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Archive for the ‘Rum’ Category

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Review: Proof Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on November 24, 2011

Proof Rum is a relatively new brand of Rum produced by Proof Brands. The company currently produces whisky, rum and vodka all of which are bottled at 42 % ABV in unique stubby 500 ml bottles. The brand and the spirits are the creation of Michael Riley, a ten-year veteran of the alcohol beverage industry. Michael spent 5 years as the Director of Spirits for the LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario). He has also has worked with such brands as Crown Royal, Absolut, Captain Morgan, Chivas Regal and Molson Canadian. Proof Rum was recently awarded a silver medal at the 2011 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

As part of the review process, I emailed Michael Riley to learn a little about his rum. What I learned is that the backbone of his spirit is a Guyanese aged rum which has spent 1.5-2 years aging in oak barrels (the time in oak varies with climate conditions), before being shipped to Canada. In order to achieve a consistent taste profile the rum is blended with small quantities of other rums which have been aged in Canada. The country of origin of these “Canadian Rums’  may vary depending upon what the blender requires to keep the taste profile consistent. The final blend is charcoal filtered to produce the clear spirit called, Proof Rum. I was recently given a bottle of this Proof Rum by the local distributor of Proof Brands, Diamond Estate Wines & Spirits for the purpose of a review here on my website.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“… That lemony scent I noticed on the nose comes though in spades when I sip the Proof Rum. It accents the rummy caramel flavour, and I am quite liking what I taste as I am sipping. There is just a little floral character as well which reminds me of balsam or perhaps more of lilacs, and there is a little hot peppery madness going on as well which bodes very well for cocktails…”

You may read the full review here:

Review: Proof Rum

As well I have provided a nice recipe I call the Iced Rum Cocktail.

Please enjoy the review!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Rum, Rum Reviews, White Rums | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Proof Rum

Review: Legendario Ron Anejo

Posted by Arctic Wolf on November 20, 2011

Photo Courtesy Legendario.com

Jesus Lester Pomo (a Cuban National living in Spain) is the Export Manager for Legendario Rums (headquarters in Spain) responsible for the world-wide export of the Legendario line-up. Although the company is headquartered in Spain, the rum itself apparently hails from Cuba. The Legendario Rum arrives from Cuba to Europe via the  Sl Valencia Company. The brand, founded in the city of Havana since 1946, is marketed in the domestic market by the company Cuban Beverages.

The subject of my review, the Legendario Ron Anejo, is produced from a blend of 1, 4, and 6 year-old Cuban Rums which, after blending, are mixed with a small amount of muscatel wine. The blended product is then rested (or married) in American oak barrels for 15 days. The final rum is filtered through a traditional system of activated carbon filters and silica sand before bottling.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“…When I bring the glass to my nose, I sense a combination of sweet caramel and dark field berries. There are also rich smells of vanilla and baking spices. As I let the glass decant, a honeyed molasses evolves;  I also begin to sense which seems to be some wisps of dark tobacco and raisins in the aroma…”

You may read the full review here:

Review: Legendario Ron Anejo

Please enjoy this review of a rather unique Cuban Rum!

Cheers!

Posted in Dark Rums, Flavouerd Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Legendario Ron Anejo

Review: Plantation Panama 2000 (Old Reserve) Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on November 17, 2011

Cognac Ferrand has long had a special relationship with a variety of Caribbean rum producers. This relationship is based upon the rum producer’s need for quality oak casks to age their rum. Cognac casks, in particular, are highly sought after as ideal oak vessels for maturing quality rums. Based upon this relationship, they began to acquire certain old and unique batches of rum from various Caribbean sources, which were brought back to France to be finished in their own Cognac Casks. These rums have been bottled in a series of special Vintages under the umbrella of Cognac Ferrand’s own label, Plantation Rum.

The Plantation Panama 2000 (Old Reserve) Rum is column distilled rum which has been aged for nine years in selected bourbon casks. The aged rum was transported from Nicaragua to France, and then it was additionally aged for a short time in used Cognac casks to enhance or ‘finish’ the rum before it was bottled. I was given eight sample bottles, each 200 ml in size, which represent a good portion of the Plantation Rum line-up. The Plantation Panama is the fifth of these sample bottles which I have chosen to review here on my blog.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“…The aroma from the glass immediately reminds me of butterscotch candy (actually Rum & Butter Lifesavers). An undercurrent of tobacco is also apparent as are light oak spices and vanilla. As I let the glass breathe, the aroma evolves into a sweet butterscotch-toffee which has a light herbal quality of sweet-grass and pungent spice…”

You may read the full review here:

Review: Plantation Panama 2000 (Old Reserve) Rum

Please enjoy the review of this rather special rum!

Posted in Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Plantation Panama 2000 (Old Reserve) Rum

Review: Captain Morgan 100 Spiced Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on November 3, 2011

The Captain Morgan Rum Company traces its history back to 1945 when Seagram’s CEO, Samuel Bronfman, negotiated the purchase of the Long Pond Distillery from the Jamaican Government and formed the Captain Morgan Rum Company. The company’s iconic rum brand, Captain Morgan’s Original Spiced Rum was based upon a recipe purchased from two local Jamaican pharmacists, the Levy Brothers, who had developed the recipe using rum from the Long Pond Distillery.

The subject of this review,  Captain Morgan 100 Spiced Rum is an overproof variation of the Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum. It is bottled at 50 % alcohol by volume rather than at the 35 % alcohol by volume strength of the Original Spiced Rum. The Captain Morgan 100 Spiced Rum is a blend of Caribbean rums which have been aged in white oak barrels.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“…The Captain Morgan 100 Proof Spiced Rum however, surprised me in the side by side tasting by carrying less roughness onto the palate. This rum is smoother than its lower proof sibling even though it carries more of an alcoholic punch. The flavours which I associate with good rum like oak spices which meld into a nice rummy caramel are more apparent in the stronger version of the rum…”

Here is a link to the full review:

Review: Captain Morgan 100 Spiced Rum

Please enjoy the review!

Posted in Flavouerd Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Captain Morgan 100 Spiced Rum

Review: Brinley Gold Shipwreck Spiced Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on October 23, 2011

Robert and Zachary Brinley founded the St. Kitts Rum Company in the early 1990s to blend and market their Brinley Gold Rums on St. Kitts and in the United States. It is the stated goal of the company to make and market the “best tasting flavoured rums in the world“. To that end, the Brinley Gold Shipwreck Spiced Rum is produced using a rum blend which has been aged for four years in used American whisky and bourbon barrels. The rum is flavoured (or perhaps I should say spiced) with Madagascar vanilla, orange, nutmeg, clove, and other tropical spice flavors. It is blended as a mixing rum, but Brinley maintains that the rum is smooth enough to be enjoyed over ice.

As part of this review, three friends and I performed a side by side tasting comparing Brinley Gold Shipwreck Spiced Rum, with the Bacardi Oakheart Spiced Rum, and the standard bearer for the spiced rum category, Captain Morgan’s Original Spiced.

Each of these rums is produced from stocks which have been aged in American oak barrels. As well, each of these rums seems to walk the path of a vanilla and caramel rum accented by fragrant spices which compliment the rum but not to dominate it. With this similarity in style and production, a side by side tasting seemed only natural.

(I should note that a sample bottle of Brinley Gold Shipwreck Spiced Rum was provided to me for this review by the River Valley Beverage Group, which is the liquor agency responsible for distributing this rum in Alberta.)

Here is an excerpt from my review:


“… The flavour of the rum carries a bit of an oaky thread with butterscotch, and a strong push of vanilla riding in the currents. I taste some light baking spices as well as a very light indication of canned fruit (apricots and pears). There are some other spicy flavours which remind me of nutmeg and cloves…”

You may read the full review here:

Review: Brinley Gold Shipwreck Spiced Rum

As well I have included a nice cocktail with this review called the Orange Push-up.

Please enjoy the review and the cocktail!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Flavouerd Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Brinley Gold Shipwreck Spiced Rum

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