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Archive for the ‘Rum’ Category

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Review: Appleton White Jamaican Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on April 27, 2016

Appleton White

The Appleton Estate is located in Nassau Valley in St. Elizabeth which is part of Jamaica’s Cockpit Country. The Cockpit Country is a karst formation which was formed over millions of years. Karst is a generic name given to limestone that has been eroded by the chemical action of rain.  The Appleton Estate is the only sugar estate in the world that is located within a fertile cockpit karst formation. All of the rum produced by Appleton Estate is made from sugar cane grown within the Nassau Valley, and thus Appleton Estate Rum is an expression of this unique terroir.

Appleton Jamaican White Rum has recently arrived in Alberta (distributed by Campari). The spirit is a molasses based rum produced from field to glass in Jamaica at the Appleton Estate from a combination of pot-distilled and column-distilled rums of rums which are blended and aged for up to 2 years in oak casks. The finished rum is further mellowed by carbon filtration which removes both colour and impurities. The spirit is bottled at 40 % alcohol by volume and (in Canada at least) is primarily aimed at the bar trade as a cocktail spirit.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Appleton White Jamaican Rum

“… The initial nose is quite nice with light citrus zest and orange peel combining with background impressions of mushy banana. There is also a bit of Jamaican funk in the breezes carrying a mild but firm impression of Jamaican pot distilled character into the air with herbal undertones and a hint of mustiness …”

Please enjoy my review of this surprising white rum.

Chimo!

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Review: Captain Morgan White Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on April 15, 2016

CM White

Admiral Sir Henry Morgan (aka Captain Morgan) was a Welsh ‘privateer’ who attacked and plundered the Caribbean on behalf of, and with the written consent of (in the form of an English Letter of Marque), the Governor of Jamaica, Sir Thomas Modyford. Privateers at that time in history were essentially ‘legal pirates’ who were allowed to attack and loot enemies of the state reaping the rewards from their plunder in lieu of pay. Researching Sir Henry Morgan, I learned he was a skilled naval captain, a ruthless buccaneer, and one of the most successful ‘privateers’ in the history of piracy (oops I mean privateering) earning a Knighthood for himself in 1674.

Captain Morgan Rum is one of the most successful spirits brand in the entire world. Their Original Spiced Rum is perhaps the most successful spiced rum in the entire category, and it has pretty much set the standard for sales and marketing for all other spiced rums to follow. However, Captain Morgan is no longer just spiced rum. The company now also produces a full line of flavoured rums,  CAPTAIN MORGAN® Pineapple Rum, CAPTAIN MORGAN® Coconut Rum, and CAPTAIN MORGAN® Grapefruit Rum (click the links to read my reviews). As well they recently launched the subject of this review, CAPTAIN MORGAN® White Rum. 

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Captain Morgan White Rum

“… The initial nose surprised me too as there was an ever so light mustiness rising the from the glass, as well as very apparent aromas of a mild caramel, green banana, peppery zest and light sandalwood spices. I was expecting the ‘5 times distilled’ white to have more of a ‘vodka-like’ nose, and am pleased to be completely wrong on that count …”

Please enjoy my latest rum review, which includes a new daiquiri-style serving, the 11 A.M. Daiquiri, Chimo!

 

 

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Review: Coruba Imported Dark Jamaican Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on March 31, 2016

Coruba Dark Rum SAM_2449Coruba Rum is produced by J. Wray and Nephew who trace their history back to 1825 when company founder John Wray set up ‘The Shakespeare Tavern‘ in Kingston, Jamaica.

When I did a little research, I was surprised to learn that the Coruba brand encompasses a range of rums which includes not only the familiar Original Dark Rum (which is the subject of this review) but also Coruba Spiced Rum and Coruba Coconut Rum. As well Coruba Rum’s New Zealand website also refers to a Coruba Gold Rum which may be in production as well. According to all of the different company websites, all of the Coruba branded spirits are 100% Jamaican Rum.

Only one of these brands is available in Canada, the Original Dark Rum (which in Canada is labeled Coruba Imported Jamaican Rum). The dark spirit is produced from is a blend of pot and column still rums that have been aged for at least two years in American oak barrels.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Coruba Imported Dark Jamaican Rum

“… The breezes above the glass are full of molasses, candied caramel and orange peel. Menthol, cinnamon, cloves, wood spice, mocha coffee and cola also taint the air above the glass with their presence. Allowing the rum time to breathe reveals additional accents of orange marmalade and rich vanilla …”

Please enjoy my review, Chimo!

 

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Review: Dictador Amber 100 Month Aged Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on March 15, 2016

rum_amber_100Dictador is produced in Colombia on the Caribbean coast at Cartagena de Indias City. Rather than being produced from molasses, the rum is produced from the virgin honey of sugar cane. Interestingly, the choice of the distillery to use sugar cane honey rather than molasses is based upon a peculiarity of Colombian government policy. It seems that the country has mandated that automobiles in Colombia must use a certain percentage of biofuels in conjunction with gasoline as their fuel source. As molasses is the most readily available source of biofuel, almost all molasses produced in Columbia is earmarked for biofuel production. This means that the folks at Dictador Rum have little choice but to produce and use their own sugar cane honey for rum production.

Recently Dictador 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 Amber 100 Month Aged rum is the flagship of the series. It is a continuous column still rum which was aged in ex-bourbon oak barrels. The final rum is said to be decanted by gravity to preserve its rich colour, and then bottled at 40 % alcohol by volume.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Dictador Amber 100 Month Aged Rum

“… The breezes above the glass reveal a nice mixture of oak and butterscotch with spicy accents of cinnamon, orange peel, and tobacco. Fine oak spices build up just a little, and soon vanilla and other baking spices (allspice, cloves and nutmeg) have joined in. The rum is pleasant to nose …”

Please enjoy my latest rum review.

Chimo!

 

 

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

Review: Brugal 1888 (Ron Gran Reserva Familiar)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on March 3, 2016

Brugal 1888 SAM_2410The Brugal Distillery was founded in 1888, by Andrés Brugal Montaner. Although the Edrington Group now controls the company, George Arzeno Brugal, is the current chairman, and most of the current board members are direct descendants of the original company founder. My understanding based upon discussions with the local Brugal Brand Ambassador for Brugal is that when the Edrington Group gained control of the rum company, they instituted a new wood policy which governs how all of the Brugal spirits are aged. This practice brings the cask selection process into line with the wood policy the company uses for its Scotch whiskies.

Although Brugal still makes their rum in a traditional manner (from molasses) and ages it on site in Puerto Plata, the Brugal 1888 (Ron Gran Reserva Familiar) now undergoes a special double maturation process. The rum is first aged in medium toasted, ex-Bourbon White American Oak Casks for 6 to 8 years. This is followed by a second maturation in first-fill Spanish Oloroso Sherry Casks. The final rum is bottled at 40 % alcohol by volume.

Here is a link to my latest Rum Review:

Review: Brugal 1888 (Ron Gran Reserva Familiar)

“… Despite the sherry enhancement the rum remains true to its cane roots as the initial nose brings forward classic aged rum notes of  oak sap, semi-sweet caramel and treacle, and spicy tobacco aromas. There is a light dryness implied with dusty sandalwood notes and light scents of banana and orange peel. As the glass sits, luscious baking spices evolve with dark brown sugars, vanillans, cinnamon and nutmeg all forming a wonderful menagerie of scents in the breezes above the glass …”

Please enjoy my review!

Chimo!

Posted in Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , | 3 Comments »

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