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Archive for the ‘Dark Rums’ Category

Review: Rum Nation Demerara 23 Year Old

Posted by Arctic Wolf on February 10, 2013

Demerara 23 1989Rum Nation is an Italian company created by Fabio Rossi, who began his life in the spirits trade as a Oenologist (one who has studied winemaking). After his studies, Mr. Rossi left the wine business and started up a whisky company in Edinburgh (Wilson and Morgan) acting as an independent bottler of Single Malt Scotch Whisky. His interest turned to rum and in 1999 Fabio Rossi founded Rum Nation. His company is headquartered in Italy; but Fabio purchases select rums from various distillers in the Caribbean and the Americas. As a result Rum Nation provides a rather unique assortment of rare limited edition rum bottlings.

One such bottling is Rum Nation Demerara 23 Year Old.

This is quite an interesting rum. According to my correspondence with Mr. Rossi he purchased 3 casks of this rum from a vendor in the United Kingdom in 2002. The barrels bore the marque from the 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.

Your may click on the following excerpt to read the full review:

Review: Rum Nation Demerara 23 Year Old

“… 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 …”

Please enjoy the review of this very interesting Demerara rum.

Cheers!

 

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Review: Ron Zacapa Centenario XO 15

Posted by Arctic Wolf on February 3, 2013

SAM_0295 Zacapa 15Ron Zacapa rums are made from sugar cane harvested in southern Guatemala, which is pressed into virgin sugar cane honey. The fermentation process (which takes approximately 5 days) uses a yeast strain (saccharomyces cerevisae) isolated from pineapples to transform sugars within the cane honey into alcohol. After fermentation, the fermented ‘wine’ is distilled in a single continuous column. (A distillation by-product called vinasse which contains the fermented must, yeast and other non-fermentable products which are rich in sugars and minerals is recycled and used to nourish and irrigate the Guatemalan sugar cane fields.)

The Ron Zacapa Centenario 15, is produced from rums which range in age from 5 years to 15 years. The barrels used for aging are a mixture of American Whisky casks, and Sherry and Pedro Ximenez wine barrels. The combination of high altitude aging and the variety of reused oak barrels creates a complex rum with a rich aroma and flavour. This rum is bottled at 40 % alcohol by volume, and available through the duty-free trade (at major airports).

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“… The aroma which rises from the glass is full of rich brown sugar, dark tobacco, molasses, baking spices and wiffs of chocolate. As I let the glass sit, I seem to be able to distinguish spicy hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and vanilla as well as the Christmas-like scents of dark fruitcake and fresh broken nut shells …”

Here is the link to my full review:

Review: Ron Zacapa Centenario XO 15

Please enjoy my review!

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Review: Rum Nation Demerara Solera N° 14

Posted by Arctic Wolf on January 22, 2013

Demerara Solera 14 2012Rum Nation’s Demerara Solera N° 14 is quite an interesting rum. According to my correspondence with the Brand Owner, Fabio Rossi, he buys aged bulk Demerara rum (roughly four to six years) from Guyana (Demerara Distillers Limited) which has been blended with various portions from each of the Single Wooden Pot (Versailles Still) and Double Wooden Pot  (Port Mourant Still).

The bulk rum purchased by Rum Nation is taken to the Nebbiolo area of Italy where it is transferred to sherry butts (PX and Oloroso) and aged for a short period of time (about 12 to 14 months). After aging, a few liters of 1997 vintage EHP (Enmore) rum is added before it is bottled. (EHP is the marque for DDL’s ancient Wooden Continuous Coffey Still.) Based upon the information as provided to me, I reckon the Demerara Solera No. 14 is approximately a five-year old rum. The recipe is rather simple and includes rum from each of the now famous ancient wooden stills from Demerara Distillers Heritage Plant. (I do believe the bulk rum used in the blend contains rums from other stills as well, but I have no information regarding the exact proportions, or exactly which other stills contribute to the Demerara Bulk Rum. )

Mr. Rossi provided me a 200 ml sample of this rum such that I would have a chance to review it here on my website. Here is an excerpt from that review:

“… The initial aroma from the glass is full of oak tannins and sap which have been tainted with a spicy toffee, orange peel zest, and butterscotch candies. Baking spices in the form of vanilla, cinnamon and spicy cloves mingle in those breezes above the glass …”

Here is a link to the full review:

Review: Rum Nation Demerara Solera N° 14

Enjoy the Review!

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Review: Fortuna (Ron Reserva Exclusiva)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on January 15, 2013

SAM_0594 Ron Fortuna ExclusivaRon Fortuna Exclusiva is a new rum produced in Nicaragua which is being imported into North America by Berniko, LLC, a family owned and operated import company based in Florida. According to the Ron Fortuna website, the rum is produced upon a five column still from locally grown sugar cane. This is a true 8 Year Old Rum with the youngest spirit in the blend matured for at least 8 years in American Oak (in warehouses which share the same environment as the cane fields from which the rum was distilled).

The name for the rum apparently has its roots in Roman Mythology and the goddess Fortuna who is the Goddess of Luck and Fate. The fortune brought by this Goddess is apparently closely tied to a person’s strength of character, and as a result may be either good or bad. Hopefully my strength of character is sufficient that my sampling sessions are blessed with good fortune.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“… The initial aroma rising from the glass is a pleasing mixture of butterscotch, tobacco, light oak and baking spices. I was expecting more of an oak presence based upon eight years of aging in the tropics, but whomever crafted the rum has done a good job meshing the oak into the rum harmoniously… “

Here is a link to the Full Review:

Review: Fortuna (Ron Reserva Exclusiva)

Please enjoy the review and the Lemon Muddled Cuba Libre’ Cocktail which follows!

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Top 30 Rums Countdown # 1 – Ron Millonario XO Reserva Especial Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 24, 2012

Top 30Ron Millonario XOPeople always ask me, (when they find out about my website), what my favourite rum is. I usually hedge my bets and say something about how it depends upon my mood or what time of year it is. And for the most part, that is a truthful answer. Some spirits seem to taste better in the winter when it is cold, and some seem to find their sweet spot in the summer it is warm and the barbeque is grilling some hot dogs. But if I am really honest, I must admit that there are a few rums which seem to always find my sweet spot regardless of mood or time of the year. The Ron Millonario XO Reserva Especial is one of those great rums which never disappoints me. It never disappointed any of my Judging Panel either!

So without any further hoopla, allow me to introduce the 2012 Rum Howler Rum of the Year, judged by my Panel of Judges to be the Best in the World!

# 1 – Ron Millonario XO Reserva Especial Rum

“…  When I took my first sip of this rum, my immediate reaction what to exclaim, “Oh, that is lovely!” and subsequent sips and samplings have done nothing to dissuade me from this initial reaction. The main flavours of caramel/molasses, oak spice and baking spices seem to be perfectly melded together. Hints of raisin, figs, tobacco and chocolate seem to provide just the right accent to make this a suave mouth watering rum …”

The rum has it all, great depth of flavour, wonderful consistency from nose to mouth to finish, and wonderful balance between all of its elements. I simply love it, and my Judges did too!

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Posted in Awards, Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , , | 1 Comment »