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

    • 15,522,947 pageviews since inception

  • Archives

  • Follow The Rum Howler Blog on WordPress.com

Archive for the ‘Cocktails & Recipes’ Category

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »

Review: Lemon Hart Demerara 151 Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on October 9, 2013

LemonHart_BottleRendering750_NEWYesterday, I learned that I was to receive a few new samples from Mosaiq (the brand owners of Lemon Hart Rum). These samples will represent new extensions of the Lemon Hart line-up. Many of you know that Lemon Hart has introduced a spiced rum, Lemon Hart Spiced, (one which I had a small role in helping to develop); however, I suspect that not many persons know of the new Lemon Hart Original One Hundred, British Proof Reserve which is soon to land in the North American travel (duty free) market.

As a warm-up to my reviews of the new Lemon Hart Rums, I thought it would be a nice idea to republish my review for the iconic Lemon Hart 151, which I reviewed two years ago. I have not changed anything except to add a brief history of the brand at the beginning of the review.

You may read the fully revised review by clicking on the following excerpt:

Review: Lemon Hart Demerara 151 Rum

“… The rum is bottled at 75.5 % alcohol by volume, and the evaporating alcohol gives everything a big push into the air causing this astringency. I can smell molasses and rummy burnt caramel which seems to come in waves at me. Dark dried fruits like prunes and raisins rise up as well in a bouquet that despite the astringency is very complex and enticing. Baking spices build quickly, and smells of rich brown sugars enter the fray as well as the sweet aroma of canned fruit (peaches and apricots) …”

At the conclusion of the review are two nice recipes, the Guyana Zombie, (credit to Tiare’s great website, A Mountain Of Crushed Ice) and my recipe, Hart Breaker.

Please enjoy the review!

(Of course my reviews for the new Lemon Hart Spiced and Lemon Hart Original One Hundred, British Proof Reserve will be forthcoming in the next several weeks.)

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Dark Rums, Overproof Rum, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Lemon Hart Demerara 151 Rum

Review: Pumpkin Face White Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on October 4, 2013

Pumpkin Face WhitePumpkin Face Rum is a new brand of rum being distributed in Canada by Pure Global Imports. The rum inside the cool looking pumpkin shaped bottles is apparently a blend of selected rums from the Dominican Republic. I was curious about those pumpkin faced bottles, and found this statement on the Pumpkin Face Rum website:

“The pumpkin is a symbol of celebration to people around the world. The origin of the pumpkin can be traced to North American seeds dating back to 7000 BC. The word pumpkin comes from the word “pepon”, which is Greek for “large melon” and later changed by American colonists to “pumpkin”. Colonists would often slice off the pumpkin top, remove the seeds, and fill it with cream, honey, eggs and spices. They cooked the pumpkin in hot ashes until blackened then enjoyed its contents.”

According to the labeling, this is an ‘ultra premium’ Dominican Rum, bottled at 40 % alcohol by volume. The brand is owned by, Itsko Imports Inc of Beverly Hills, California.

You may click on the following excerpt to read the full review:

Review: Pumpkin Face White Rum

“… When I poured the Pumpkin Face White Rum into my glass, I noticed the spirit carried a light butterscotch scent into the air. A I nosed the rum, mild impressions of banana, orange zest, and faint grassy vegetal notes rose into the breezes. There were also a few light traces of cotton candy, wisps of mint, and hints of anise-like licorice scents …”

Please enjoy my review which includes a nice Daiquiri recipe at its conclusion.

Cheers Everyone!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Rum, Rum Reviews, White Rums | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Pumpkin Face White Rum

Review: Pristina Vodka

Posted by Arctic Wolf on October 3, 2013

Pristina Vodka TonicPristina Vodka is a quadruple distilled wheat Vodka produced in High River, Alberta in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains just south of Calgary. I have been a fan of Highwood Distillers for a while now; but I was not prepared for what greeted me when I opened a sample bottle Highwood’s Pristina Vodka. Maybe it was the uninspiring bottle and label, or maybe it is just a case of us Canadians being a little too self-conscious to believe we can be as good as everyone else in the world. Whatever the reason, when I put the Pristina in a flight of Vodka samples at a tasting where it was up against an Authentic Russian Vodka called Black Stallion, a real Polish Vodka called Alchemia Czysta, and a Vodka made in France called Grey Goose, I was not expecting what happened.

What happened was that every person at my tasting chose the same Vodka as their favourite, and every person said it wasn’t even close. That favourite, the clear head and shoulders winner without reservation in everybody’s opinion, was of course the Pristina Vodka from Highwood Distillers.

You may read my full review by clicking on the following excerpt:

Review: Pristina Vodka

“… I was happy to taste no vegetal tones and to feel no burn at all in my throat. The swallow was clean and completely smooth. The back of my mouth received a mildly spicy warmth; but my throat felt no heat, even with a substantial swallow of the Pristina Vodka. This reaction was consistent amongst those who tasted the Vodka with me …”

Please enjoy my review and the included cocktail, the Vodka Tonic.

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Vodka, Vodka Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Pristina Vodka

Review: Potter’s (London) Dry Gin

Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 24, 2013

SAM_0904 Fieldberry BlenderHighwood Distillers is a Canadian distillery in the Town of High River, Alberta, which lies just about 40 minutes due south of Calgary, at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. Recently the distillery was severely impacted by a massive flash flood which devastated the area on June 20th, 2013 (see story here). The folks at Highwood had literally only minutes of warning before the flood hit, and the severity of the event was such that some distillery staff had to be rescued from the tops of their cars by helicopter. As I finish writing this review, the distillery is still picking up the pieces up and rebuilding. However the bottling line is operational again, and the company has once again began to produce bottled spirits.

Potter’s Dry Gin is produced in the London Dry Style by blending a light-bodied neutral spirit with juniper and Highwood’s own botanicals which have been selected from natural herbs, spices and citrus.

You may read my full review by clicking on the following excerpt (link):

Review: Potter’s (London) Dry Gin

“… The initial aroma gives me an impression that this promises to be a very dry gin with a hard edge. The gin is forward with juniper (as it should be) with firm citrus accents reminding me of lemon and orange zest floating in the breezes above the glass …”

As you can see by the picture, I have also included a new recipe with the review, the Fieldberry Blender.

Please enjoy the review and my new recipe!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Gin, Gin Review | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Potter’s (London) Dry Gin

Review: Corralejo Tequila Blanco

Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 23, 2013

CorralejoHacienda Corralejo was established in 1775 by Don Pedro Sanchez de Tagle in the Mexican State of Guanajuato. The distillery uses traditional methods of fermentation and distillation with clay ovens used to cook the agave and copper pot stills used for the distillation. The Blanco Tequila is an unaged spirit bottled directly from that copper pot still.

The Quick Red FoxI was given my sample of the Corralejo Blanco by a good friend who poured off a 200 ml sample from a full bottle he had been gifted. The bottle had sat in his cupboard for a few years; but was unopened until I was given my sample. I mention this so that the reader will know that the particular bottle I am reviewing was not from a current batch; rather it was from an unopened bottle which was several years old.

You may read my full review by clicking on the following excerpt:

Review: Corralejo Tequila Blanco

“… The nose of the glass carries a mixture of honey and pepper with light herbaceous tones of agave. As I let the glass sit and return after a few minutes I notice that the honeyed tones have deepened into an aroma very similar to cane syrup. The peppery notes now carry a little citrus, and the agave remains light and enjoyable …”

Please enjoy this review (originally published in 2011) which includes a very nice recipe, The Quick Red Fox.

Posted in Blanco Tequila, Cocktails & Recipes, Tequila, Tequila Review | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Corralejo Tequila Blanco

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »