Archive for the ‘Extras’ Category
Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 14, 2017
Forty Creek Whisky
has a very nice annual tradition of producing a special limited release whisky which is built upon the foundation of the company’s flagship whisky, Forty Creek Barrel Select. These annual special releases each seek to bring new character to the Forty Creek family. This year Forty Creek sought to go back to their roots with the release of Heritage.
According to the press release issued this past Spring when Forty Creek Heritage was announced, this year’s special limited edition whisky was crafted selected barrels of Forty Creek corn, rye, and barley whiskies. The blended whiskies were then married (or finished) in toasted American Oak barrels to release elegant vanilla flavours and to highlight the bold wood spices of the toasted oak. The whisky was released in the fall of 2017 just in time for the Christmas buying season.
Here is a link to the Rum Howler #10 Canadian Whisky in my list of the 100 Best of 2017:
“… Oak and cedar with honeycomb maple and corn syrup. Vanilla and baking spices evolve as do impressions of canned apricots, hints of marmalade and walnut. Yumm! …”
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Note: To follow the countdown list of the Top 100 Canadian Whiskies of 2017, 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 here on this website:
The Reveal Page will be updated at as frequently as possible throughout the month of December.
Posted in Awards, Canadian Whisky, Extras, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review, Whisky Review | Tagged: 2017, Canadian, Forty Creek, Heritage, Review, Rum howler, Top 100 Canadian Whisky, Top100CanadianWhisky, Whisky | Comments Off on #Top100CanadianWhisky #10: Forty Creek Heritage
Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 13, 2017
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 El Dorado 12 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 for the Rum Howler #8 Rum of 2017:
“… Deep dark brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, cloves and hints of orange peel and citrus fruit lay upon a foundation of oak and wood spices. Rich tobacco accents the flavour and some luscious dark fruit (dates and raisins) finds its way into the flavour profile. The overall flavour is sweet but not overwhelmingly so …”
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We have reached the top 10 rum spirits of 2017. I have reviewed and/or re-tasted each of the top 10 rums within the past year. (All Rum reviews were based upon bottle samples either purchased by myself or provided to me by industry.)
You can continue to follow the countdown on twitter (Rum Howler on Twitter) using the hashtag #Top100Rums.
Alternatively you can view the list as it grows daily by viewing my Reveal Page:
Posted in Awards, Extras, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: #Top100rums, 2017, El Dorado 12 Year Old, Review, Rum, Rum howler, Special Reserve, Top 100 Rums | 5 Comments »
Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 13, 2017
Crown Royal Hand Selected Barrel is the first production Canadian Whisky ever to sold in the single barrel format. It drawn from a single oak cask and bottled a full 51.5 % alcohol by volume bottling proof. For this whisky, Crown Royal Master Blender, Andrew MacKay, hand selected the barrels to be used for this expression. Because each barrel will have different characteristics there will be differences in each individual barrel bottled. However, the casks chosen share common characteristic flavour profiles which gives the brand a general consistency of flavour and maturation.
Here is a link to the Rum Howler #11 Canadian Whisky in my list of the 100 Best of 2017:
“… The spirit is soft in the mouth with corn and rye playing with firm oak and cedar spices along with rich butterscotch/maple and vanilla. I can taste some nutty barley notes which remind me of burlap and almond. With the sweetness of the butterscotch/maple the nutty barley soon turns to marzipan. The whisky carries a bevy of spiciness which in turn leads to impressions of cinnamon and peppery cloves …”
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Note: To follow the countdown list of the Top 100 Canadian Whiskies of 2017, 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 here on this website:
The Reveal Page will be updated at as frequently as possible throughout the month of December.
Posted in Awards, Canadian Whisky, Extras, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review, Whisky Review | Tagged: 2017, Canadian, Crown Royal, Hand Selected Barrel, Review, Rum howler, Top 100 Canadian Whisky, Top100CanadianWhisky, Whisky | Comments Off on #Top100CanadianWhisky #11: Crown Royal Hand Selected Barrel
Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 12, 2017
The Appleton Estate is located in Nassau Valley in St. Elizabeth which is part of Jamaica’s Cockpit Country. The Cockpit Country is a karst formation which was formed over millions of years as the underlying limestone was eroded by the chemical action of rain. Within a cockpit karst formation are valleys known as Poljes. They are formed where a river floods, then recedes and forms a flat valley over millions of years. The soil in the poljes is very fertile and rich in nutrients because of the sediments left behind after the river had receded.
In 1749, within the polje known as the Nassau Valley, the Appleton Estate Sugar Factory was founded. The Nassau Valley has a special mild micro-climate which is ideally suited to the growth of sugarcane. As well, a water source wells from the limestone formation and provides an exceptionally soft pure water which used for the production of Appleton Estate Rums.
Appleton Estate 12 Year Old Rare Blend is crafted in small batches. This is a true 12 Year Old spirit as the Appleton Estate website informs us that it all of the rums which make up this blend are each aged at least 12 years.
Here is a link to the review for the Rum Howler #9 Rum of 2017:
“… Dark brown sugar and toffee meld with oak spice, orange peel and marmalade. Baking spices in the form of vanilla, cinnamon, a touch of allspice and hints of nutmeg weave in and out of the oak spice with some nutty almond and crushed walnuts lurking just underneath. As I let the rum sit I notice a firm impression of pipe tobacco carrying notes of camphor and hints of menthol …”
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We have reached the top 10 rum spirits of 2017. I have reviewed and/or re-tasted each of the top 10 rums within the past year. (All Rum reviews were based upon bottle samples either purchased by myself or provided to me by industry.)
You can continue to follow the countdown on twitter (Rum Howler on Twitter) using the hashtag #Top100Rums.
Alternatively you can view the list as it grows daily by viewing my Reveal Page:
Posted in Awards, Extras, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: #Top100rums, 12 Year Old, 2017, Appleton Estate, Rare Blend, Review, Rum, Rum howler, Top 100 Rums | Comments Off on #Top100Rums of 2017: #9 – Appleton Estate Rare Blend
Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 12, 2017
John Hall opened the Kittling Ridge Winery & Distillery in 1992. The whisky he developed, named Forty Creek, is like none other on the landscape of Canadian Whisky. John chose three grains as the base of his Whisky. He distilled a corn whisky and aged it in heavily charred white oak barrels; he distilled a rye grain whisky and chose to age it in a lightly charred white oak; and he distilled a barley grain whisky to age in medium charred white oak. Interestingly, Mr. Hall chose to distill each grain only once, as by distilling only once, he believes the distillation captures the best that each grain has to offer in terms of flavour. The blend is then married in John’s own sherry casks to create what he calls his meritage. This serves as the base for the family of Forty Creek Whiskies.
For the whisky which is the subject of this review, Forty Creek Double Barrel Reserve, one more step is taken. The final blend is set down in first run bourbon barrels for a final period of aging before it is bottled at 40 % alcohol by volume.
Here is a link to the Rum Howler #12 Canadian Whisky in my list of the 100 Best of 2017:
“… The flavour includes maple and corn carried by rye spice, firm oak tannins, tobacco and wood spices which dry the mouth. Honeycomb, orange peel spice, and marzipan also seem to bobble within the oakiness adding complexity to each spirit …”
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Note: To follow the countdown list of the Top 100 Canadian Whiskies of 2017, 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 here on this website:
The Reveal Page will be updated at as frequently as possible throughout the month of December.
Posted in Awards, Canadian Whisky, Extras, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review, Whisky Review | Tagged: 2017, Canadian, Double Barrel Reserve, Forty Creek, Review, Rum howler, Top 100 Canadian Whisky, Top100CanadianWhisky, Whisky | Comments Off on #Top100CanadianWhisky #12: Forty Creek Double Barrel (Lot 263)
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