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Archive for the ‘Dark Rums’ Category

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Review: Cruzan Single Barrel Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on August 26, 2010

Cruzan Single Barrel Rum

About one month ago, I was pleasantly surprised by the appearance of Simon Mooney, the local Brand Ambassador for BeamGlobal, who had dropped by with a sample bottle of the new Cruzan Single Barrel Rum.  His wish was for me to put the rum through the paces of my review system and to see what came out. I was mildly surprised as the Cruzan Single Barrel Estate Rum was one of my very first rum reviews. Then again maybe I should not have been surprised, as Simon has been a reader of my blog for a while now, and he must have noticed that the review I had previously done was for the older bottling of the Cruzan Rum. Perhaps the blend has changed, or perhaps, this being a Single Barrel offering with each bottling representing a unique barrel of rum, each return to a new batch will be a little different. Whatever the reason for the sample bottle, I was only too happy to oblige with a new review of the new bottle.

To refresh your memory, Cruzan Single Barrel Rums are produced from a blend of vintage rums which have been aged up to 12 years.  Once blended the vintage rums are then finished in a new oak barrel for about one year. Barrels are bottled individually with each bottle of rum coming from a single barrel.  This picture shows the bottle I reviewed.  As stated above, since my initial tasting, Cruzan has changed the bottle design, and they have even changed the name of the rum slightly, but they have not changed the manner in which the rum is made. However, because each new barrel will have different characteristics, each bottling will be a little different from the last; but, the general character of each bottling should be similar due to the overall blending process.

Here is an excerpt from the new review:

“…Once poured, I immediately noticed a rich toffee scent which seems to have a nice oak spice embedded in the aroma. I catch hints of maple in the breezes as well as vanilla and orange citrus peel. In all, this is a rich pleasant nose that brings all the right elements to the fore….”

You may read the full review here:

Review: Cruzan Single Barrel Rum

Posted in Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , | 2 Comments »

Review: Kōloa Kaua`i Gold Hawaiian Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on August 19, 2010

Harvesting the Cane at Gay and Robinson (Photo Courtesy Jeanne Toulon)

Nestled on the Island of Kaua`i, the Kōloa Rum Company is making history. It started nine years ago when the company was first incorporated. A seven-year struggle through red tape and government bureaucracy ensued before the necessary permits and licenses were granted, and finally on April 1, 2009, the Kōloa Rum Company was granted a license to distill their rum. The first legally distilled rum in the Island’s history.

Photo Courtesy of The Koloa Rum Company

The Kōloa rums are not made from traditional molasses, rather they are distilled from the crystallized sugar produced at the local Gay and Robinson Sugar Factory. This sugar, produced from 100% Kaua`i cane, has a higher than normal molasses content,  and as such, the sugar is a good starting point for making artisan rum. All of the rum is distilled using a vintage 1210 gallon copper pot still which was purchased in Kentucky, and transported first by train, and then by boat all the way to Hawaii.

My introduction to the Kōloa Rum Company’s Hawaiian rums was at Rum Renaissance in Miami, Florida. The Kōloa Dark Rum won a Gold Medal at the festival in the Rum XP Tasting Competition, and this was my first clue that something special might be happening in Hawaii. A gold medal rum, produced by a company which was just beginning to spread its wings…. I decided to investigate.

After contacting the Kōloa Rum Company, I was sent samples of their entire range for my review. I decided to start the review series with the Kōloa Kaua`i Gold Hawaiian Rum.

Here is an Excerpt from my review:

“…A surprising mild flavour is the initial impression I received when I sipped the gold rum for the first time. Again the flavour of the Gay and Robinson crystallized sugar comes though very clearly. It is a honeyed, caramel flavour which is sweet and inviting. Citrus zest, and light peppery spices follow with perhaps a little plantain or banana in the mid palate…”

You may Read the Full Review Here:

Review:Kōloa Kaua`i Gold Hawaiian Rum

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Kōloa Kaua`i Gold Hawaiian Rum

Rum Review: Santiago De Cuba Ron Anejo

Posted by Arctic Wolf on August 5, 2010

Pictured to the right is a bottle of Ron Anejo Santigo de Cuba, an authentic Cuban rum which was provided for me to sample. I was asked me to take the bottle home with me, try a few ounces and to provide an opinion. I decided it would be nice to share this opinion on my blog as well.

I have found very little information about the rum, other than what I can decipher from the label and the smattering of information on the internet where it is sold by some internet dealers as an 11-year-old rum, and others as simply an anejo rum without age statement.  I also ran across claims that this was Fidel Castro’s favourite rum.  A claim which I can neither confirm nor deny.

Here is a clip from my review:
..The mouth is clean and slightly sharp with orange peel, lime and oak spice.  Mild toffee and almonds combine with  charred coconut, and perhaps a hint of treacle. There is the vaguest hint of leather and smoke but these elements are underdeveloped…”

You may read the rest of the review here:

Rum Review: Santiago De Cuba Ron Anejo

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , | 2 Comments »

Introducing Kōloa Kaua`i Hawaiian Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on August 3, 2010

It was at the Rum Renaissance in Miami Florida this past May that I was first introduced to Kōloa Kaua`i Hawaiian Rum. The Kōloa Rum Company had been ‘up and rumming’ for approximately one year, and in spite of the competition from much more experienced rum companies, the Kōloa Kaua`i Dark Hawaiian Rum garnered one of prestigious gold medals at the Rumxp Tasting Competition which was in held conjunction with the event. This was a remarkable feat considering that the license to distill alcohol had been issued only one year previous, on April 1, 2009.

So I decided I had better get to know this company a little better, and after I emailed my information request, I was contacted by Jeanne Toulon, Director of Public Relations, for the Kōloa Rum Company.  Jeanne was only too happy to help me out and soon deluged me with news clippings, a cool video and as much information as she could stuff into the large brown envelope that she sent my way.  I was even given a small sample of the crystallized brown sugar from the Gay and Robinson Plantation which is the basic raw material from which all of the Kōloa Rum is distilled.  (I should add that her generosity also extended to the delivery of three bottles of the Company’s, Kōloa Kaua`i Hawaiian Rum, so that I could sample and review them at my leisure here on my blog.)

In case you are wondering, the Kōloa Rums are made using a vintage 1210 gallon vintage copper pot still imported from Kentucky.  This copper still was first shipped by train to the west coast and then by boat to the Islands of Hawaii.  Constructed just after World War II, the still was previously used to distill Kentucky whiskey.

The actual base material for the distillation is not molasses, but rather the Gay and Robinson Plantation crystallized sugar.  I am told that the sugar has a higher than normal molasses content and indeed it carries a wonderful molasses aroma.  From this distillate, and using the vintage copper pot still, all of the Kōloa Rum is made in a batch style.  The resulting white rum is about as pure as rum can be,  bottled fresh with no barrel aging.  The gold rum is just as fresh as the white, with the gold colour stemming from the addition of caramelized Gay and Robinson Plantation crystal sugar.  And finally, the dark rum, which also uses fresh rum, is enhanced with the same caramelized sugar as well as a secret recipe of spices to give it the dark rich colour and flavour which resulted in the Gold Medal at Rum Renaissance.  In a way these are throwback rums made in the manner and style of the past when it was entirely the blender’s mastery that was needed to sooth the spirit rather than the use of oak barrel aging.

The The Kōloa Rum Company has already broken new ground being the first company to legally produce rum on the Island of Kaua`i.  They have also recently established a Plantation style tasting room for visitors to the distillery to enjoy their rums, and they have won a Gold medal at Rum Renaissance.  All of this after merely one year of operation! I think it is obvious to see why I was excited to learn more.

So over the next several weeks I will be embarking on a Hawaiian odyssey of sorts. I will review each bottle of Kōloa rum, putting them through the rigors of my tasting methodology.  What the results of my reviews will be, I cannot say at this point, but what I can say is that based upon the accolades they have already earned, and based how hard they have worked in their first year of operation, I am entering upon my Hawaiian odyssey with a very positive outlook.  You can look forward to the reviews over the next several weeks.

Posted in Dark Rums, Flavouerd Rums, Howls, Rum, White Rums | Tagged: , , , | Comments Off on Introducing Kōloa Kaua`i Hawaiian Rum

Rum Review: Zafra Master Reserve

Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 22, 2010

 

At Rum Renaissance, I had a wonderful time.  One of the highlights of the trip was meeting the people who are responsible for producing the  Zafra Master Reserve.  I think you can all recognize myself in the picture to the right, but I would also like to introduce the others.  Next to me on the right is Carlos E. Esquivel G. the Executive Director of PILSA (A Rum distillery and production company, specializing in Aged Rums, and Rum related products in Panama ans South America). Just to the right of me is Francisco “Don Pancho” Fernandez Perez,  the Master Distiller and Company Director who is directly responsible for the blending and the construction of  Zafra Master Reserve.  Beside Pancho is his son, Lorenzo, who is growing and learning at the side of his father, Pancho.

The reason I am happy to introduce these people really has nothing to do with their rum, but everything to do with the feeling of ‘family’ that they brought to Rum Renaissance.  In a town like Miami, where the lines between reality and pure fantasy are blurred, it was totally unexpected to find such genuinely nice people, who treated me like part of their family.  If the approach they take towards their rum is half as good as the approach they take towards people, then the Zafra Master Reserve will be a delight to sample and review.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“…The rum enters the palate with a soft bourbon flavour which is very approachable. However this soft approach is followed quickly by a wave of oak spices and tannin. Riding the crest of these waves are flashes of cherries,  blackberries and grapes which are vaguely reminiscent a port influence upon the spirit….”

You may read the full review here:

Rum Review: Zafra Master Reserve

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Rum Review: Zafra Master Reserve

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