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Archive for the ‘Dark Rums’ Category

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Review: Mount Gay Black Barrel

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 2, 2017

Mount Gay 1703 Black Barrel Rum was introduced in 2014. It is comprised of a blend of rums produced from both pot and column still distillation and aged in heavily charred bourbon barrels. According to the Mount Gay Distillery Master Blender, Allen Smith the Black Barrel Rum was specifically blended to give rum enthusiasts the best of two worlds:

“We actually launched Mount Gay Black Barrel in 2013 to give drinkers a complex premium rum that they could enjoy as a sipping rum or by mixing in cocktails, and it has become one of our most popular rums. It’s a small batch, handcrafted blend that has a balanced, but bold spicy flavor.”

Here is a link to my full review of Allen Smith’s Black Barrel Rum:

Review: Mount Gay 1703 Black Barrel Rum

“… I noticed sweet dark caramel and toffee aromas leading out in front of fruity scents of orange peel and banana. All of this is accented by impressions of light baking spices (vanilla and hints of cinnamon). Lurking within this sweetness are impressions of oak spice and ginger, faint hints of copper pennies and some mild indications of pipe tobacco …”

Please enjoy my review which concludes with two very nice recipe suggestions, The Black Storm, and Crimson Cane.

Chimo

 

Posted in Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Mount Gay Black Barrel

Review: Appleton Estate Signature Blend VX Jamaican Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on May 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. 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.

This Appleton Estate Rum is crafted from pot stills in small batches. After blending and aging the rums are ready for bottling. The flagship of the brand, Appleton Estate VX Rum was recently re-branded as Appleton Estate Signature Blend VX rum. This is still a non-age stated rum however, the The Appleton Estate website tells us that the Signature Blend VX Rum is currently a blend of 15 aged rums with an average of 4 years.

Here is a link to my full review of the newly re-branded flagship Appleton Rum:

Review: Appleton Estate Signature Blend VX Jamaican  Rum

“… Orange peel and oak spice dominate the palate giving the rum a lively mouth feel and the tonsils a little whack on the way down. Spicy wood sap is softened just a little by some vanilla and brown sugar allowing us to notice a ripple of apricot brandy, and a light winding almond flavour …”

Please enjoy my latest review which includes my latest cocktail creation, the Time Traveller.

Posted in Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Appleton Estate Signature Blend VX Jamaican Rum

Review: Pusser’s Gunpowder Proof Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on April 28, 2017

sam_3048Pusser’s Rum is advertised as the original rum of the British Royal Navy. And it is a fact that for over 300 years it was a tradition of the British Navy that each member of the crew was issued a daily ‘tot’ of rum. This tradition began in 1655, and by 1731, the tradition of the daily ‘tot’ was in general use throughout the British Navy. As it was the ship’s purser who was responsible for issuing the rum, the tot of rum became known as Pusser’s Rum in a sort of slang derivation of the term ‘Purser’s Rum’.

Pusser’s Gunpowder Proof Rum is new to the Pusser’s range. According to the producer’s website it is a traditional Royal Navy style rum produced at original Admiralty strength. Prior to the invention of the hydrometer, the ship’s purser shutdown claims of watering down sailors’ daily tot by mixing a few grains of gunpowder to the rum to see if it would burn. If the mixture ignited, the rum was ‘at proof.’ If it didn’t, the purser might find himself tossed to sea.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Pusser’s Gunpowder Proof Rum

“… The nose is heavy with aromas of brown sugar, caramel and molasses. Within the brown sugary caramel I sense a building up of baking spices (vanilla, with some hints of nutmeg and cinnamon) and dry fruit (heavy on dry raisins and light on dates and prunes). Perhaps I am gleaning some wisps of black licorice and asphalt tar as well …”

Please enjoy the review which includes a nice cocktail suggestion, the Magazine.

Chimo!

 

Posted in Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Pusser’s Gunpowder Proof Rum

Review: Appleton Estate Joy Anniversary Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on March 24, 2017

On March 23rd, 2017 I attended to a very special tasting event hosted by Joy Spence, Master Blender for Appleton Estate Rum. This wasn’t an ordinary tasting event. Joy Spence and Appleton Estate were serving a very special new rum.

Joy is celebrating her 20th anniversary as Master Blender of Appleton Estate Rum. She joined Appleton Estate Rum in 1982 as Chief Chemist and was appointed as the brand’s Master Distiller/Blender in 1997. At that time, Joy Spence became not only first woman to be the Master Blender of a premium rum brand, but also the first woman in the world to be the Master Blender of a global spirits brand. Since then, she has earned numerous awards, including the honorary Doctorate of Science degree from the University of Louborough and, in 2016, the Golden Rum Barrel Award for the Most Influential Rum Blender of the Last 10 Years.

To acknowledge her extraordinary career, Appleton Estate is paying homage to the revolutionary Joy Spence by releasing Appleton Estate Joy Anniversary Blend, a rare 25-year-old minimum aged limited edition rum.

Here is a link to my full review of the Appleton Estate Joy Anniversary Rum which I cobbled together from the tasting notes I wrote at yesterday’s tasting event.

Review: Appleton Estate Joy Anniversary Rum

“… I was extremely pleased to find Jamaican pot still character (camphor and resin, bits of menthol, and vague hints of tar and iodine) very much in evidence within the oak and spice. Also within the merry little breezes was the Appleton Estate Rum signature of orange peel combined with dark brown sugar and rich baking spices (vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon and hints of allspice) …”

I hope you enjoy the review which concludes with a few serving suggestions from none other than Joy Spence herself as Joy shared with me how she would recommend enjoying her special Anniversary Rum with a small group of friends.

 

Posted in Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Appleton Estate Joy Anniversary Rum

Cocktail Hour: Arctic Wolf’s Christmas Eggnog

Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 20, 2016

Back by popular demand, I am re-posting my recipe for my special Christmas Eggnog. My recipe mixes Dark Rum and Canadian Whisky with Eggs, Whipped Cream, Whole Milk and Christmas Spices. This year my chosen spirits are the very flavourful tiki rum Lemonhart Original Demerara, and the classic Canadian whisky, Canadian Club Premium. This recipe of mine does require a baker’s touch get everything just right; but the results are so good that if you serve this eggnog on Christmas Eve, you will have all of your family begging for seconds.

lemonorig-e1388785628641Arctic Wolf’s Christmas Eggnog
(Four serving recipe)

Ingredients

3 Eggs (room temperature with the yolk and whites separated)
3/8 cup White Sugar (for the yolks)
3 tablespoons White Sugar (for the whites)
1/4 teaspoon Vanilla
a touch Ground Cloves (1/16 tsp)
a pinch of Grated Nutmeg (1/8 tsp)
a dash of Ground Cinnamon (3/16 tsp)
1 1/2 cups Whipping Cream (chilled)
1 cup Whole Milk
1/2 cup Dark Rum (Lemonhart Original Dark Rum)
2/3 cup Canadian Whisky (Canadian Club Premium)

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canadian-club-premium-sam_2653Start with the Egg Yolks

Separate your egg yolks and your egg whites in two separate bowls
Whisk the first amount of sugar and the vanilla into the egg yolks
Add a touch of  ground cloves, a pinch of nutmeg, and a dash of cinnamon into the yolk bowl
Add the cream, the milk and the rum and the whisky
Make sure everything is mixed thoroughly

Next the Egg Whites

This is where a baker’s touch is necessary
Beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks (3-4 minutes)
Add the second amount of sugar slowly during this beating process.

Then we Combine

Gently and with large circular motions blend the egg white mixture into the yolk mixture, trying to keep things as ‘poofy’ as possible
Gently spoon the mixture into your serving cups
Sprinkle a little left over spice on the top of each glass, and enjoy with your favourite Christmas chocolates!

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

eggnog

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Cocktails & Recipes, Dark Rums, Rum, Whisk(e)y | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Cocktail Hour: Arctic Wolf’s Christmas Eggnog

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