The Rum Howler Blog

(A Website for Spirited Reviews)

  • Copyright

    Copyright is inherent when an original work is created. This means that the producer of original work is automatically granted copyright protection. This copyright protection not only exists in North America, but extends to other countries as well. Thus, all of the work produced on this blog is protected by copyright, including all of the pictures and all of the articles. These original works may not be copied or reused in any way whatsoever without the permission of the author, Chip Dykstra.

  • Cocktails and Recipes

    Click Image for Awesome Recipes

  • Industry Interviews

    Interviews

    Click the Image for Great Interviews with the Movers of Industry

  • The Rum Howler Interview (Good Food Revolution)

    Click on the Image to see my interview on Good Food Revolution

  • The Rum Howler Blog

    Unknown's avatar

  • Rum Reviews

  • Whisky Reviews

  • Gin Reviews

  • Tequila Reviews

  • Vodka Reviews

  • Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

    Join 1,092 other subscribers

  • Subscribe

  • Visitors

    • 15,545,766 pageviews since inception

  • Archives

  • Follow The Rum Howler Blog on WordPress.com

Archive for the ‘Rum’ Category

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »

Review: Kōloa Kaua`i Spice Hawaiian Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 8, 2011

Nestled on the Island of Kaua`i, the Kōloa Rum Company is making history. It started ten 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 obtained a license to distill their rum. The first legally distilled rum in the Island’s history.

I have previous reviewed the Kōloa Kaua`i White Hawaiian Rum, the Kōloa Kaua`i Gold Hawaiian Rum, and the Kōloa Kaua`i Dark Hawaiian Rum. In each case I have marveled that such a young company was able to produce rums of such quality. Early this summer the Kōloa Rum Company sent me a sample of their new spice rum and that rum is the subject of this review.

Here is an excerpt:

“… the initial nose is very pleasant with that sweet caramelized sugar rising into the air with a variety of spices. Vanilla and nutmeg seem prevalent, and I detect cinnamon and cloves in the air as well. Other spices are indistinct but I seem to sense allspice, and orange peel in the breezes as well…”

And here is a link to the full review:

Review: Kōloa Kaua`i Spice Hawaiian Rum

I have included a nice recipe which combines pineapple and raspberry with the spice rum and I call it, The Raspberry Smooch.

Please enjoy the review and the cocktail provided!

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

Review: Cockspur Fine Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 1, 2011

Barbados is generally considered the birthplace of rum dating back to 1651 where the first recorded written usage of the word Rum Bullion appears. More than two hundred years later in 1884 a Dane, Valdemar Hanschell, founded a business in Barbados, supplying visiting ships with ropes, sails, salt, fresh fruit, meat and of course Barbados rum. Through the years, business thrived and so too did the popularity of his Cockspur Rum.

Cockspur Fine Rum is the flagship brand for the company. It is distilled from Island cane molasses, aged in American Oak, and brought to bottling strength with Barbados’ own coral filtered water. Both column still and pot still rums are used to in the distillation of the rum which bottled at 40 % alcohol by volume.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“…I began by sipping the Cockspur Rum in my glass, neat, without ice. The mouth-feel was slightly oily, and the initial flavour was very complex bringing a bevy of pungent flavours forward. I tasted charred caramel (treacle) and dark molasses as well as dry fruit flavours of prunes and dates…”

Here is a link to the full review:

Review: Cockspur Fine Rum

The review includes a nice ‘punch’ style recipe which I hope you enjoy!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Cockspur Fine Rum

Review: Old Sam Demerara Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on August 25, 2011

The original recipe for Old Sam Demerara Rum stretches back to 1797 when Edward Young & Co. (from London & Liverpool, England) imported their rum from the Caribbean (primarily from Guyana) and brought the first barrels marked ‘Old Sam’ to London, England. Today the rum no longer travels to England to be blended and bottled, rather it travels to Newfoundland where it is blended and bottled by the Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation (NLC). The entire blend hails from Guyana, and I have been informed that the age of these rums in the blend is no younger than 2 years old. In fact some of the rum in the blend may be as old as 12 years, but as the rum is blended to a specific taste profile, the oldest rum in the blend may change from batch to batch. I was given a sample of the Old Sam Demerara Rum by Greg Kerr of the NLC for the purpose of my review.

Here is an Excerpt from that review:

“…The taste of molasses, candied caramel and orange peel leads out into the mouth but these flavours are soon accompanied by tobacco and musty leather. I also taste a dry fruity flavour which reminds me of raisins and prunes with perhaps a few figs and dates thrown in for good measure…”

You may read the full review here:

Review: Old Sam Demerara Rum

I have included a nice recipe which I call the Maritime Mai Tai.

Please enjoy my review!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , | 9 Comments »

Movies and Cocktails: Part 1

Posted by Arctic Wolf on August 24, 2011

I found myself watching an old western on the television a few weeks ago on one of those rare days when the movie suited my mood perfectly. Of course, I wanted a drink, but not just a drink…. I wanted a drink that suited the mood I was in and the movie I was watching. I settled on a dusty Canadian Rye Whisky and settled down to watch my movie.

Afterwards I began to think about why I wanted a particular drink for that particular movie, and I realized that this actually happens to me quite often.  For me movies are a ‘mood’ experience. I have to be in a certain mood to watch certain movies. Certain moods call for certain styles of drinks. So I began to put together a list of my favourite movies and thought about what I would like to drink while watching. I analyzed each movie briefly before selecting the appropriate cocktail for each.  I came up with this list:

Some of my Favourite Movies (And What to Drink When Watching Them)

This is just Part 1, next month or thereabouts I will post Part 2 with five more movies.

Cheers!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Extras, Gin, Rum, Whisk(e)y | Tagged: , | Comments Off on Movies and Cocktails: Part 1

Review: Plantation Nicaragua (1998) Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on August 18, 2011

The Plantation Nicaragua (1998) Rum is a column distilled rum which has been aged in used bourbon casks. The rum was transported from Nicaragua to France, and then it was aged for a short time in used Cognac casks to enhance the rum before it was bottled as part of Cognac Ferrand’s growing line-up of Plantation Rum. Cognac Ferrand has long had a special relationship with a variety of Caribbean rum producers which is based upon the rum producer’s need for quality oak casks to age their rum. Based upon this relationship, Cognac Ferrand is able to acquire certain old and unique batches of rum from various Caribbean sources, which they bring back to France and finish in their own warehouses and of course their own Cognac Casks.

I was given eight sample bottles, each 200 ml in size, which represent a good portion of the Plantation Rum line-up. The Plantation Nicaragua is the fourth of these sample bottles which I have chosen to review here on my blog.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“…As I let the glass decant, the honeyed molasses evolves into a more butterscotch-like aroma, and I also begin to sense which seems to be some wisps of leather and green tobacco in the aroma. A growing awareness of fruit has come over me as a light sweet grapiness is also apparent…”

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Plantation Nicaragua (1998) Rum

Please enjoy the review!

Posted in Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Plantation Nicaragua (1998) Rum

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »