Archive for the ‘Awards’ Category
Posted by Arctic Wolf on November 14, 2015
The Rum Nation Demerara 23 Year Old, is quite an interesting rum. According to my correspondence with Mr. Rossi (of Rum Nation) he purchased 3 casks of this rum from a vendor in the United Kingdom in 2002. The barrels bore the marque from Demerara Distillers Limited’s famous Double Wooden Pot still of the Port Maurant Estate (PM). These ex bourbon casks were transferred into a Sherry Butt (Oloroso N. 61) in 2004 and were left to age in an underground cellar in Bristol, England where “early landed cognac” (Hine and Delamain) was also aged. The cellar in Bristol was closed in 2007, and the rum was brought to the Piedmont area of Italy (famous for the nebbiolo grape varietal) where it continued to age until 2012 when it was bottled in Italy.
The age statement on the rum is based upon certification in the United Kingdom (I note that the UK customs system is very stringent). Unfortunately there is no record of when the rum was shipped from Guyana to the UK, but my speculation is that it was probably meant to be part of the blend of a ‘navy style’ rum as Port Mourant Rum (from the Double Wooden Still) is one of the key ingredients in those British Navy Rums.
Here is a link to the review of the #41 spirit on my Rum Howler Top 100 Spirits Countdown.
“… The initial aroma is perhaps a little daunting as rising from the glass are rich caramel scents laced with the smells of wood sap and resin. Felled poplar trees, spruce wood chips, and fresh unstained oak all seem to be part of that wood filled onslaught in the breezes above the glass. Wisps of dry fruit and licorice mingle within the breezes as does a faintly sappy, mildly acrid, vaguely rubbery tar-like scent …”
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You may follow my Countdown list of the 100 Best Spirits here: The Rum Howler 2015 – Top 100 Spirits
Posted in Awards, Dark Rums, Extras, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: Dark Rum, Demerara 23 Year Old, Demerara Rum, Review, Rum, Rum howler, Rum Nation, Top 100 Spirits | Comments Off on #41 Rum Nation Demerara 23 Year Old
Posted by Arctic Wolf on November 13, 2015
Wyborowa Exquisite is the Premium version of Wyborowa Vodka and it is produced in Turew, which is a single estate distillery in Western Poland. It is distilled using 100 % Dankowslie Slote Rye Grain. This particular grain is said to give the final spirit a creamy consistency and sweet, nutty note. The grain used to produce Wyborowa Exquisite vodka comes from the fields surrounding the traditional rural distillery. Rectified spirit of excellent quality is diluted with water from a deep spring.
The Wyborowa Exquisite was one of the very first Vodka spirits I reviewed upon my website. I loved it at once, and upon re-tasting the spirit for my Top 100 Spirits Countdown, I fell in love with it all over again.
Here is a link to the review of the #42 spirit on my Rum Howler Top 100 Spirits Countdown.
“… The initial aroma of the vodka presented tantalizing glimpses of rye spices with just a hint of pine and citrus. These impressions were reinforced on my palate although the ghostly flavour impressions seemed to vanish as quickly as they appeared. The Vodka was not as creamy as some of the more recent premium vodkas I have tried. It was however cleaner in the mouth, and as it is swallowed the finish in the throat was clean as well …”
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You may follow my Countdown list of the 100 Best Spirits here: The Rum Howler 2015 – Top 100 Spirits
Posted in Awards, Extras, Vodka, Vodka Reviews | Tagged: Exquisite, Pernod Ricard, Review, Rum howler, Top 100 Spirits, Vodka, Wyborowa | Comments Off on #42 Wyborowa Exquisite Vodka
Posted by Arctic Wolf on November 12, 2015
Demerara County (in Guyana) is popular across the world for its rich, three hundred year history of rum production. Using a combination of old wooden stills in conjunction with modern stills and distilling techniques, Demerara Distillers Ltd. (DDL) has built a reputation for outstanding quality and consistent production. In fact, Demerara Distillers is the currently the largest supplier of bulk Caribbean rums to Europe and North America.
The Year Old Special Reserve Rum is blended from aged stocks (the youngest being no less than 12 years old) from the original Wooden Enmore Coffey still, the original metal Diamond Coffey still, as well as from the ancient Port Mourant double wooden pot still which was used to produce ‘navy’ rum for the English Admiralty. All of the Demerara Rum produced by El Dorado is aged exclusively in American oak (bourbon barrels).
Here is a link to the review of the #43 spirit on my Rum Howler Top 100 Spirits Countdown.
“… Oak and wood spices provide a nice backdrop for the sweet baking spices (vanilla, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves) and rich molasses that rises into the breezes above the glass. There are hints of spicy orange peel, and fresh citrus fruit which appear and disappear within the aroma, and I have a hard time finding fault …”
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You may follow my Countdown list of the 100 Best Spirits here: The Rum Howler 2015 – Top 100 Spirits
Posted in Awards, Dark Rums, Extras, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: 12 Year Old, Demerara Distillers Limited, Diamond Distillery, El Dorado, Review, Rum, Rum howler, Top 100 Spirits | Comments Off on #43 El Dorado 12 Year Old Special Reserve Rum
Posted by Arctic Wolf on November 11, 2015
The Johnnie Walker Brand of whisky is one of the most iconic brands in all of the world. With its unique square bottle, and the labels tilted a 24 degrees off-center, the company has created a strong brand image and is considered by many to be the quintessential Scottish whisky. The company was born in about 1820, and has grown steadily to become one of the most important Scottish whisky brands in the world today.
The Black Label is a blended Scotch Whisky, which is composed of up to 40 malted and grain whiskies. The origins of the blend can be traced back to 1867, when Alexander Walker copyrighted and began to bottle Old Highland Whisky. In 1909 the name of the blend was changed to Johnnie Walker Black Label in reference to the color of the label which had become the generic means of identifying the blend amongst the Johnnie Walker customers.
At the time of my review (in 2010), all of the whiskies in the Black Label blend were aged at least 12 years, which gave this whisky a deeper character and smoothness than one normally associates with blended whiskies.
Here is a link to the review of the #44 spirit on my Rum Howler Top 100 Spirits Countdown.
“… The aroma which rises from the glass is steeped in complexity. Initially, I smell a nice cherry soaked butterscotch which seems to have a hint of green apple rising out of the glass with it. As I allow the glass to decant, the aroma deepens with accents of dried fruits and a rather floral smoke. At the very bottom lies a well of boggy peat …”
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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, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: Black Label, Johnny Walker, Review, Rum howler, Scotch, Top 100 Spirits, Whisky | Comments Off on #44 Johnnie Walker Black Label
Posted by Arctic Wolf on November 10, 2015
Jas Hennessy & Co., is the largest Cognac producer in the world today with sales that exceed 45 million bottles per year. The company was founded in 1765 by Richard Hennessy who was an Irish Officer in the army of Louis XV. Hennessy XO Cognac traces its development back to 1870 when Maurice Hennessy created a special cognac for him to share with his closest friends. This cognac meant for his ‘inner circle’ was given the name X.O to denote it as an “extra old” cognac. This X.O designation has become a labeling standard used throughout the industry, and today denotes an older Cognac style which must meet a minimum age requirement of 6 years for all of the eaux de vie within its assemblage.
Hennessy X.O Cognac is produced from the fruity Ugni Blanc grapes which have been harvested from the four great crus of the Cognac region (Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies and Fins Bois). The grape wine produced is double distilled upon Hennessy Distillery’s copper pot stills, and then selected eaux-de-vie is set down to age in french oak casks.
Here is a link to the review of the #45 spirit on my Rum Howler Top 100 Spirits Countdown.
“… The oak did not diminish; however other scents and smells began to climb up into the breezes to greet me. I notice thick fudgey chocolate, Christmas fruitcake, dark baking spices such as allspice, vanilla, cinnamon and clove, as well as rich dark brown sugar, and roasted walnuts …”
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You may follow my Countdown list of the 100 Best Spirits here: The Rum Howler 2015 – Top 100 Spirits
Posted in Awards, Brandy and Cognac Reviews, Cognac Review, Extras | Tagged: Cognac, Hennessey X.O, Review, Rum howler, Top 100 Spirits | Comments Off on #45 Hennessy X.O (Extra Old) Cognac
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