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Archive for the ‘Rum’ Category

Review: Rum Nation Jamaica 25 Year Old Supreme Lord V

Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 28, 2016

RN_Jamaica_25Rum Nation is an Italian company created by Fabio Rossi, who began his life in the spirits trade as a Oenologist (one who has studied wine-making). After his studies, Mr. Rossi left the wine business and started up a whisky company in Edinburgh (Wilson and Morgan) acting as an independent bottler of Single Malt Scotch Whisky. His interest turned to rum, and in 1999 Fabio Rossi founded Rum Nation. His company is headquartered in Italy; but Fabio purchases select rums from various distillers in the Caribbean and the Americas. As a result Rum Nation provides a rather unique assortment of limited edition bottlings. One such bottling is Rum Nation Jamaica 25 Year Old Supreme Lord V Rum (201o release).

This small batch bottling was distilled upon a pot still at the Long Pond Estate in Jamaica in 1985 and was bottled in 2010 by Rum Nation. (In case you did not know, the Long Pond Distillery is the original home of Captain Morgan Rum.) The rum is apparently produced from locally grown Jamaican sugar cane molasses, and was originally aged in American Ex Bourbon Casks after which the rum was transferred to Oloroso Sherry butts where it aged for an additional time period.

Here is a link to my latest Rum Review:

Review: Rum Nation Jamaica 25 Year Old Supreme Lord V

“… As the glass breathes, sweetness develops with impressions of butterscotch and dark brown sugar appearing as well as rich baking spices in the form of vanilla, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. There is an herbal grassiness present reminiscent of green tobacco and heather with perhaps a little fresh poplar and willow thrown in for good measure. A touch of sea brine, bits of iodine and a phenol (rubbery) scent of fresh tar round out the aroma which seems to grow larger the longer the glass breathes …”

Please enjoy my review!

Chimo!

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2016 Spiced Rum Taste-off: Pusser’s Spiced Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 26, 2016

Pusser's Spiced and Cola SAM_2521Pusser’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 tot of rum became known as Pusser’s Rum in a sort of slang derivation of the term ‘Purser’s Rum’.

Pusser’s Spiced Rum is new to the Pusser’s range. According to the producer’s website it is flavoured with a blend of locally sourced Caribbean spices which have been steeped in Caribbean rum over 7 days. The final rum is bottled at 35 % alcohol by volume.

Here is a link to the 6th best Spiced Rum currently on my bar shelf:

#6 Pusser’s Spiced Rum

“… The nose reveals one of the main spices which is cinnamon, and that cinnamon when combined with the caramel flavours of the underlying rum reminds me of cinnamon buns baking in the oven. There are indications of other spices as well. I sense a pungent spiciness that reminds me of allspice and nutmeg …”

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I hope you all find this countdown enjoyable and you can follow the rankings here:

The Rum Howler 2016 Spiced Rum Countdown

 

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Review: Bacardi Gran Reserva 8 Años Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 24, 2016

Bacardi 8 Anos SAM_2679In 1862, Facundo Bacardi and his brother José bought the Santiago de Cuba Distillery and began to distill what would become the most popular commercial rum in the world. Using a method of charcoal filtering, and oak barrel aging  along with a still of copper and cast iron, Facundo Bacardi created a smoother more refined version of the locally made rum. His smoother version of the spirit became local favourite, and over time, an international sensation.

Of course, Bacardi Rum is not made in Cuba anymore, the Ron Bacardi Company left Cuba in the wake of Fidel Castro’s plans to nationalize all private property and privately held bank accounts on the Island. The Bacardi family moved important trademarks out of Cuba, and using a Bacardi owned plant built in Puerto Rico, were able to continue to build their company. Bacardi is now the largest family owned spirits company in the world.

The Bacardi Gran Reserva 8 Años Rum is  produced using column still distillation and oak barrel aging. This rum has been aged for a full 8 years in ‘hand selected’ oak barrels. According to various sources, at least part of the rum was aged or perhaps finished in sherry oak barrels.

Here is a link to my new Review:

Review: Bacardi Gran Reserva 8 Años Rum

“… The aroma is gentle, inviting, and very well-balanced. As I poured the bottle into the glass, I was enticed by soft fragrances of dried plums, soft caramel, bits of vanilla, and a wonderful fine oak spiciness. Hints of baking spice drift in the air, some cinnamon and a few indications of nutmeg and allspice …”

Please enjoy my review,

Chimo!

 

Posted in Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , | 6 Comments »

2016 Spiced Rum Taste-off: Captain Morgan 100 Spiced Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 22, 2016

Captain Morgan 100 SAM_2672Captain 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 overproof Spiced Rum is a blend of Caribbean rums which have been aged in white oak barrels. It should be pointed out that the particular bottle of Captain Morgan Rums which is the subject of this review is a Canadian bottling which I acquired several years ago. In the past, Captain Morgan Rums sold in Canada included both Caribbean and Canadian distilled rum in their blends for tax purposes. Although it is unclear whether this practice will continue going forward, I note that my sample bottle does make mention of the Canadian Rum in the blend upon the front label.

Here is a link to the review for the 7th best Spiced Rum upon my rum shelf:

#7: Captain Morgan 100 Spiced Rum

” … This rum is smoother than its lower proof sibling even though it carries more of an alcoholic punch. The spiciness of the rum is more apparent in the higher proof rum. I think perhaps these characteristics have been watered down in the 70 proof spirit, which allows only the vanilla to come to the fore. The 100 proof spirit with its higher alcohol content and more concentrated flavours just seems richer, smoother and more appealing …”

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I hope you all find this countdown enjoyable and you can follow the rankings here:

The Rum Howler 2016 Spiced Rum Countdown

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Review: Cruzan 9 Spiced Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 17, 2016

Cruzan Spiced PuchThe Cruzan Rum Company is located on the Island of St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands. The Island of St. Croix is the largest of the US Virgin islands, being approximately 28 miles long and 7 miles wide. Along with the tourism industry and one of the largest oil refineries in the Caribbean, the St. Croix economy is dependent to a large extent upon the Rum Industry as a major engine of their economic growth.

All of the Cruzan Rums are produced using a modern five column distillation method which produces a light bodied rum, the quality of which can be tightly controlled by the five column distillation. The rum is then aged in once used American oak bourbon barrels.

The Cruzan 9 Spiced Rum is named for the 9 spices blended within the rum, allspice, vanilla, pepper, ginger, mace, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, and juniper berry. It is bottled at 40 per cent alcohol by volume and is, I believe, aged for up to two years in American Oak.

Here is a link to my review:

#8 Cruzan 9 Spiced Rum

“… I was struck by the scents of pungent spices mingling with the sweeter scents of caramel toffee. Vanilla, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon and cloves are easily identified in the breezes. I am noticing the ginger playing in the breezes as well mingling with just a hint of oak spice …”

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I hope you all find this countdown enjoyable and you can follow the rankings here:

The Rum Howler 2016 Spiced Rum Countdown

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