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Archive for the ‘Whisk(e)y’ Category

Summer Cocktail #3: The Whisky Splash

Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 18, 2017

Some of my favourite mixed drinks are what I call ‘deck drinks’. I have written about this serving style before; they are libations which we can easily mix with no cocktail shakers, no fancy garnishes, and most importantly of all, no fuss! The best deck drinks have only three ingredients, a base spirit, a mixer (soda or juice) and ice. Rum and Coke, and Gin and Seven are good examples of the deck drink craft. Sometimes, rather than soda, I will use fresh citrus juice. Vodka and Orange Juice (a Screwdriver) is a good example of a citrus based deck drink.

Although I like short cocktails (shaken or stirred), the truth is that when I am on my back deck with friends, I sometimes do not want to take the time to measure ingredients into my cocktail shaker or mixing glass let alone taking even more time to shake and double strain the final serving into a fancy glass. And in fact, it is not unusual for me to have a variety of juice and sodas with ice in my back yard cooler so everyone who has joined me can mix their own servings with whichever spirit they happen to have brought over that day.

Recently, the good folks at Glazer’s sent me a bottle of Revel Stoke Deluxe Canadian Whisky  which is a product of the Phillips Distilling Company. The spirit is named for the town of Revelstoke, located in the mountains of British Columbia. The whisky itself is not produced in British Columbia; instead it is distilled on the other side of those mountains at an undisclosed Canadian Distillery. According to the producer’s website, the whisky is produced by blending a young 3-year-old whisky (the youngest allowed by Canadian Law) with a more mature 8-year-old whisky. The final blend is bottled at 40 % alcohol by volume, and during our recent spate of hot weather I found it to be an ideal spirit to enjoy in the Deck Drink format. The Whisky Splash made with Revel Stoke Deluxe Canadian Whisky is the third mixed drink in my Summer Cocktail round-up.

The Whisky Splash

2 oz Revel Stoke Canadian Whisky
2 Large Ice-cubes
Splash of Ginger-ale (1 -3 oz depending upon your preference)

Add the Ice-cubes to a rocks glass
Pour the Revel Stoke over the ice
Add a splash of Ginger Ale (to taste)
Garnish with a lime slice
Enjoy Responsibly!

If  you are interested in more of my cocktail recipes, please click this link (Cocktails and Recipes) for more of my mixed drink recipes!

______________________

BTW: Here is a link to my previously published review of this wonderful Canadian Whisky:

Review: Revel Stoke Deluxe Canadian Whisky

“… The flavour of the whisky leads out with a lightly sweet impression of toffee alongside both bitter and spicy rye grain. The mouthfeel is soft, however the whisky has plenty of wood spice to both heat and pucker the palate between sips.  This is a dusty dry whisky, and as I sip, impressions of ripened grain fields and dry grassy hay lands both find their way into my consciousness …”

Chimo!

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Cocktails & Recipes, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Summer Cocktail #3: The Whisky Splash

Review: Writers Tears Copper Pot Irish Whiskey

Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 7, 2017

Bernard and Rosemary Walsh began producing their own independent Irish Whiskey brands in 2007 with the introduction of The Irishman 70 (aka The Irishman Original Clan in the USA) and The Irishman – Single Malt. In 2009 they expanded the portfolio with the introduction Writers Tears, a boutique brand which was created to bring additional nuance to the Irish Whiskey Category. Although these brands are distilled and aged by a third-party distillery, Bernard and Rosemary recently opened the Walsh Whiskey Distillery and began to produce their own new-make spirit in 2016.

The subject of this review, Writers Tears Copper Pot Irish Whisky, This Whiskey is a vatting of Single Malt and Single Pot Still whiskeys (60% Pot Still and 40% Single Malt), triple-distilled, and aged in American Oak ex-bourbon casks.

Here is a link to my full Review:

Review: Writers Tears Copper Pot Irish Whiskey

“… I really like the nose which seems very well-balanced with just the right amounts of spice and sweetness. Although the oak and barley-like scents dominate, they do not smother the lighter nuances which continue to wind their way into the breezes above the glass …”

Please enjoy my review which concludes with my latest mixed drink creation, the Munster Cocktail.

Chimo!

Posted in Irish Whskey, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Writers Tears Copper Pot Irish Whiskey

Review: The Irishman Founder’s Reserve

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 28, 2017

Bernard and Rosemary Walsh began producing their own independent Irish Whiskey brands in 2007 with the introduction of The Irishman 70 (aka The Irishman Original Clan in the USA) and The Irishman – Single Malt. In 2009 they expanded the portfolio with the introduction Writers Tears, a boutique brand which was created to bring additional nuance to the Irish Whiskey Category. Although these brands are distilled and aged by a third-party distillery, Bernard and Rosemary recently opened the Walsh Whiskey Distillery and began to produce their own new-make spirit in 2016.

The subject of this review is Walsh Whiskey’s flagship brand The Irishman Founder’s Reserve. This is a direct descendant of The Irishman 70, made to the same recipe of 70 % Single Malt Irish Whiskey and 30 % Single Pot Still Whiskey (with no column distilled whiskey in the blend at all).

Here is the link to my full Review:

Review: The Irishman Founder’s Reserve

“… The immediate nose brings a nice combination of fine oak and grain spices forward with hints of ginger and orange peel in the breezes. This is quickly followed by nutty barley grain with aromas of hazelnut, almond, burlap and leather. A light sweep of vanilla with hints of baking spice (cinnamon and nutmeg) works its way into the air above the glass as do light impression of poplar and willow …”

I hope you enjoy the review, please stay tuned as next week I will take a look at the Writer’s Tears Copper Pot Irish Whiskey.

Chimo!

Posted in Irish Whskey, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: The Irishman Founder’s Reserve

Forty Creek Heritage

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 26, 2017

Forty Creek Founder John Hall with some of his award winning Whiskies!

It’s that time of year again as each year in May or June, Forty Creek Whisky announces their annual special limited release whisky. This years release has been named Forty Creek Heritage, and it is an homage to their first ever, and most sought after release, Forth Creek Three Grain.

Once again the Forty Creek Distillery has invited the public to participate in this special release by offering to let you choose your own numbered bottle.

According to the press release I received yesterday, this special whisky was crafted from specially selected barrels of corn, rye, and barley whiskies.  The blended whiskies were finished in toasted American Oak barrels (as opposed to more traditionally used charred American Oak) to release more elegant vanilla flavours and to highlight the bold wood spices of the toasted oak. Less than 16,500 bottles will be released across both Canada and the United States at a retail price of $74.95.

This year the process to reserve you own special bottle is a little different from before:

How to Reserve Your Bottle:

  1. Visit www.fortycreekwhisky.com 
  2. Choose the ‘Whisky Weekend’ option from the top menu, then select the ‘Bottle Reservations’ option from the sub-menu.
  3. You will be prompted to either ‘Login’, or ‘Create an account’.  If it is your first time visiting, select the ‘Create an Account’ option and fill in the appropriate information.
  4. As part of the registration process, Forty Creek asks that you provide a mobile phone number.  This will help us to better fulfill your order on Whisky Weekend – we will be able to message you know when your bottle is ready for pickup! (I do not use a mobile phone nor do I ever disclose a phone number just to make a retail purchase so for me this may be problematic.)
  5. Once your account has been created, you will be prompted to select a number.  If your number has already been chosen by someone else, you will receive an error message and be asked to try another number.
  6. This year, you must pay a $20, non-refundable deposit to reserve your bottle.  This is to ensure that more numbers are available to be reserved by true Forty Creek fans. The $20.00 amount will be deducted from the total purchase price of your bottle of Forty Creek Heritage when you pick it up from our retail store.

THE RESERVATION WINDOW WILL BE OPEN FOR ONE WEEK, BEGINNING MONDAY JUNE 26th.

Numbers will be reserved on a first come, first served basis.  Due to provincial and federal regulations, the bottle reservation offer is only available in Ontario, Canada as unfortunately, Forty Creek cannot ship bottles, and they must be purchased and picked up at the Forty Creek distillery in Grimsby, Ontario. (I usually have a friend pick up my bottles for me.)

Normally when I get these press releases from Forty Creek, some tasting notes and a little more information about the whisky is available (such as the bottling proof) to assist the consumer in making their purchase decision. Hopefully I will soon receive little more information as well as a bottle shot to add to this posting.

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Howls, Whisk(e)y | Tagged: , | Comments Off on Forty Creek Heritage

Review: Writers Tears Red Head Single Malt Whiskey

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 16, 2017

Bernard and Rosemary Walsh began producing their own independent Irish Whiskey brands in 2007 with the introduction of The Irishman 70 (aka The Irishman Original Clan in the USA) and The Irishman – Single Malt. In 2009 they expanded the portfolio with the introduction Writers Tears, a boutique brand which was created to bring additional nuance to the Irish Whiskey Category. Although these brands are distilled and aged by a third-party distillery, Bernard and Rosemary recently opened the Walsh Whiskey Distillery and began to produce their own new-make spirit in 2016.

The subject of this review, Writers Tears Red Head Single Malt Irish Whisky, is a triple-distilled spirit matured in Spanish butts which were previously seasoned with Olorosso sherry. The Sherry butts impart both flavour and a coppery orange hue which has given rise to the name of the Whiskey, ‘Red Head’.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Writers Tears Red Head Single Malt Irish Whiskey

“… I gave the glass about ten minutes to breathe and the fine oak spices did not relent although I should note that there was also an accompanying sweetness of caramel and malt which promised to balance the dram. The different scents and smells melded together creating an impression of an oak and raisin syrup which was most delightful …”

Please enjoy my review Writer’s Tears Red Head Irish Single Malt Whiskey (released in Ontario this past Saturday through Vintages).

Chimo!

Posted in Irish Whskey, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Writers Tears Red Head Single Malt Whiskey