The Rum Howler Blog

(A Website for Spirited Reviews)

  • Copyright

    Copyright is inherent when an original work is created. This means that the producer of original work is automatically granted copyright protection. This copyright protection not only exists in North America, but extends to other countries as well. Thus, all of the work produced on this blog is protected by copyright, including all of the pictures and all of the articles. These original works may not be copied or reused in any way whatsoever without the permission of the author, Chip Dykstra.
  • Cocktails and Recipes

    Click Image for Awesome Recipes

  • Industry Interviews

    Interviews

    Click the Image for Great Interviews with the Movers of Industry

  • The Rum Howler Interview (Good Food Revolution)

    Click on the Image to see my interview on Good Food Revolution

  • The Rum Howler Blog

    Unknown's avatar

  • Rum Reviews

  • Whisky Reviews

  • Gin Reviews

  • Tequila Reviews

  • Vodka Reviews

  • Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

    Join 1,092 other subscribers
  • Subscribe

  • Visitors

    • 15,529,521 pageviews since inception
  • Archives

  • Follow The Rum Howler Blog on WordPress.com

Archive for the ‘Rum Reviews’ Category

Review: Last Straw Distillery Blackstrap Rum (Cask Two)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on February 14, 2018

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 Distillery 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.

The Last Straw Distillery Blackstrap Rum is one the few rums in the world actually made from blackstrap molasses rather than sweet molasses. One of the reasons there are so few is because blackstrap is much 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. It took the Distillery about 6 months (of experimentation) to discover a method to obtain reasonable yields out of blackstrap molasses without sacrificing flavour.

Last Straw’s Blackstrap Rum is double distilled and aged for a year in a toasted new European oak cask. The rum contains no additives, flavours or colouring and is, of course, made directly from molasses in-house. Last Year I reviewed the Blackstrap Rum from Cask #1, this time I am having a crack at the Blackstrap Rum from Cask #2.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Last Straw Distillery Blackstrap Rum (Cask Two)

” … I sampled the rum from Cask #2 side by side with my previously reviewed sample from Cask #1. Although the scents and smells are obviously similar, scents of mushy banana and ripe plantain alongside some resin-like esters which remind me of camphor. And of course the telltale aroma of blackstrap molasses with hints of dark licorice and treacle …”

Please enjoy my latest review and my recommended cocktail, the Winter Daiquiri.

Posted in Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Last Straw Distillery Blackstrap Rum (Cask Two)

Review: Flor de Caña Centenario 18

Posted by Arctic Wolf on February 9, 2018

I am continuing my weekly step through the Flor de Caña line-up. Last week I reviewed Flor de Caña 12 Centenario which is part of their Ultra Premium Collection. This week I continue to move through the Ultra Premium family as I revisit Flor de Caña 18 Centenario.

Flor de Caña 18 is a well aged rum with the number 18 on the label representative of the average age of the rums in the blend with some variation in the actual age based upon blending to a consistent flavour profile. According to the folks at Flor de Caña this aged spirit is a sipping spirit however as you will see in my review, I find it is also excellent for high-end cocktails!

Here is a link to my Review:

Review: Flor de Caña Centenario 18

“… This is a clean dry rum displaying a strong fine oak spice personality. This spicy personality is tempered slightly with mild indications of butterscotch accenting the oak spice. There is a lightly bitter flavour of poplar sap and tobacco keeping the mouth dry and heated. As I let the rum breathe the butterscotch sweetness grows slightly in intensity providing a nice foil for the dry spicy bitterness …”

Please enjoy my review!

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

Review: Flor de Caña 12 Centenario

Posted by Arctic Wolf on February 2, 2018

I am continuing my weekly step through the Flor de Caña line-up. Last week I reviewed Flor de Caña 7 Gran Reserva which is part of their Super Premium Collection. This week I move up to Flor de Caña’s Ultra Premium Collection as I revisit Flor de Caña 12 Centenario.

Flor de Caña 12 is a super aged rum with the number 12 on the label representative of the average age of the rums in the blend with some variation in the actual age based upon blending to a consistent flavour profile. According to the folks at Flor de Caña this aged spirit is suitable for sipping neat or with a splash of water or soda. I find it is also excellent for high-end cocktails!

Here is a link to my newly revised review of the Flor de Caña 12 with new tasting notes as well as with the latest information available to me regarding the brand:

Review: Flor de Caña 12 Centenario

“… I taste a nice mixture of treacle and caramel, flavours of oak and wood spice, an underlying presence of pecans and walnuts, and a very nice mixture of baking spices (vanilla, hints of cinnamon and clove, and bits of allspice). That orange peel I noticed in the air above the glass seems to have moved to a flavour impression of orange marmalade, and if you search for them, there are ample flavours of dark chocolate, espresso coffee and even cola which permeate the rum …”

Please enjoy my review!

Chimo!

Posted in Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , | Comments Off on Review: Flor de Caña 12 Centenario

Review: Flor de Caña 7 Gran Reserva

Posted by Arctic Wolf on January 26, 2018

I am continuing my weekly step through the Flor de Caña line-up. Last week I reviewed Flor de Caña 5 (Añejo Clasico) which is part of the Flor de Caña Premium Rum Collection. This week we are stepping it up a notch as I examine Flor de Caña 7 Gran Reserva which is part of their Super Premium Collection.

Flor de Caña 7 is an aged rum with the number 7 on the label representative of the average age of the rums in the blend with some variation in the actual age based upon blending to a consistent flavour profile. According to the folks at Flor de Caña this aged spirit is suitable for sipping as well as for cocktails. (I concur!)

Here is a link to my newest review:

Review: Flor de Caña 7 Gran Reserva

“… The flavour profile of the Flor de Caña 7 Gran Reserva features a ribbon of bittersweet chocolate complimented by vanilla, dark caramel treacle and baking spices (nutmeg and cinnamon) with the nuttiness of walnuts and pecans laying underneath. There is a firm presence of oak, and within the wood spices are traces of oak sap and hints of green tobacco …”

I hope you enjoy my review which contains my recommended recipe, the Rum Old Fashioned.

Chimo!

 

 

Posted in Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , | Comments Off on Review: Flor de Caña 7 Gran Reserva

Review: Flor de Caña 5 (Añejo Clasico)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on January 19, 2018

Today I am continuing to step through the Flor de Caña line-up. Last week I reviewed their premium white rum, Flor de Caña 4 (Extra Seco) and today I will be revisiting Flor de Caña 5 (Añejo Clasico) which is also part of the Flor de Caña Premium Rum Collection.

Flor de Caña 5 is a premium aged rum with the number 5 on the label representative of the average age of the rums in the blend with some variation in the actual age based upon blending to a consistent flavour profile. According to the folks at Flor de Caña this aged spirit is suitable for traditional cocktails or to be mixed with soda. As you will see from the review, I believe it also has sipping potential as well.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Flor de Caña 5 Añejo Clasico

“… As the glass sits, the caramel and oak spice combine bringing me indications of toffee and baking spices (primarily nutmeg and vanilla with hints of cinnamon). I noticed bits or orange peel and marmalade, as well as a ribbon of corn whisky. A light musty grassiness winds through the rum, and I also noticed vague nutty accents which reminded me of almond and walnut …”

Please enjoy my review which concludes with two delicious cocktails, the Cuba Libre, and the Autumn Daiquiri.

Chimo!

Posted in Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Flor de Caña 5 (Añejo Clasico)