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Archive for the ‘Rum’ Category

Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown #12: Monymusk Classic Gold Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 13, 2016

2016rum_howler_badgeMonymusk Classic Gold Rum is produced in Jamaica by a partnership called the National Rums of Jamaica. The spirit is produced at the Claredon Distillery (also called the Monymusk Distillery), near Lionel Town in the heart of Jamaica’s sugar cane producing region. The Claredon Distillery contains a modern column still plant and a second older plant with two  double-retort pot stills.

brooklynitesam_2847While the vast majority of the rum distillate produced at the distillery is destined for bulk sales (much of it to Diageo), about 10 % of the rum distilled is set down to rest in American Oak barrels and aged at the NJR facility at Innswood, an older distillery which now serves as an aging and blending facility for Claredon.

Monymusk Classic Gold Rum was produced from aged rum from both the modern column plant and the double-retort pot stills.

Here is a link to the Number 12 Mixing Rum in my Top 50 Countdown:

#12: Monymusk Classic Gold Rum

“… The Jamaican pot still is in evidence as I notice camphor, some black licorice, a light menthol coolness, and a touch of brine-like saltiness. The flavours across the palate are true to what the nose had promised. Perhaps there is a touch more sweetness and perhaps a little stronger oak presence than I expected; however the Jamaican pot still remains the centerpiece of the rum’s flavour. With an ice-cube the rum is very easy to sip and enjoy. With a light dollop of cola, it becomes a great bar-drink especially as the pot still flavours push through …”

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Stay tuned for more mixing rum revelations as I will be adding to this list each day until Christmas Eve.

And you can follow the rankings by bookmarking this page:

The Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown

 

Posted in Awards, Dark Rums, Extras, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown #12: Monymusk Classic Gold Rum

Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown #13: Myer’s Planters’ Punch

Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 12, 2016

2016rum_howler_badgeI was given a bottle of Myer’s Planter’s Punch by a good friend who had purchased it as a curiosity, and then subsequently decided the style was not to his liking. (Molasses-rich dark rums are not for everyone so we won’t hold this against him.) This particular dark rum is being distributed in Alberta by Diageo. It has been produced since 1879, and is apparently a blend of continuous and pot still Jamaican rums which have been matured in previously used bourbon barrels for a minimum of four years.

Myer's Planter's PunchThat is not the whole story, as my bottle clearly states (at the bottom of the label) that the particular bottle which I was given has been blended with Canadian rum as well. For those who do not know, it used to be fairly common for rums imported into Canada to be blended with a small amount (about 1.5 %) of Canadian Rum (usually produced at the Hiram Walker Distillery) in order to obtain a more favourable tax rate from the Canadian Government. I have been told that this small amount of Canadian Rum does not change the flavour profile, although the skeptic inside me forces me to mention the Canadian content just in case the Myer’s Planters’ Punch does taste slightly different in other markets.

Here is a link to the Number 13 Mixing Rum in my countdown of the 50 best:

#13: Myer’s Planters’ Punch

“… the pervading presence of oak and wood spices which give the rum a depth of character I was not expecting. As noted earlier, the spirit is full of licorice stained molasses and rich baking spices (vanilla, nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon); however, the real character of the rum stems from combined effects of the musty, oily, tar-filled flavours created by the Jamaican Pot Still and the four years of oak aging. The rum mixes with cola easily and if you want a funky rum and cola bar drink, I suggest mixing at a ratio of 1:1, and adding a few drops of Angostura Bitters serving over ice …”

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Stay tuned for more mixing rum revelations as I will be adding to this list each day until Christmas Eve.

And you can follow the rankings by bookmarking this page:

The Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown

Posted in Awards, Dark Rums, Extras, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown #13: Myer’s Planters’ Punch

Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown #14 – Flor de Caña 4 Extra Seco

Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 11, 2016

2016rum_howler_badgeTwo years ago, the entire Flor de Caña line-up received a make-over with splashy new bottle designs. Part of this redesign was the elimination of definitive age statements upon the new bottles and labels. Last year, when I corresponded with the company, they indicated that they wanted to modernize the bottle presentation; but it was maintained that no changes to the overall flavour profile of their rums has occurred.

extra_secoIn the case of the Flor de Caña 4 Extra Seco, this brand now replaced the Flor de Caña Extra Dry 4 Year Old Rum in their line-up. The new Extra Seco brand is now longer an age stated 4-year-old rum, rather I have been told that the number 4 on the label is representative of the average age of the rums in the blend with some variation in the actual age based upon blending to a consistent flavour profile.

#14: Flor de Caña 4 Extra Seco

“… The aroma rising up from the glass has a very gentle imprint of butterscotch with just a hint of menthol alongside. As I let the glass breathe I also begin to notice a few mushy banana-like scents, hints of grassy tobacco and the light spiciness of orange and banana peel. There is also a light astringency in the breezes which hints at oak spice and more orange peel. The rum appears to be just what it purports to be, a delicately aged mixing rum which is already begging me to mix a daiquiri …”      

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Stay tuned for more mixing rum revelations as I will be adding to this list each day until Christmas Eve.

And you can follow the rankings by bookmarking this page:

The Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown

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Posted in Awards, Extras, Rum, Rum Reviews, White Rums | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown #14 – Flor de Caña 4 Extra Seco

Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown #15 – Pusser’s Blue Label Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 10, 2016

2016rum_howler_badgePusser’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 Rum became known as Pusser’s Rum in a sort of slang derivation of the term ‘Purser’s Rum’.

Pusser's and a PainkillerAlthough the naval tradition of the daily tot had ended, in 1979  Charles Tobias obtained the rights and the blending information for the British Naval Rum, and formed Pusser’s Ltd. on Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. His company produces their Pusser’s Rum following the blending information and the traditions of the Admiralty, including producing the rum from wooden pot stills just as the had been the tradition for over 200 years.

Here is a link to the 15th best Mixing Rum on my 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rum Countdown:

#15: Pusser’s Blue Label Rum

“… The Pusser’s website encourages you to add cola to the rum, making the assertion that the rum flavour will push through the cola creating a delightful cocktail. When I follow the website lead, I find that they are correct, the rum really does have the strength of character to push through the cola. This leads me to believe that this Pusser’s Blue Label Rum is going to be an excellent cocktail rum …”

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Stay tuned for more mixing rum revelations as I will be adding to this list each day until Christmas Eve.

And you can follow the rankings by bookmarking this page:

The Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown

Posted in Awards, Extras, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown #15 – Pusser’s Blue Label Rum

Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown #16 – George Street Spiced Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 9, 2016

2016rum_howler_badgeThe capital of Newfoundland and Labrador is a city called  St. John’s, and there they have a place where the rum consumption reaches its apex. That place is George Street! A street full of music and revelry, lined from top to bottom with Pubs and Restaurants, where almost everyone’s drink of choice seems to be rum! And it is for that place that the Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Commission (NLC) have named their spiced rum, George Street Spiced Rum.

George Street Spiced SAM_2721This isn’t an ordinary spiced rum. The rum itself is from Guyana, the home of the world-famous Demerara Rum, and that rum has been well aged blended from marques which are two, five , and seven years old. This blended aged rum is then spiced using both extractions and distillations of real spices. The product is bottled at 35 % alcohol by volume and is sold across Canada.

Here is a link to the Number 16 spirit in my Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown:

#19 – George Street Spiced Rum

“… There is a light bitterness winding throughout the spirit which reminds me of walnut and pecan. Additional impressions of tobacco, cola and bittersweet chocolate can all be found if one takes the time to look for them.

As indicated in my first review for the George Street Spiced Rum, spiced rum and coke cocktail is a natural combination for this spirit as the sweetness of the cola works beautifully with the dryer, more bittersweet elements of the rum. However, I also made a splendid short cocktail mixing the spiced rum with lemon and grapefruit juice …”

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Stay tuned for more mixing rum revelations as I will be adding to this list each day until Christmas Eve.

And you can follow the rankings by bookmarking this page:

The Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown

Posted in Awards, Extras, Rum, Rum Reviews, Spiced Rum | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown #16 – George Street Spiced Rum