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Archive for the ‘Vodka’ Category

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Review: Crystal Head Vodka

Posted by Arctic Wolf on February 25, 2018

Crystal Head Vodka is a Vodka Brand created by Dan Aykroyd (Canadian Actor and Comedian) and John Alexander (Artist) in 2007. This is a corn spirit made from a brand of corn called Peaches and Cream. I have actually grown this corn varietal in my garden. It is very good, sweet with both light and dark corn kernels (hence the name, Peaches and Cream.)

The spirit is quadruple-distilled in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada by Globefill Inc. at the Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation distillery. After distillation the spirit is filtered seven times, the final 3 of which are through a filter which are layered with Herkimer Diamond crystals.

Rather than sampling the spirit in isolation as I did seven years ago, I tasted the spirit, side by side with two others, the new Crystal Head Aurora (reviewed here), and a Vodka which I am very familiar with Sobieski (review pending). All three Vodkas were chilled on my back deck for several hours (it was a very cold minus 18 degrees Celsius outside), and when I brought them in my thermometer indicated they had chilled to just above the freezing point of water (1 degree Celsius).

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Crystal Head Vodka

“… The aroma was clean with a little grain spice and light scents of lemon balsam and cornstarch. When I took my first sip I noticed the vodka carried more sweetness than the Aurora and the Sobieski. This is no doubt the influence of the Peaches and Cream corn. (Corn spirits typically carry more sweetness than wheat or rye spirits.) There is also a light mint-like flavour which accompanies the sweetness …”

Please enjoy my review which contains two cocktail recommendations, Comopolitan and the Moscow Mule.

Chimo!

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Review: Crystal Head Aurora Vodka

Posted by Arctic Wolf on February 18, 2018

Crystal Head Vodka is a Vodka Brand created by Dan Aykroyd (Canadian Actor and Comedian) and John Alexander (Artist) in 2007. I first encountered the spirit in 2011 at Edmonton’s Rocky Mountain Food and Wine Festival where a pleasant woman at the Crystal Head Vodka booth went to great lengths explaining how this is a quadruple distilled premium Vodka, filtered with real diamond filters, produced using only the freshest water found in Newfoundland. She gave a great presentation, but I’ll be honest, she already had my full attention with the Crystal Skull decanter.

Crystal Head Aurora Vodka is the newest creation in the Crystal Head line-up. It is produced by Globefill Inc.. at the Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation distillery in Newfoundland, Canada. The spirit is five times distilled in a traditional column still using English wheat from North Yorkshire, England.

Cocktail Suggestion: Hawking Radiation

After distillation and filtered using activated charcoal in a filtration which lasts 6 hours to remove any impurities. It is then filtered three more times through layers of Herkimer diamonds. A final micro filtration is performed, and then the is bottled at 40 % alcohol by volume. Crystal Head Aurora has won numerous awards recently, including a Gold Medal at the prestigious 2016 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Here is my Review for this new Aurora Vodka:

Review: Crystal Head Aurora Vodka

“… The aroma was clean with a little grain spice and a light scent of wheat flour in the air. When I took my first sip I was surprised at the firm grain-like spiciness which I encountered which was accompanied by an ever so light flavour of starch and a touch of both lemon citrus and mint. There was also a very light sweetness …”

Please enjoy my review which includes a nice cocktail suggestion, the Hawking Radiation.

Chimo!

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The 2018 Rum Howler Awards for Vodka

Posted by Arctic Wolf on January 17, 2018

I have written before that I believe Vodka is the most maligned of the popular mainstream spirits. It is considered by many people to be a colourless, odourless, and tasteless spirit. In fact, many people believe the only utility Vodka possesses is that of a mixer.

This simply is not true. There are subtle aromas and flavours which can be appreciated when Vodka is sipped or when it is consumed as a shot. As well, when served with good food, a quality vodka has the ability to enhance the gastronomic experience by cleansing the palate between bites allowing you to taste each morsel more completely.

When I review Vodka on my website, I try very hard to convey my appreciation of these subtle nuances and the pleasure I derive when I encounter them.

Ketel One Vodka Martini

This year, I added a new Craft Distilling category to my Vodka Awards. This is in recognition of the efforts of the new Craft Micro Distilleries which have spread across the continent. These small distilleries are bringing about a change in the culture of consumers who are beginning to embrace the small batch spirits these distillers provide. Micro distilling is now more than a trend, it has become a permanent fixture in the landscape of spirits worldwide.

As is the case each year, all of my Rum Howler Awards are based upon my tastings and reviews of each vodka. I taste the spirit neat, and I may also mix a few cocktails with each spirit. All samples which I receive to review on my website are automatically considered for my awards for the year in which they are reviewed as well as the following year. I do my reviews, and then I set aside the remainder of the spirit aside until the end of the year when I reassess for the purposes of determining my award winners. As indicated, I also include those samples which were provided in the previous year so as to have a larger field to judge. (I may also receive additional industry samples specifically for these awards.)

Here is a link to my 2018 Award Winners:

The 2018 Rum Howler Awards – The Year in Vodka

Chimo!

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Last Mountain Sweet Tea Flavoured Vodka

Posted by Arctic Wolf on August 12, 2017

A few of my readers have been asking lately why I have curtailed my review publications this summer. As well my publication schedule has become somewhat erratic. The delays and lack of publications were a result of a lengthy hospital stay for a family member which created a bit on an upheaval. I want to let everyone know that things should be getting back to normal very soon.

One of the spirit samples which became jammed up in my review queue is the Last Mountain Sweet Tea Flavoured Vodka from Saskatchewan’s first micro-distillery, in Lumsden, Saskatchewan, the Last Mountain Distillery.

Last Mountain Sweet Tea Flavoured Vodka is made using all natural ingredients including real tea freshly brewed for each batch. It is bottled at 35.2% alcohol by volume.

Here is a link to my long overdue review:

Last Mountain Sweet Tea Flavoured Vodka

“… When I brought it to my nose I was pleasantly surprised to find tell-tale traces of honey in the air rather than sugar syrup. The all natural ingredients advertised thus may include fresh honey as well as freshly made tea …”

Please enjoy the review and stay tuned for more.

Chimo!

Posted in Flavoured Vodka, Vodka, Vodka Reviews | Tagged: , , , | 1 Comment »

Review: Prairie Organic Cucumber Vodka

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 21, 2017

Prairie Organic Spirits are produced and bottled by Ed Phillips and Sons located in Princeton, Minnesota. According to the company website all of the Prairie Organic Spirits are produced using:

“single-sourced, vintage corn grown on family-owned, organic farms in the Midwest”

Additionally we are informed that each batch of Prairie Organic Spirit is distilled in small batches to a specific taste profile rather than being distilled a certain number of time to meet a specific marketing whim.

The subject of this review, Prairie Organic Cucumber Vodka is produced by blending garden fresh cucumber flavour with Prairie Organic Vodka and water. You may read my full review by clicking the link below:

Review: Prairie Organic Cucumber Vodka

“… When I bring my nose to the glass, the scent of freshly cut cucumber is obvious. There is also a  light sweetness accompanying the cucumber scent. I find the spirit enticing and my mind is already going over some mixing possibilities …”

Please enjoy my review which includes two cocktail suggestions, a Cucumber and Lime Tonic, and a Cucumber Mint Cooler.

Chimo!

 

Posted in Flavoured Vodka, Vodka, Vodka Reviews | Tagged: , , , | Comments Off on Review: Prairie Organic Cucumber Vodka

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