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Archive for the ‘Cocktails & Recipes’ Category

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Rum Review: Santiago De Cuba Ron Anejo

Posted by Arctic Wolf on August 5, 2010

Pictured to the right is a bottle of Ron Anejo Santigo de Cuba, an authentic Cuban rum which was provided for me to sample. I was asked me to take the bottle home with me, try a few ounces and to provide an opinion. I decided it would be nice to share this opinion on my blog as well.

I have found very little information about the rum, other than what I can decipher from the label and the smattering of information on the internet where it is sold by some internet dealers as an 11-year-old rum, and others as simply an anejo rum without age statement.  I also ran across claims that this was Fidel Castro’s favourite rum.  A claim which I can neither confirm nor deny.

Here is a clip from my review:
..The mouth is clean and slightly sharp with orange peel, lime and oak spice.  Mild toffee and almonds combine with  charred coconut, and perhaps a hint of treacle. There is the vaguest hint of leather and smoke but these elements are underdeveloped…”

You may read the rest of the review here:

Rum Review: Santiago De Cuba Ron Anejo

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , | 2 Comments »

Review: Empire London Dry Gin

Posted by Arctic Wolf on August 1, 2010

Photo courtesy Highwood Distillery

Highwood Distillers is a Canadian distiller situated in the town of Highwood, Alberta, which lies just about 40 minutes due south of Calgary, at the foot of the Rocky Mountains.  Recently, I visited the distillery and watched first hand as they turned the local wheat into whisky, vodka. and gin.  I sampled the whisky, (See my reviews of Centennial Whisky & White Owl Whisky) and was delighted by the quality I encountered.  So when I started to review gin on my website, I decided to sample Highwood’s  Empire Gin to see how a locally produced gin would rate.

Although Empire Gin is a London Dry Gin, the moniker “London Dry Gin” refers to the double distillation method of production which defines London Dry Gin, but is not a reference to the country of origin.  Rather than being produced in England, Empire London Dry Gin is produced and bottled at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, in the Highwood Distillery. It is a Canadian Gin, and I was very curious as to how it compared with the more well-known brands like Tangueray No. 10 and Bombay Sapphire.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“…The initial entry into the mouth is a little spicy as the tangy citrus seems to be in the forefront of the flavour.  The piny juniper seems to be more evident on the palate than it was on the nose, but it does not overwhelm the citrus, rather it seems to sit just underneath acting as an anchor to support the gin flavour through the palate…”

You May Read the full review here:

Empire London Dry Gin

Enjoy the Review!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Gin, Gin Review | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Empire London Dry Gin

Rum Review: Bermudez Ron Viejo Blanco

Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 29, 2010

Introduction

This is the fourth review I am publishing with respect to the rums of Ron Bermudez. I previously reviewed the Ron Anejo Bermudez 5 Anos; the Bermudez Don Armando; and the Bermudez Anniversario upon my blog using sample bottles provided to my by J. Ernesto Orozco of  Biwest Imports Ltd.  My sample bottle of the Bermudez Ron Viejo Blanco rum was also supplied by Biwest Imports Ltd., as they are introducing the Bermudez rums into my home Province of Alberta.

The Bermudez Distillery is the oldest commercial rum distillery in the Dominican Republic.  The words on the bottle  ‘Viejo Blanco’ translate from Spanish to English as ‘Old White’, indicating to me that the Bermudez rum is an aged clear rum.  Exactly how old I am not sure, but I expect, based upon the particular wording used here, that the rum is aged anywhere from 1/2 year to 3 years.

I found the Bermudez Ron Viejo Blanco  to be a surprisingly high quality ‘white’ rum.  Here is an excerpt from my review:

” …The Bermudez Ron Viejo is very similar in taste profile to the Bermudez Don Armando which I reviewed earlier.  It is not quite as suave and smooth as the 10-year-old, but is it perhaps one of the smoothest ‘blanco’ rums I have encountered to date.  It is slightly sweet in the mouth, but still carries enough spice to warm the tonsils…”

You may read the full review here:

Review: Bermudez Ron Viejo Blanco

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Rum, Rum Reviews, White Rums | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Rum Review: Bermudez Ron Viejo Blanco

Whiskey Review: Greenore Single Grain Irish Whiskey (15YR)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 25, 2010

In 1988 JohnTeeling bought the Cooley Distillery from the Irish Government essentially as a purchase of a facility meant for the scrap heap. The distillery however, was never scrapped. Instead John Teeling and his Master Distiller, Noel Sweeny, turned their perceptions of the facility around, rolled up their sleeves, and ten years later were making some of the most unique Irish whiskey in the Country. Not that it was easy, Dr. Teeling tried unsuccessfully to sell the distillery five years into the process to rid himself of the bad investment. But… innovation and desire played their part, and the remarkable turn around of the Cooley Distillery is the stuff of legend.

One of the innovative products made at the Cooley Distillery is the Greenore Single Grain Irish Whiskey. It is the only single grain Irish Whiskey that I know of which uses a double distillation of a single grain (corn) in a continuous column still. The final product is aged in used bourbon barrels for either 8 years or 15, and bottled at 43% alcohol by volume.

I am reviewing the 15-year-old version which quite frankly is one of the most surprising whiskeys I have come across recently. Here is a small snippet from my review:

“…The delivery of the whiskey leads out with rich oak spice and honey.  A sweet vanilla bourbon flavour swamps the taste-buds, and I am fully aware that this whisky is unlike any Irish whisky I have tasted.  As the flavour settles toasty corn-on-the-cob with mouth-watering butter  comes to mind. ..”

You may read the rest of the review here:

Whiskey Review: Greenore Single Grain Irish Whiskey (15YR)

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Irish Whskey, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Whiskey Review: Greenore Single Grain Irish Whiskey (15YR)

Rum Review: Zafra Master Reserve

Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 22, 2010

 

At Rum Renaissance, I had a wonderful time.  One of the highlights of the trip was meeting the people who are responsible for producing the  Zafra Master Reserve.  I think you can all recognize myself in the picture to the right, but I would also like to introduce the others.  Next to me on the right is Carlos E. Esquivel G. the Executive Director of PILSA (A Rum distillery and production company, specializing in Aged Rums, and Rum related products in Panama ans South America). Just to the right of me is Francisco “Don Pancho” Fernandez Perez,  the Master Distiller and Company Director who is directly responsible for the blending and the construction of  Zafra Master Reserve.  Beside Pancho is his son, Lorenzo, who is growing and learning at the side of his father, Pancho.

The reason I am happy to introduce these people really has nothing to do with their rum, but everything to do with the feeling of ‘family’ that they brought to Rum Renaissance.  In a town like Miami, where the lines between reality and pure fantasy are blurred, it was totally unexpected to find such genuinely nice people, who treated me like part of their family.  If the approach they take towards their rum is half as good as the approach they take towards people, then the Zafra Master Reserve will be a delight to sample and review.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“…The rum enters the palate with a soft bourbon flavour which is very approachable. However this soft approach is followed quickly by a wave of oak spices and tannin. Riding the crest of these waves are flashes of cherries,  blackberries and grapes which are vaguely reminiscent a port influence upon the spirit….”

You may read the full review here:

Rum Review: Zafra Master Reserve

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Rum Review: Zafra Master Reserve

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