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Archive for the ‘Rum’ Category

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Review: Stiggins’ Fancy Plantation Pineapple Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 24, 2016

Plantation Rums Stiggins' Fancy btl RVB BD

Yesterday I introduced a flavoured rum from Alexander Gabriel (President and Owner, of Cognac Ferrand), Stiggins’ Fancy Plantation Pineapple Rum.

Cognac Ferrand for those who do not know is a Cognac House in France which produces the Plantation Rum brand. Plantation Rums are produced and aged in various part of the Caribbean, after which they are sent to France to be aged for a further length of time in the cellars at Cognac Ferrand in used cognac barrels.

Alexander Gabriel in collaboration with Dave Wondrich (cocktail guru and author of Imbibe) researched the original recipes of Pineapple Rum (which was quite a popular delicacy in the 19th century) and then set about to re-create this lost libation.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Stiggins’ Fancy Plantation Pineapple Rum

” … The aroma from the glass is very inviting. Rum-like scents of butterscotch toffee, vanilla and baking spice (cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves) lead out with both orange peel and yummy citrus pineapple scents riding along. There are light accents of almond and a mild sweep of tobacco which complete the nose …”

Please enjoy my review of this outstanding flavoured rum!

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Review: Last Mountain 306 The Original Saskatchewan Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 17, 2016

sask-libre-sam_2771Colin Schmidt was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in 1992. After being drafted, he spent four years playing College Hockey and then signed his first pro contract in 1996. Colin’s pro experience was brief, cut off by a few shoulder injuries after a short spell of what Colin referred to as “playing left bench.” Fortunately, as far as we are concerned, Colin’s story did not end there.

A few years later, Colin, who was working in the mortgage industry, and his wife, Meredith, whose background was in banking, began to look for their own business opportunities in Saskatchewan. Colin had a friend who had started up a micro-distillery in Colorado, and the idea to begin a similar operation in Saskatchewan was very appealing to them. In August of 2010, Colin and Meredith’s hard work and perseverance paid off when they opened Saskatchewan’s first micro-distillery, in Lumsden, Saskatchewan, called the Last Mountain Distillery.

In 2012 Colin reached out to me and sent me samples of both his Vodka (see review here) and later his first whisky (see review here) for me to taste and review. I was surprised at the quality of each spirit and have kept tabs on the folks at Last Mountain ever since. Recently the distillery released a brand new rum distilled (in Saskatchewan) from molasses and aged for two years in once filled bourbon barrels. Colin sent me a bottle and asked me to provide feedback in the form of a review here on my website.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Last Mountain 306 The Original Saskatchewan Rum

“… The use of once used bourbon barrels has paid dividends as the rum immediately throws fine oak spice into the air accompanied by light aromas of vanilla, almond, butterscotch, orange peel and coconut. The fine oak spice is a little firmer than one would normally encounter in such a young rum; but it is appealing bringing very mild whisky-like scents, (rye, ginger and grain) into the air alongside the light rum aroma. The result is a spirit which displays nice complexity despite its young age …”

Please enjoy my review which includes a very nice Rum and Cola recipe, the Saskatchewan Libre’.

Chimo!

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Review: Dictador Orange 100 Month Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 12, 2016

Dictador Orange SAM_2680Recently Dictador Rum released what they call their 100 Month Series which includes four new rums all aged for 100 months. Unlike the more premium Dictador Solero Aged Rums, the 100 month series is meant to be a gateway series consisting of spirits which are meant to be embraced both as entry-level sipping rums as well as cocktail spirits.

The Dictador Orange 100 Month Aged Rum was created to be a discerning spirit for the cocktail enthusiast. The base rum within the flavoured spirit is a continuous column still rum which was aged (for 100 months) in ex-bourbon oak barrels. At maturity the rum was macerated with fresh Colombian orange peel. The flavoured rum is bottled at 40 % alcohol by volume.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Dictador Orange 100 Month Rum

“… The maturity of the rum is quite obvious as when we sip firm oak spices come forward combining with the orange flavour. Although the oak spice was hidden from view when I nosed the rum, it shows itself clearly across the palate. There is also a light  sweetness of caramel toffee and hints of baking spice which give the rum additional character …”

Please enjoy my review, chimo!

Posted in Flavouerd Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Dictador Orange 100 Month Rum

Review: Plantation Barbados (Grande Reserve) 5 Year Old Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on August 29, 2016

Plantation Barbados SAM_2678Cognac Ferrand is a Cognac producer situated in the Grand Champagne Cognac Region of France. For years this company has 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. 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. To bring these special rums to market, Cognac Ferrand created the line of rums knows as Plantation Rum.

The cornerstone of the Plantation Rum line-up is most certainly Plantation Barbados Grande Reserve 5 Year Old Rum. This is a Bajan rum blend (distilled in Barbadoes of course) which was aged for five years in bourbon casks. After this initial aging the rum is transported from Barbados to France by Cognac Ferrand to be placed in used Cognac casks to enhance the rum before it is bottled.

I originally reviewed this rum in 2011, five years removed from that review, I am revisiting the review with a current bottling.

Here is a link to my recent review:

Review: Plantation Barbados (Grande Reserve)

“… The Plantation 5 Year Old Barbados Rum brings a pleasant complexity and depth of flavour to the glass which allows the spirit to be enjoyed as a sipping rum as well as a high quality cocktail rum. I also appreciate that the rum does clobber me over the head with its Cognac enhancement. I can taste whispers of fermented fruit and perhaps a ghost of the cognac barrel, but these flavours stay in the background allowing the fine Barbados rum to shine through …”

Please enjoy my review.

Chimo!

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2016 Spiced Rum Taste-off: George Street Spiced Rum (#1)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on August 25, 2016

George Street Spiced SAM_2721The 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.

This isn’t an ordinary spiced rum. For starters, the rum itself is from Guyana, the home of the world-famous Demerara Rum. Some of the rum in the blend is two years old, some of the rum in the blend is 5 years old, and some of the rum in the blend is 7 years old. And this aged Guyanese Rum has been painstakingly crafted into a spiced rum using extractions and distillations of real spices.

Here is a link to the review of the best spiced rum I have on my personal rum shelf:

#1: George Street Spiced Rum

“…Caramelized brown sugar and vanilla each jumped into the breezes as I poured the rum into my glass. After I poured a dram, I allowed it to breathe for just a little while. After a few minutes, rich baking spices joined in, and I received an impression of fresh cinnamon rolls rising into the air complete with treacle and rich dark brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon as well as roasted walnuts and pecans. There is also a light indication of oak spice and orange peel as well as hints of bittersweet chocolate…”

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I hope you all found my countdown enjoyable, and you can find the complete rankings list here:

The Rum Howler 2016 Spiced Rum Countdown

Posted in Rum, Rum Reviews, Spiced Rum | Tagged: , , , | 2 Comments »

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