is with the PR agency representing Zubrowka Vodka in Canada. I was requested to provide a review of the spirit here on my website, and here is an excerpt from that review:

“… The vodka carries a light herbal aroma in the glass but identification of any particular scent was remarkably difficult. Descriptors like vanilla, sage, thyme, rosemary and cinnamon were tossed back and forth amongst us, but I think it is somewhat safer to say we discerned a lightly pungent herbal quality on both the nose and the palate that was quite different from what any of us had encountered before….”

My full review may be read here:

Review: Zubrowka (Bison Grass) Vodka

Cheers!!

Posted in Flavoured Vodka, Vodka, Vodka Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Zubrowka (Bison Grass) Vodka

Talk and Drink Like a Pirate!

Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 12, 2011

Ron Sherbrooke’s International DRINK LIKE A PIRATE Rum Festival 2011

When:  September 19, 2011  6:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Where:  Citadel – Tucker Amphitheatre


Address:   (Google Map)

9828 101 A Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T5J 3C6

Phone:  780-425-1820

__________________________________________________________________________________________

In support of:

YESS

(Youth Emergency Shelter Society)

Posted in Festivals and Events, Fund Raisers, Rum | Tagged: , , | Comments Off on Talk and Drink Like a Pirate!

Review: Forty Creek Double Barrel Reserve Whisky (Lot 240)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 11, 2011

Today I am continuing a series of Forty Creek Whisky reviews with the Forty Creek Double Barrel Reserve Whisky. This whisky was introduced in the fall of 2008. As a collector, I purchased and saved a few bottles from the first release, and now I have selected one of those first bottles to review.  This bottle is identified on the label as Bottle number 0043 from Lot 240.  Although this review is from my whisky collection,  I would like to thank Dave Gordon, the Regional Manager of Shiralli Agencies, who has provided me with a bottle from the current release (Lot 245) and I will be reviewing that bottle in the coming weeks.

Here is an excerpt from my review from Bottle number 0043 from Lot 240, of Forty Creek Double Barrel Reserve Whisky:

“…When I brought the glass to my nose I received a light indication of rye spices gently being lifted out of the glass. This was quickly followed by an updraft of caramel corn and honeycomb. The whisky also brings forward strong dry woody notes (oak and cedar) and a touch of sweet maple….”

Here is a link to the full review:

Review: Forty Creek Double Barrel Reserve Whisky (Lot 240)

Cheers!

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Cocktails & Recipes, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Forty Creek Double Barrel Reserve Whisky (Lot 240)

Review: Kōloa Kaua`i Spice Hawaiian Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 8, 2011

Nestled on the Island of Kaua`i, the Kōloa Rum Company is making history. It started ten years ago when the company was first incorporated. A seven-year struggle through red tape and government bureaucracy ensued before the necessary permits and licenses were granted, and finally on April 1, 2009, the Kōloa Rum Company obtained a license to distill their rum. The first legally distilled rum in the Island’s history.

I have previous reviewed the Kōloa Kaua`i White Hawaiian Rum, the Kōloa Kaua`i Gold Hawaiian Rum, and the Kōloa Kaua`i Dark Hawaiian Rum. In each case I have marveled that such a young company was able to produce rums of such quality. Early this summer the Kōloa Rum Company sent me a sample of their new spice rum and that rum is the subject of this review.

Here is an excerpt:

“… the initial nose is very pleasant with that sweet caramelized sugar rising into the air with a variety of spices. Vanilla and nutmeg seem prevalent, and I detect cinnamon and cloves in the air as well. Other spices are indistinct but I seem to sense allspice, and orange peel in the breezes as well…”

And here is a link to the full review:

Review: Kōloa Kaua`i Spice Hawaiian Rum

I have included a nice recipe which combines pineapple and raspberry with the spice rum and I call it, The Raspberry Smooch.

Please enjoy the review and the cocktail provided!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Flavouerd Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Kōloa Kaua`i Spice Hawaiian Rum

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »