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Archive for the ‘Rum’ Category

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Review: Lamb’s Navy Rum (151 Proof)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on May 25, 2022

In Canada, Lamb’s is one of the most popular rum brands. This brand traces its history all the way back to 1849 when Alfred Lamb opened his wine and spirits business in London. His original Navy Rum is reported to have been a blend of 18 separate rums from various parts of the Caribbean. Alfred Lamb’s method of aging his rum in cellars under the Thames River is said to be one of the secrets behind the unexpectedly smooth taste and popularity of his rum.

The brand was licensed for North American production to Corby Distillers in 1952 and since that time Lamb’s rum has been part of the Corby portfolio of spirit brands. (Halewood Artisanal Spirits hold the license to bottle the brand in Europe, Africa and Asia.)

In North America, the main portfolio of Lamb’s Rums includes, Lamb’s Classic White Rum, Lamb’s Spiced Rum, Lamb’s Palm Breeze, and Lamb’s Navy Rum (which is sold both at 80 proof as well as an overproof 151).

Here is a link to the review for Lambs Navy Rum (151 Proof):

Review: Lamb’s Navy Rum (151 Proof)

“… a bevy of alcohol and caramel spice rising out of the glass. Enough to almost knock a person right over. This is strong, aggressive and demands my strict attention. Vanilla seems to be the predominant aroma with nutmeg, bits of cinnamon and cloves as well as that licorice like smell of molasses) rising up as well …”

Please enjoy the review which includes a 70’s disco reference from The Trammps which suits the rum just fine.

Chimo!

 

Posted in Overproof Rum, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Lamb’s Navy Rum (151 Proof)

Review: Last Straw Distillery Blackstrap Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on May 18, 2022

The Last Straw Distillery is Ontario’s smallest production micro-distillery located at 40 Pippin Rd. in Vaughan, Ontario (a wee bit north of Toronto) just off Highway 400 and around the corner from Vaughan Mills Shopping Centre. According to Mike Hook, the team at Last Straw come to the craft of distilling from a variety of different backgrounds, and surprisingly none have had prior experience in the beverage or alcohol business. They are self-taught, and developed their recipes in house, through research, and trial and error, without the use of outside consultants.

Last Straw Distillery Blackstrap Rum is produced using blackstrap molasses. Blackstrap is harder to work with than sweet molasses as the sugar content is lower, and the sugars are harder for the yeast to access. The tradeoff is that blackstrap molasses gives a richer, more robust flavour when it is distilled.

The final rum was aged in oak for four years, and I have been told that the spirit contains no additives, flavours or colouring. The bottled rum is sold at 45 % alcohol by volume.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Last Straw Distillery Blackstrap Rum

“… A nice combination of light butterscotch, vanilla and almond greet me when I nose the glass. Orange peel zest, banana, and fine sandalwood spices also come forward as the glass breathes. (This is dusty and dry and much more nuanced than I expected!) …”

Please enjoy my review which concludes with a couple of nice serving suggestions.

Chimo!

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Review: Santa Theresa 1796 Antiguo de Solera

Posted by Arctic Wolf on May 11, 2022

Santa Theresa 1796 Antiguo de Solera is a self described Super Premium Venezuelan rum which traces its ancestry back to the year of 1796 when the Santa Theresa Hacienda was created.  It was in 1996 (200 years later) that the Hacienda created this rum to commemorate the bicentennial anniversary of the Hacienda.

This is a true solera rum with 4 rows of aging barrels set one atop each other. As the rum ages, a portion of the rum moves through each row until it reaches the final solera row at the bottom years later. The barrels are not emptied fully and only a portion of the rum from the previous or higher row is moved to the lower row each time. The solera process ensures that the oldest rums in the solero are slowly married with the younger rums while they continue to mature within the same barrel. The final rum is a blend of rums from up to 30 of these solera barrels.

Here is a link to my review:

Review: Santa Theresa 1796 Antiguo de Solera 

“… The rum has that distinct reddish tone and that colour and the initial scents and smells that rise into the breezes seems to indicate that the spirit has at some point in its journey passed through an exotic wine cask which left an imprint of fruity dark cherries and plums upon the scent and colour of the rum. Rich aromas of butterscotch and light smells of molasses join with these fruity scents and the result is most appealing …”

Please enjoy my review, which indicates that this is a rum which keeps getting better as the solera from which it is drawn matures.

Chimo!

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Review: Barcelo Imperial Premium 30 Aniversario Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on May 4, 2022

Ron Barceló was founded in 1930 under the name Barceló & Co in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. The rum brand quickly grew in popularity growing into one of the largest in the Dominican, and the brand is now exported world-wide to over 25 countries.

When I dug further into the rum’s story I found that it had been created in 2011. At that time the spirit was blended from 10 year old reserves which were aged an additional 2 years in white oak from France, some from the Bordeaux house of Château d’Yquem. Whether much has changed since 2011 is hard to say; but the implication is that the rum is probably made from a blend of cane spirits which have been aged up to 12 years.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Barcelo Imperial Premium 30 Aniversario Rum

“… Fine oak spices and caramel toffee melded with with vanilla, rich brown sugar and baking spices. There is a whiff of apricot brandy and then even more fine wood spice pouring upwards. Notes of honeycomb, marzipan, bits of cola and even a light impression of my Mom’s cinnamon rolls seem to be floating in the air …”

Chimo!

Please enjoy my review of this exceptional rum from Ron Barcelo.

 

Posted in Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Barcelo Imperial Premium 30 Aniversario Rum

Review: Angostura 5 Year Old Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on April 27, 2022

The House of Angostura traces its beginnings to 1824 when German doctor, Johann Gottlieb Benjamin Siegert, who was then a Surgeon-General in the Venezuelan Army, created a blend of aromatic herbs which he called “Amargo Aromatico” and which would become the world-famous Angostura Bitters. Although the company he created to manufacture these bitters was originally founded in the town known as Angostura (later to be renamed Bolivar City), the company was relocated by his successors (his younger brother and son), who  moved it to Port of Spain, Trinidad in 1876.

The Angostura 5 Year Old Rum is (like all of the Angostura Rums) produced from molasses on their five column still. Part of the rum is produced from a heavy distillate which is drawn from the multi-column still after passing through only one of the five columns. This heavily flavoured rum is aged and then blended with a more purely refined spirit which is distilled upon all five columns.

Here is a link to my latest review:

Review: Angostura 5 Year Old Rum

“… Butterscotch, fine oak spice, almond and orange peel complimented by vanilla and light baking spices (ginger and cinnamon). There is also a light coconut impression; and as the glass breathes, the almond scent seems to mingle with the butterscotch and vanilla to bring about a very mild impression of marzipan …”

Please enjoy my review which concludes with my cocktail suggestion, the Railcar.

Chimo!

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