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

    • 15,533,803 pageviews since inception

  • Archives

  • Follow The Rum Howler Blog on WordPress.com

Archive for the ‘Rum Reviews’ Category

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »

Review: Old Monk Supreme Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on March 19, 2015

old monk spremeToday I am continuing my series of reviews of the Old Monk rums from India. Old Monk is a dark rum brand produced by Mohan Meakin Limited in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. According to the information I received from the importer (and which I gleaned from Wikipedia), their Old Monk Supreme is a molasses distilled rum, which although it carries no age statement, will have been aged for approximately 12 years in oak casks (in the tropical climate of India). It is sold as a special limited edition bottling sitting perhaps slightly up the rungs of the Old Monk ladder from the (previously reviewed) Old Monk Gold Reserve Rum (12 Years Blended) and certainly as a more premium version of the (previously reviewed) Old Monk Very Old Vatted Rum (7 Years Old Blended).

You may read my full review of the Old Monk Supreme by clicking the following link:

Review: Old Monk Supreme Rum

“… Molasses flavours dominate the Old Monk Supreme with dry peppery wood spices adding additional character. These wood spices carry elements of cinnamon, clove, dry tobacco, and hot black pepper. As the glass sits and the rum is allowed to evolve, I begin to taste dark brown sugar mixed with baking spices and vanilla, as well as strong cocoa flavours, cola, and black tea …”

Please enjoy my review which includes a suggested chocolate pairing, Valrhona Lait Jivari, which is a creamy, smooth milk chocolate from Ecuador. (Read the review to learn more.)

Cheers Everyone!

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

An El Dorado Spring

Posted by Arctic Wolf on March 12, 2015

Bitter Rum and Cola

Bitter Rum and Cola

I am not sure how it has been for everyone else; but it seems to me that this past winter has outworn its welcome. So when the sun came out this past weekend, and the temperature climbed up above 10 degrees Celsius on Sunday afternoon, the Rum Chums and I moved our bi-monthly rum tasting outdoors for the first time in almost six months. The air still had some chill; but the rum we were sipping just seemed to taste better mixed with some sunshine.

I was fortunate enough to have scheduled myself off work the next day after the tasting, and since it was another warm sunny afternoon, I spent some time making cocktails with an old friend, the El Dorado 3 Year Cask Aged Demerara Rum.

Maybe the warm weather was responsible; but those cocktails seemed to be tasting particularly good as I soaked up the afternoon sunshine and listened to my tunes on my front deck. The mixed drinks were so good in fact, that I thought I should snap a few pictures and share the recipes here on my website:

El Dorado Recipe #1: Bitter Rum and Cola (a Cuba libre’ with bitters)

El Dorado Recipe #2: Iced Rum Darby (for an afternoon in the hot sun)

El Dorado recipe #3: Lime Daiquiri à la mode (a modern take on a classic)

Of course if you are more interested in the El Dorado 3 Year Rum, you can find my most recent review here:

Review: El Dorado 3 Year Cask Aged Demerara Rum

(Note: About six weeks ago, my friends at Woodman Wines and Spirits informed me that they were about to launch this great rum in Ontario. Its been several weeks since then, and I suspect the El Dorado 3 Year Old is already on the shelves at the LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario). You will not be disappointed if you grab a bottle and mix a few cocktails this spring and summer.)

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Rum, Rum Reviews, White Rums | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on An El Dorado Spring

Review: Old Monk Gold Reserve Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on March 5, 2015

SAM_0958 Old Monk Gold Reserve RumLast week I embarked on a series of reviews of one of the most popular rum brands in the world, Old Monk. This brand is produced by produced by Mohan Meakin Limited in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India, and according to the information I have received, all versions of this dark rum are distilled from molasses. Last week I revisited the flagship rum of the brand, Old Monk Very Old Vatted Rum which is blended and aged in India for a minimum of 7 years. This week’s review is for the more premium Old Monk Gold Reserve Rum which has been aged for 12 years.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Old Monk Gold Reserve Rum

“… Above the glass of the 12-year-old Gold Reserve Rum the breezes also bring me indications of black pepper, cinnamon and cloves with a light, but firm vanilla accent. As the glass sits, the aroma deepens bringing forward dark brown sugary smells and rich baking spices with impressions of cigar tobacco and crushed walnuts …”

Please enjoy my review of the Old Monk Gold Reserve Rum and stay tuned for my upcoming reviews of the Old Monk Supreme and the Old Monk Legend Rums.

Posted in Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Old Monk Gold Reserve Rum

Review: Old Monk Very Old Vatted Rum (7 Years Old blended)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on February 25, 2015

SAM_0815 Old Monk

Old Monk Very Old Vatted Rum

Old Monk is a dark rum brand produced by Mohan Meakin Limited in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. According to the information I have received, all versions of this dark rum are distilled from molasses. The flagship rum of the brand, Old Monk Very Old Vatted Rum is blended and aged in India for a minimum of 7 years. The Old Monk portfolio also includes a more premium Old Monk Gold Reserve Rum which has been aged for 12 years, and two more premium bottlings, the Old Monk Supreme, and the Old Monk Legend.

The brand receives very little attention from the press, and does not appear to be represented in any advertising campaigns which I have seen. Rather Old Monk relies upon word of mouth and customer loyalty for its sales. Word of mouth must be good as this rum is (again according to information I received) the second largest selling well-aged dark rum in the world.

(Note: India is a huge market for rum, and there is only a small presence of foreign brands on the sub-continent. Based solely upon sales in the home market, this would certainly be a believable statement. In fact the largest selling dark rum brand is also a rum produced in India, McDowell’s No.1 Celebration Rum.)

Monk's Uncle

Monk’s Uncle

I have received samples of all four expressions and over the next few weeks I will be comparing each of them. Two of these rums have been reviewed by me previously, Old Monk Very Old Vatted Rum and the Old Monk Gold Reserve Rum. However, as the blends may have changed slightly in the two years since I visited them last, I will be re-tasting each rum and updating my previous reviews with the tasting notes from most current sample I have received and the most current information I have regarding the brand.

You may read the results of my first re-visitation by clicking the following link:

Review: Old Monk Very Old Vatted Rum (7 Years Old blended)

“… The entry into the mouth is perhaps a touch ‘rough and tumble’ as the rum contains a bit more rough spice and alcohol astringency than the nose indicated. I check the bottling proof and see that we have 42.8 % alcohol by volume spirit; however, the Old Monk has the impact (and the mouth feel) of a higher proof bottling …”

Please enjoy this review series, and in the case of the Old Monk Very Old Vatted Rum, please also enjoy my two recommended cocktails, the Dark Rum and Cola, and the Monk’s Uncle.

Posted in Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Old Monk Very Old Vatted Rum (7 Years Old blended)

Review: Blue Chair Bay White Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on February 19, 2015

Blue Chair White SAM_1349Fishbowl Spirits Llc. is a company wholly owned by Kenny Chesney, the well-known Country Music Singer from Knoxville, Tennessee. In May, 2013 Fishbowl Spirits launched Blue Chair Bay Rum, which features an assortment of rums which were apparently inspired by the relaxed island lifestyle of the country music star. The line-up includes an assortment of flavoured rums (a Coconut Rum, a Coconut Spiced Rum, a Banana Rum and a limited time only Coconut Spiced Rum Cream, as well as a standard White Rum. Although Blue Bay Chair Rum is based in Nashville, the assortment of rums they produce are distilled in Barbados and then bottled in Rochester NY by LiDestri Food & Beverage.

Three of these spirits, the Coconut and Coconut Spiced rums, as well as the White Rum have been brought into Alberta by Glazer’s Of Canada Llc, and they arranged for me to receive all three rums to review here on my website.

Lime and Maraschino Daiquiri

Lime and Maraschino Daiquiri

Blue Chair Bay White Rum, according to the Company Website is aged less than 100 feet from the high water line where there’s something about the sunlight and the wind on the water that gets into the oak casks and into every drop of Blue Chair Bay®.

Here is my full review:

Review: Blue Chair Bay White Rum

“… There were  light bits of spice wandering into the air with a smattering of buttery caramel. Perhaps I also sense some freshly mashed banana, vague notes of tropical fruit, some whispers of marshmallow, and hints of mint and licorice. When I add ice to the glass, the light scents seem to blow away in the breezes, leaving only phantoms of butterscotch above the glass …”

Please enjoy my review which includes a Lime and Maraschino Daiquiri as the suggested recipe for laid back enjoyment!

Cheers!

Posted in Rum, Rum Reviews, White Rums | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Blue Chair Bay White Rum

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »