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Archive for the ‘Awards’ Category

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#77 Two Brewers Yukon Single Malt – Classic

Posted by Arctic Wolf on October 8, 2017

In 2009, the folks at Yukon Brewing decided that it was time to expand their horizons, and so they grabbed a still, formed the Yukon Spirits Company, and began to make whisky. When I fist learned about this a few years ago I was a little surprised. The Yukon is quite a ways north and it is not a place where you would naturally think of folks making beer, let alone whisky. Then again it just might have been the perfect place for both the start-up beer and spirits companies. You see up in the North, they like to support one another, and it wasn’t long before Yukon Brewing and Yukon Spirits were doing a nice business supplying northern communities.

I don’t profess to know anything about beer (I really don’t like the stuff), but once you throw the beer through a still and age it in an oak barrel, an amazing the transformation takes place. The spirit that is created, whisky, is right up my alley.

Here is my link to the #77 Canadian Whisky on my Countdown of the 100 Best of 2017:

Review: Two Brewers Yukon Single Malt – Classic

“… There is great promise here as all that lovely complexity which was noted in the breezes above the glass comes through in spades as the whisky slides across the palate. We can sip this, with ice or a dash of cold water, and when we do nice chocolate flavours are squeezed out and they join the nutty barley, the oak spice ..”

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Note: As indicated earlier, I will not be creating a posting for every whisky in my countdown on this website; but I am going to try to highlight every Canadian spirit that I have not reviewed previously.

To follow the countdown list on a daily basis, you should follow me on twitter (Rum Howler on Twitter) using the hashtag #Top100CanadianWhisky. Alternatively you can view the  list as it grows by viewing my Reveal Page:

The Rum Howler – Top 100 Canadian Whiskies of 2017

The Reveal Page will be updated at least weekly through September, October and November and then daily in December.

Posted in Awards, Canadian Whisky, Extras, Single Malt Whisky | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on #77 Two Brewers Yukon Single Malt – Classic

#Top100Rums of 2017 – #76 Ron Marques del Valle

Posted by Arctic Wolf on October 7, 2017

Ron Marques del Valle (8 Years) is produced in Colombia by Industria de Licores del Valle. I was unable to learn much about this distiller of rum, however, the back of my sample bottle makes the following statement about this particular rum:

“Ron Marques is the result of the most refined sugar cane extract, distilled with the purest water from the Andes and aged in oak barrels for 8 years, this conjunction of events gives this unique Rum an intense amber colour, a fine viscosity, an excellent depth of mature aromas and a smooth taste”

Here is a link to my #76 Rum of 2017:

Review: Ron Marques del Valle

” … Oaky spices and tannins have melded with the butterscotch and the resulting flavour seems to be closer to the oak side of the spectrum than to the butterscotch. Some dry fruit flavours appear (I am thinking dried apricots and peaches as well as some raisin-like impressions), and a mild woody nuttiness lies underneath …”

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To follow the countdown list on a daily basis, you should follow me on twitter (Rum Howler on Twitter) using the hashtag #Top100Rums.

Alternatively you can view the list as it grows by viewing my Reveal Page:

The Rum Howler – Top 100 Rums of 2017

The Reveal Page will be updated at least weekly through September, October and November and then daily in December.

 

Posted in Awards, Extras, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on #Top100Rums of 2017 – #76 Ron Marques del Valle

#Top100Rums – #78: Monymusk Classic Gold Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on October 5, 2017

Monymusk Classic Gold Rum is produced in Jamaica by a partnership called the National Rums of Jamaica. The spirit is produced at the Claredon Distillery (also called the Monymusk Distillery), near Lionel Town in the heart of Jamaica’s sugar cane producing region. The Claredon Distillery contains a modern column still plant and a second older plant with two  double-retort pot stills.

While the vast majority of the rum distillate produced at the distillery is destined for bulk sales (much of it to Diageo), about 10 % of the rum distilled is set down to rest in American Oak barrels and aged at the NJR facility at Innswood, an older distillery which now serves as an aging and blending facility for Claredon.

Monymusk Classic Gold Rum was produced from aged rum from both the modern column plant and the double-retort pot stills.

Review: Monymusk Classic Gold Rum

“… The Jamaican pot still is in evidence as I notice camphor, some black licorice, a light menthol coolness, and a touch of brine-like saltiness. The flavours across the palate are true to what the nose had promised. Perhaps there is a touch more sweetness and perhaps a little stronger oak presence than I expected; however the Jamaican pot still remains the centerpiece of the rum’s flavour. With an ice-cube the rum is very easy to sip and enjoy. With a light dollop of cola, it becomes a great bar-drink especially as the pot still flavours push through …”

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To follow the countdown list on a daily basis, you should follow me on twitter (Rum Howler on Twitter) using the hashtag #Top100Rums.

Alternatively you can view the list as it grows by viewing my Reveal Page:

The Rum Howler – Top 100 Rums of 2017

The Reveal Page will be updated at least weekly through September, October and November and then daily in December.

Posted in Awards, Dark Rums, Extras, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on #Top100Rums – #78: Monymusk Classic Gold Rum

#Top100CanadianWhisky – #81: 8 Seconds Blended Canadian Whisky

Posted by Arctic Wolf on October 4, 2017

8 Seconds is a Canadian Whisky from Frank-Lin Distillers, Products Ltd. who have been a bottler and producer of distilled spirits since Frank Maestri founded the company in 1966. (Frank-Lin currently operates out of their new facility in Fairfield California with annual capacity of over 10 million cases of wines and spirits.)

The whisky is a pretty straight forward offering, distilled in Canada and aged in oak. It is (I assume) shipped in bulk from Canada to Frank-Lin’s facility in Fairfield, California for bottling. The whisky has no age statement; but I note that the more premium 8 Seconds Black carries a statement of 8 years. I presume that the less premium 8 Seconds Blended Canadian Whisky would be somewhat younger than that.

Here is a link to my new review:

Review: 8 Seconds Blended Canadian Whisky

“… The whisky translates well from nose to mouth with flavours of vanilla and caramel leading out and a peppery wood and grain spice not very far behind. There is a little honeycomb present and some nice impressions of tobacco, dark fruit and chocolate …”

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Note: As indicated earlier, I will not be creating a posting for every whisky in my countdown on this website; but I am going to try to highlight every Canadian spirit that I have not reviewed previously.

To follow the countdown list on a daily basis, you should follow me on twitter (Rum Howler on Twitter) using the hashtag #Top100CanadianWhisky. Alternatively you can view the  list as it grows by viewing my Reveal Page:

The Rum Howler – Top 100 Canadian Whiskies of 2017

The Reveal Page will be updated at least weekly through September, October and November and then daily in December.

Posted in Awards, Canadian Whisky, Extras, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review, Whisky Review | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on #Top100CanadianWhisky – #81: 8 Seconds Blended Canadian Whisky

#Top100Rums of 2017 – #82 Captain Morgan Loconut (Flavoured Rum)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on October 1, 2017

Earlier this Spring I was sent a bottle of Captain Morgan’s newest flavoured rum, Captain Morgan Loconut. The product was described to me as a gluten-free blend of Caribbean Rum, Coconut Liqueur, Spice and Natural Flavours, and it arrived in a nifty scratch and sniff coconut shaped (and apparently scented) round rum bottle similar to the bottle used for the previously released Captain Morgan Jack-O’Blast Pumpkin Spiced and Captain Morgan Cannon Blast  Rums.A

According to the Captain Morgan Press Release:

After blasting into the shots category with CAPTAIN MORGAN Cannon Blast, CAPTAIN MORGAN LocoNut is shaking things up with its new coconut-flavored shot which comes in a coconut-shaped bottle, smells like a coconut and yeah, you guessed it, tastes like a coconut. It’s the perfect shot to enjoy responsibly with friends, co-workers, bro-conuts, fun in-laws, very friendly strangers and of course, coconut lovers …

The spirit is bottled at 20 % alcohol by volume and I was told to serve the spirit chilled in the form of a ‘Coconut Shot’.

Here is a link to my full review of the #82 Rum of 2017:

Review: Captain Morgan Loconut

“… I found the breezes above the glass pleasant and inviting, firm on the coconut with a pleasant sweetness.  This sweetness does not seem intense or overbearing, instead it seems to compliment the firm sense of coconut. I spent some time inspecting the breezes to see if I could discern any hints of spice. I noticed very light hints of baking spice (vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg) … “

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To follow the countdown list on a daily basis, you should follow me on twitter (Rum Howler on Twitter) using the hashtag #Top100Rums.

Alternatively you can view the list as it grows by viewing my Reveal Page:

The Rum Howler – Top 100 Rums of 2017

The Reveal Page will be updated at least weekly through September, October and November and then daily in December.

Posted in Awards, Extras | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on #Top100Rums of 2017 – #82 Captain Morgan Loconut (Flavoured Rum)

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