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Archive for the ‘White Rums’ Category

Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown #7: Harbour Rum (Yongehurst Distillery)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 18, 2016

2016rum_howler_badgeThe Yongehurst Distillery is a brand new Micro-Distillery located at 346 Westmoreland Ave near Dupont and Dovercourt in Toronto, Ontario. The facility is owned by long-time friends, Rocco Panacci and John-Paul Sacco who are making what just might be Toronto’s first micro-distilled rum upon their brand new small pot/column combination still.

Yongehurst DaiquiriSAM_2708And this rum is extremely good. In fact when I reviewed it earlier this year, I was blown away by the rich Jamaican-like pot still flavours which permeated both the aroma and the flavour. This rum that Yongehurst is producing is unique  as it is one of the first micro distilled rum produced entirely in Canada, and it is perhaps the first rum produced in Canada which is completely unaged.

Here is a link to the 7th Best Mixing Rum in my Rum Howler Top 50 Countdown:

#7: Harbour Rum (Yongehurst Distillery)

“… The flavours from the nose translate well to the palate with hints of cotton candy and mint playing in the rum alongside flavours of banana and citrus zest. A light herbaceousness is present with lemongrass and hints of heather manifesting themselves from the grassy aromas I noted earlier. Of course I wanted to try a few cocktails and working with that mint-like flavour I could sense both on the nose and in the mouth I started with a very short mojito-like cocktail. The result was well worth the effort and I was emboldened to try another serving in the daiquiri style …”

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Stay tuned for more mixing rum revelations as I will be adding to this list each day until Christmas Eve.

And you can follow the rankings by bookmarking this page:

The Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown

Posted in Awards, Extras, Rum, Rum Reviews, White Rums | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown #7: Harbour Rum (Yongehurst Distillery)

Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown #8: El Dorado 3 Year Cask Aged

Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 17, 2016

2016rum_howler_badgeDemerara County (in Guyana) is popular across the world for its rich, three hundred year history of rum production. Using a combination of old wooden stills in conjunction with modern stills and distilling techniques, Demerara Distillers Ltd. (DDL), has built a reputation for outstanding quality and consistent production. In fact, Demerara Distillers is the currently the largest supplier of bulk Caribbean Rum to Europe and North America.

admin-ajax-phpThe El Dorado 3 Year Cask Aged Demerara Rum is blended from aged stocks (the youngest being no less than 3 years old) and then filtered twice through charcoal filters to produce a clear rum. All of the Demerara Rum produced by El Dorado is aged exclusively in American oak (bourbon barrels).

Here is a link to not only one of the best clear rums in the entire world, it is also the 8th Best Mixing Rum.

#8: El Dorado 3 Year Cask Aged

” … the soft butterscotch/caramel flavours remain firm through the palate accented with light minty candy-like flavours. There is also a light spiciness which hints at citrus zest and banana peel. As I sip I also begin to sense very light undercurrents of dry fruit, chocolate and a light but firm impression of baked coconut. Of course I mix a few cocktails, and I remain impressed. Lime based cocktails like the daiquiri are outstanding as is the cola based Cuba libre …”

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Stay tuned for more mixing rum revelations as I will be adding to this list each day until Christmas Eve.

And you can follow the rankings by bookmarking this page:

The Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown

Posted in Awards, Extras, Rum, Rum Reviews, White Rums | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown #8: El Dorado 3 Year Cask Aged

Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown #10: Plantation 3 Stars

Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 15, 2016

2016rum_howler_badgePlantation 3 Stars Silver Rum is relatively new white cocktail rum from Cognac Ferrand. In producing this rum Alexandre Gabriel (President and Owner, of Cognac Ferrand) blends rum from three different Caribbean Islands in order to achieve the correct balance between flavour and character suitable for a cocktail rum bearing the Plantation name. These three Islands (Barbados, Jamaica, and Trinidad) are considered by the folks at Cognac Ferrand to be the three “star” producers of the Caribbean, hence the name “Plantation 3 Stars” was chosen for the rum.

plantation-3stars-bAccording to the media materials I received, each style of rum serves a unique purpose: unaged rum from Barbados provides aromatics and character; a clear filtered 3-year-old rum from Trinidad provides classical elegance and refinement, and the Jamaican rum provides structure and an unmistakable ‘funk’ to the final recipe. The Jamaican portion of the rum is actually composed of two Jamaican styles, an unaged rum which contributes to that Jamaican ‘funk’, and a small amount of very expensive 12-year-old rum which contributes just the right flavour component to make this a rum ideal for classic cocktails. Indeed the 3 Stars rum is, at its heart, a cocktail rum meant to add elegance and complexity to your favourite cocktails.

Here is a link to the 10th best Mixing Rum of 2016:

Review: Plantation 3 Stars Silver Rum

“… I even taste some of that Jamaican funk that the creators of the rum were careful to incorporate (it is much more obvious in the mouth than it was on the nose) which seems to consist of orange peel zest, a light swath of oak and a certain briny/musty flavour that defies my ability to adequately describe. Overall the flavour is very delicious and very interesting. I made a few cocktails with my small sample. I began with a simple Daiquiri which had a noticeable earthy quality which I enjoyed. I followed that with a classic cocktail called the Celebration which adds rum, gin and grapefruit juice with Groseille Syrup to great effect …”

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Stay tuned for more mixing rum revelations as I will be adding to this list each day until Christmas Eve.

And you can follow the rankings by bookmarking this page:

The Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown

Posted in Awards, Extras, Rum, Rum Reviews, White Rums | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown #10: Plantation 3 Stars

Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown #14 – Flor de Caña 4 Extra Seco

Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 11, 2016

2016rum_howler_badgeTwo years ago, the entire Flor de Caña line-up received a make-over with splashy new bottle designs. Part of this redesign was the elimination of definitive age statements upon the new bottles and labels. Last year, when I corresponded with the company, they indicated that they wanted to modernize the bottle presentation; but it was maintained that no changes to the overall flavour profile of their rums has occurred.

extra_secoIn the case of the Flor de Caña 4 Extra Seco, this brand now replaced the Flor de Caña Extra Dry 4 Year Old Rum in their line-up. The new Extra Seco brand is now longer an age stated 4-year-old rum, rather I have been told that the number 4 on the label is 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.

#14: Flor de Caña 4 Extra Seco

“… The aroma rising up from the glass has a very gentle imprint of butterscotch with just a hint of menthol alongside. As I let the glass breathe I also begin to notice a few mushy banana-like scents, hints of grassy tobacco and the light spiciness of orange and banana peel. There is also a light astringency in the breezes which hints at oak spice and more orange peel. The rum appears to be just what it purports to be, a delicately aged mixing rum which is already begging me to mix a daiquiri …”      

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Stay tuned for more mixing rum revelations as I will be adding to this list each day until Christmas Eve.

And you can follow the rankings by bookmarking this page:

The Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown

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Posted in Awards, Extras, Rum, Rum Reviews, White Rums | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown #14 – Flor de Caña 4 Extra Seco

Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown #21 – Bermudez Ron Viejo Blanco

Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 4, 2016

2016rum_howler_badgeThe Ron Bermudez Company, has a long history that stretches back to 1852 with the Bermudez Distillery being the oldest commercial rum distillery in the Dominican Republic. In fact, both the company (and the distillery) are almost as old as the Dominican Republic itself, and I think it is easy to suggest that the Ron Bermudez Company represents an important part of the history of the Island. Don Erasmo Bermudez apparently created the company’s first rum, sold as Bitter Panacea, and it quickly became extremely popular providing the foundation for the company’s initial success.

bermudezronviejoAlthough the Bermudez Ron Viejo Blanco is not a typical clear white rum, the words on the bottle  ‘Viejo Blanco’ translate from Spanish to English as ‘Old White’. Unlike other white rums which may be aged a few years and then filtered clear, the Ron Viejo Blanco does not undergo a filtering process prior to bottling. Exactly how long the rum ages in oak is unclear to me, but based upon the colour of the rum in the bottle, I would guess it is aged anywhere from 3 months to a year.

Here is a link to the number 21 spirit in my Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown:

#21 – Bermudez Ron Viejo Blanco

” … The main characteristics of flavour are a firm but light oak spice, a mellow butterscotch, a hint of orange peel, dabs of cinnamon, and perhaps a smidgen of Apricot Brandy. Perhaps the apricot flavour was imagined, but I seemed to find it resting with light oak spices. When it comes to mixing cocktails, Bermudez Ron Viejo is outstanding. I ran the spirit through the gauntlet of quintessential rum cocktails. I loved the spirit served in a Cuba Libre; and when I mixed a Daiquiri and then a Mojito, I could not find fault with any of the cocktails …”

Stay tuned for more mixing rum revelations as I will be adding to this list each day until Christmas Eve.

And you can follow the rankings by bookmarking this page:

The Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown

Posted in Awards, Extras, Rum, Rum Reviews, White Rums | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown #21 – Bermudez Ron Viejo Blanco