Archive for the ‘Awards’ Category
Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 3, 2015
Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye Whisky is a new blend from the folks who run the Crown Royal Distillery in Gimli, Manitoba. It is a bit of a throwback in style as the whisky features a heavy dose whisky produced from Canadian Winter Rye grain in the blend (almost 90% of the spirit is produced from Canadian Winter Rye grain). Winter rye imparts a robust spiciness throughout the spirit when distilled which (in my opinion) provides a much stronger ‘Canadian Whisky’ feel for this particular Crown Royal Whisky than we find with the flagship blend Crown Royal Deluxe which is produced predominantly from corn rather than rye.
This movement towards a more rye forward flavour profile seems to be a common theme within the Crown Royal family as two other recently released blends (Crown Royal Hand Selected Barrel, and the new Crown Royal Monarch 75th Anniversary Blend) have also followed that common path.
It is a path which I obviously endorse as this is the second time a new Crown Royal Release has entered into my Countdown of the best 100 spirits I have ever tasted. Here is a link to the #22 spirit on my Rum Howler Top 100 Spirits Countdown of the best spirits I have ever tasted.
“… As the glass breathes, I sense a stronger underlying oakiness within the spirit as fine wood spices rise into the air and the merry little breezes above the glass are tinged with crisp spicy rye notes as well. Fresh baked bread crust, light caramel smells, hints of vanilla ice cream, and bits of nutmeg and allspice round out the aroma which continues to impress me …”
________________________________________________________________
You may follow my Countdown list of the 100 Best Spirits here: The Rum Howler 2015 – Top 100 Spirits
Posted in Awards, Canadian Whisky, Extras, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: 2015 Top 100 Spirits, Candaina Whisky, Crown Royal, Northern Harvest, Rum howler, Rye Whisky, Whisky, Whisky Review | Comments Off on #22 Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye Whisky
Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 2, 2015
Against my better judgement I have decided that it is time to begin my Annual Countdown of the Best Canadian Whiskies of 2015. I have published a similar list the last three years in a row, and I have received many requests to continue the tradition this year.
My time is limited more than usual as Connor McDavid Mania is raging in my memorabilia store (Cardsharks Memorabila Store) (it is after all important to keep the bills paid). As well my Rum Howler 2015 Top 100 Spirits Countdown continues unabated. For those reasons, I have decided that I will reveal my top Canadian Spirits in three groups of seven spirits once per week and one last group of four during the last week before Christmas rather than as I usually do one at a time, one day at a time. In this way I can spare myself the need to do an extra post every day, especially since my Rum Howler 2015 Top 25 Rums list needs to be compiled and published as well.
So although it is not quite how I usually do things, I shall begin today with the first seven spirits that made the cut, numbers 25 through to 19.
# 25 Windsor Canadian
# 24 J.P. Wiser’s Hopped (New Review!)
# 23 Crown Royal Monarch 75th Anniversary Blend
# 22 Canadian Club 20 Yr Old Whisky
# 21 Centennial Rye Whisky (NAS)
# 20 Pendleton 1910 (Aged 12 Years) Canadian Whisky
# 19 Forty Creek Copper Pot Reserve Whisky
_________________________________________________________________________
Note: You may follow the list and read more about The Year 2015 in Canadian Whisky here:
Please Enjoy the weekly reveal!
Posted in Awards, Canadian Whisky, Extras, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: 2015 Top 25 Canadian Whiskies, Canadian Club, Centennial Rye Whisky, Copper Pot Reserve, Crown Royal, Forty Creek, Hopped, J.P. Wiser's, Monarch, Pendleton 1910, Review, Rum Howler Awards, Windsor | 1 Comment »
Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 2, 2015
The 12 Year Old Highland Park Whisky is the core expression of Highland Park Distillery, that is to say, it is their flagship brand. Highland Park prides itself in not making any compromises when making whisky. The twelve-year expression is the youngest in their impressive lineup. All of Highland Park whiskies are matured in Spanish and American Oak in warehouses with earthen floors and stone walls. The combination of different oak provides some of the whisky with an American whiskey enhancement and some of the whisky with a Spanish sherry enhancement. The whisky is matured in a cool consistent climate, and blended to create the unique Highland Park taste and character that the distillery is famous for.
Of particular note is the heather rich meadows which provide a rich floral backdrop around the aging warehouses which seems to impart its character to the whisky as well. I note the floral character in the review.
Here is a link to the review of the #23 spirit on my Rum Howler Top 100 Spirits Countdown of the best spirits I have ever tasted.
“… I smell that boggy muddy creek bottom in the glass when I fill it with Highland Park whisky. It is not an intense boggy smell, just a whisper of that muddy creek and sawgrass meadow rising from the glass. I smell the willow thicket, and a faint floral scent which I am told is heather. This is the aroma of the Orcadian peat of which Highland Park is famous for …”
________________________________________________________________
You may follow my Countdown list of the 100 Best Spirits here: The Rum Howler 2015 – Top 100 Spirits
Posted in Awards, Extras, Scotch Whisky, Single Malt Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: 12 Year Old, Highland Park, Review, Rum howler, Scotch, Single Malt, Top 100 Spirits | Comments Off on #23 Highland Park 12 Year Old Scotch Whisky
Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 1, 2015
In the late 1950s, the main companies involved in the production and distribution of alcoholic spirits in Venezuela were grouped into one organization called Licorerias Unitas S.A. by the initiative of Seagrams who owned 51 % of the new entity until 1992. After a series of mergers and acquisitions involving Seagrams, Diageo, and Pernod Richard, a decision was made to divest in facilities and to instead concentrate on brand commercialization. The result was a group of local investors who purchased the manufacturing assets of Licorerias Unitas S.A. and formed Distilleries Unitas S.A. (DUSA) on August 22, 2002. Although this company is relatively new, the tradition of making quality rum in Venezuela using the these facilities which is not. In fact sugar cane has been cultivated in Venezuela perhaps as early as the 16th century. Systematic rum production in Venezuela can be dated to 1896.
Diplomatico Exclusiva Reserva is a premium rum which is produced from both column still rums and pot still rum. Within the blend are rums which are aged up to 12 years. The combination of tropical aging, batch still production yields an exquisite rum which has long been one of my favourites.
Here is a link to the review of the #24 spirit on my Rum Howler Top 100 Spirits Countdown of the best spirits I have ever tasted.
“… There is a nice underlying nuttiness (walnuts and hazelnuts), some sweet caramel and some very delicious baking spices (vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar). As the glass breathes, The richness of the rum builds and I taste even more brown sugar and cinnamon with butter. Mmmmm! …”
________________________________________________________________
You may follow my Countdown list of the 100 Best Spirits here: The Rum Howler 2015 – Top 100 Spirits
Posted in Awards, Extras, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: 2015 Top 100 Spirits, Diplomatico, Exclusiva Reserva, Review, Rum, Rum howler | 1 Comment »
Posted by Arctic Wolf on November 30, 2015
Wiser’s Red Letter was re-introduced to Canadians in 2007 to pay homage to the 150th anniversary of John Philip Wiser’s distillery in Prescott, Ontario 1857 – 2007), as well as to the original Red Letter Whisky which Wiser’s produced in the late 1800s. In 2009, when I reviewed the inaugural 150th Adversary Edition (see review here), I was told by my contacts within Corby, that the spirit contained various blends of whisky which (although they ranged in age) were all ten years old or more. After these mature whiskies were blended they were then finished in virgin white oak barrels for 150 days. Once the final characteristic of flavour had been achieved, the Red Letter was bottled at 45 % alcohol by volume (non chill filtered).
Two years ago, Corby once again in a tribute to their founder J.P Wiser released Wiser’s Red Letter Whisky 2013 Release. As with the 150th Anniversary Edition the whisky was finished in virgin white oak casks and then bottled without chill filtering at 45 % abv..
Here is a link to the review of the second #25 spirit on my Rum Howler Top 100 Spirits Countdown of the best spirits I have ever tasted.
“… The 2013 version has all the wonderful flavour and zest of the 2007, but (to me anyways) there seems to be an added layer of silky elegance this time around. I taste a firm presence of sharp wood spices and orange peel, however, this sharpness ( which I am sure is also due to the 90 bottling proof) is contrasted by the silky mouth feel of a luscious corn whisky. Honeycomb and maple flavours slide through the hot spiciness of the whisky, and soon the orange peel tastes more like marmalade, and the fine wood spices more like a nice spicy maple toffee …”
________________________________________________________________
You may follow my Countdown list of the 100 Best Spirits here: The Rum Howler 2015 – Top 100 Spirits
Posted in Awards, Canadian Whisky, Extras, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: 2013, Canadian Whisky, Red Letter, Review, Rum howler, Top 100 Spirits, Whisky, Wiser's | Comments Off on # 25b Wiser’s Red Letter Whisky 2013 Release
The Rum Howler Blog 