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Archive for the ‘Rum’ Category

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Review: Wray and Nephew White Overproof Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on February 18, 2016

Dragon Zombie SAM_2379

Wray and Nephew: Dragon Zombie

Wray and Nephew White Overproof Rum is a molasses based rum produced from field to glass in Jamaica by J. Wray and Nephew Ltd..

J. Wray and Nephew trace their history back to 1825 when company founder John Wray set up ‘The Shakespeare Tavern‘ in Kingston, Jamaica. By the middle of the century John Wray was distilling and blending his own rums (primarily for his patrons at the Tavern). In the early 1860s Charles J. Ward joined his uncle, and began selling their Jamaican rums internationally.

In 1916, J. Wray and Nephew was purchased by the Lindo Brothers & Co. who also acquired the prestigious sugar cane estate, the Appleton Estate. Lindo Brothers merged the two Jamaican entities into one company, J. Wray and Nephew Ltd.. The new company dominated rum production in Jamaica (and continues to do so) producing both Wray & Nephew Rum and the Appleton Estate Jamaican Rum. (They also produce other Jamaican Rum brands including Coruba Dark Jamaican Rum).

In 2012, Wray and Nephew Ltd. was purchased by the Campari group.

Here is a link to my review:

Review: Wray and Nephew White Overproof Rum

“… The rum smacks you around a little when you take too large of a sip. The throat is seared (just a little) and the tonsils seem to cower hoping not to be whacked again. Sipping had best be a more cautious affair. The flavour is off the charts though, deeply complex and full of character. I taste mildly sweet brown sugar flavours with an ever so light saltiness, the combination reminds me of peanut brittle taffy …”

Please enjoy my review which includes two new cocktails, the High Test Daiquiri which was revealed yesterday, as well as the cocktail shown to the left, my new Dragon Zombie.

Chimo!

 

Posted in Overproof Rum, Rum, Rum Reviews, White Rums | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Wray and Nephew White Overproof Rum

Cocktail Hour: Crannon Blast

Posted by Arctic Wolf on February 10, 2016

Cannon Blast Bottle ImageCaptain Morgan Cannon Blast began to appear on store shelves throughout North America in the fall of 2015. The new spirit from Captain Morgan (apparently produced from Captain Morgan Rum as well as natural flavours and spices) is being touted as a rum meant for the shot glass.

With that in mind, I invited my friend Lucas to sample the spirit with my last fall prior to my review. When he and I sampled it for the first time, we each took a cautious sip, and then downed shots to see how the spirit fared. I saw Lucas grimace, and I am sure he saw me grimace, as the tart flavour of sour citrus candies filled our mouths and overwhelmed our ability to control our reactions. The overt spiciness which followed contributed to our discomfort. Let’s just say that neither of us were fans at that point.

Having said that, my review for the Cannon Blast (see down below for a link) has been the most popular article on my website since I published it. Many people seem to be curious about the cannon ball shaped bottle and the rum inside.

Because of the spirit’s apparent popularity, I thought I would share a simple shot-style recipe sent to me recently by the media team for Captain Morgan Rum which mixed the Cannon Blast with Cranberry juice. Although the combination does not work for me, it apparently is quite popular at bars and clubs where the Cannon Blast is sold.

________________________________________________

Crannon Blast

Cannon_Blast_Crannonblast-0031 oz. Captain Morgan Cannon Blast
1/2 oz. Cranberry juice
Ice
Shot Glass

Chill the Shot Glass in the freezer
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice
Shake until the outside of your shaker begins to frost
Strain into the chilled shot glass.
Enjoy Responsibly!

_______________________________________________________

And if you are interested in how I scored the Cannon Blast, here is a link to my full review:

Review: Captain Morgan Cannon Blast

“… The aroma carries an obvious rum-like caramel aroma which is tainted by the sweet and sour scent of a lemon drop candy. The lemon drop candy scent grows stronger as you let the rum breathe, and as well I begin to notice a light spiciness, which reminds me of ginger and cardamom …”

Please enjoy this review which includes another recipe, Blasted Brew, which mixes the Cannon Blast with Lager Beer.

Chimo!  (#Boom)

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Cocktail Hour: Crannon Blast

Review: Vizcaya VXOP Cask No. 21

Posted by Arctic Wolf on February 9, 2016

Ziscaya Cask 21Vizcaya Rum is produced in the Dominican Republic for a third-party (the neck label says “Imported by Amex Spirits“) by the independent company Oliver and Oliver. Oliver and Oliver produce a variety of rum brands using distillate from various Caribbean producers which they age in their own warehouse facility. Many of these rums are produced using what is called a solero method which blends rums of various ages in single barrels and then continues to age them together to create consistent flavour profiles combining both the complexity of aged rums and the brashness of younger rums together in the aging barrel.

According to the Vizcaya website:

“Vizcaya VXOP is one of the world’s finest sipping rums. It is distilled in small batches according to time-honored rum making methods in which the fragrant juice extracted from pure sugar cane is fermented and aged in select oak barrels.”

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Vizcaya V.X.O.P. Cask No. 21

“… The initial nose is rich with caramel and maple scents accented by raisins and dates. Some orange peel and marmalade scents well up as do some luscious cinnamon bun smells (vanilla, brown sugar, cinnamon. and roasted pecans). The only flaw in the aroma is a few underlying grassy notes and some alcohol astringency which each hint at a larger portion of younger rum used in the blend than I was expecting …”

Please enjoy my latest review!

Posted in Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Vizcaya VXOP Cask No. 21

Review: Bacardi Gold Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on January 27, 2016

Bacardi GoldIn 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.

The Bacardi Gold Rum is  produced using column still distillation and oak barrel aging (for one to two years). The final rum is further ‘shaped’ by filtering the aged rum through a secret blend of charcoal. This charcoal filtration helps to blunt some of the harsh flavour characteristics of a young rum. Along with Bacardi Superior White Rum, this spirit forms the backbone of Bacardi’s portfolio of brands which includes more than 200 different labels.

Here is a link to my latest review:

Review: Bacardi Gold Rum

“… The rum translates well from nose to palate. Leading out is a soft butterscotch flavour melded with banana and orange peel with a smattering of oak, cardamom and ginger spices following. Almond and vanilla ride along with hints of brown sugar spice and cinnamon …”

Please enjoy the review!

Posted in Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , | Comments Off on Review: Bacardi Gold Rum

Top 25 Rums of 2015

Posted by Arctic Wolf on January 25, 2016

The 2015 Best Rum in the World

The 2015 Best Rum in the World

I was not sure I would be able to complete my listing of the Top 25 Rums of 2015. Last fall was so hectic. My retail store where I sell sports and movie memorabilia was extremely busy, and the ramp up to Christmas was crazier than ever. As well, upon my website, I had embarked on the ambitious plan to countdown the best 100 spirits I have ever tasted.

Compiling the Rum Howler 2015 Top 100 Spirits Countdown fortunately afforded me the opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. As part of the process of compiling my list of the best 100 spirits ever, I was able to taste almost everything I needed to compile my list of the best rums of 2015.

Unlike my Top 100 Spirits list which was a listing of the best spirits I have ever tasted regardless of whether they were still in production, this list of the Top 25 Rums of 2015 contains only those spirits which are currently available. Every spirit on this list is available somewhere in the world in a local retail shop.

I should point out that when I reached the top 5 spots in this countdown of 2015 rums, I decided to add a wrinkle. Rather than using only my tasting preferences, I asked two friends to join me tasting the final five rums. The top 5 rankings were arrived using an amalgam of our 3 scores. I was quite satisfied with the results.

And so with no further ado, allow me to present my list:

The Rum Howler – Top 25 Rums of 2015

Posted in Awards, Extras, Rum | Comments Off on Top 25 Rums of 2015

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