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 1,090 other subscribers

  • Subscribe

  • Visitors

    • 15,492,038 pageviews since inception

  • Archives

  • Follow The Rum Howler Blog on WordPress.com

Archive for the ‘Whisky Review’ Category

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »

Review: J.P. Wiser’s Old Fashioned Whisky Cocktail

Posted by Arctic Wolf on January 5, 2020

J.P. Wiser’s was established in 1857, and Hiram Walker & Sons Limited currently produces there whisky at their Windsor, Ontario, distillery. Since 1935, J.P. Wiser’s has been the majority shareholder of Corby Spirit and Wine.

J.P. Wiser’s Old Fashioned Whisky Cocktail is bottles as a ready-to-serve cocktail. According to the company website the spirit is made from quality whisky, orange essence and natural flavour and is meant to bring the experience of the classic Old Fashioned Whisky Cocktail to the consumer in a format where it can be enjoyed or in other convenient settings.

The serving is meant to be enjoyed over ice with perhaps a twist of citrus garnish.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: J.P. Wiser’s Old Fashioned Whisky Cocktail 

“… I thought I knew what to expect when I nosed the ready to drink spirit but was surprised with an unexpected aroma of candied fruit with menthol and light peppermint …”

Please enjoy my latest Canadian Whisky Review.

Chimo!

 

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Flavoured Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisky Review | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: J.P. Wiser’s Old Fashioned Whisky Cocktail

2019 Rum Howler Favourite 20 Canadian Whiskies: #1 – Ninety “Decades of Richness” 20 Year Old Canadian Rye Whisky

Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 22, 2019

I have a particular fondness for the Highwood Distillery. Part of the reason, is that it was the first major Canadian Distillery that visited, and when I was there, I was treated so well that I could not help but have good thoughts towards them. Another part of the reason is that Highwood is 100 % Canadian owned and operated and that means something to me. But the main reason I am fond of the the Highwood Distillery is that they make some of the best whisky in Canada if not the entire world.

Ninety “Decades of Richness” 20 Year Old Canadian Rye Whisky is one of their truly great whiskies. Made from 100 % corn it is a single grain whisky aged for a full 20 years and bottled at 45 % alcohol or 90 proof. And … I can usually find a bottle for about $40.00.  This makes the 20 year old whisky from Highwood perhaps the best whisky bargain in the entire country.

All of these factors, make the Ninety “Decades of Richness” 20 Year Old my favourite whisky to recommend to friends and family. And for that reason, it tops my list as my favourite Canadian Whisky of 2019.

Here is a link to my review:

Review: Ninety “Decades of Richness” 20 Year Old

“… Tasting notes do not adequately reflect how good this whisky actually is. The words which I wrote down a year ago to describe the flavour are correct: oak, cedar, corn, butterscotch, vanilla, orange peel, marmalade, almond and tobacco, but they do not adequately convey how rich and flavourful this whisky is …”

Chimo!

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisky Review | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on 2019 Rum Howler Favourite 20 Canadian Whiskies: #1 – Ninety “Decades of Richness” 20 Year Old Canadian Rye Whisky

2019 Rum Howler Favourite 20 Canadian Whiskies: #2- Forty Creek Special Release Limited Edition Whiskies 

Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 21, 2019

Forty Creek Founder John Hall

When I began to review spirits in general, and Rum and Canada Whisky in particular, some of the most exciting spirits to taste and review were the whiskies from the Forty Creek Distillery. This was because prior to 2007 the major distilleries which produced almost all the whisky bottled in Canada had very little real competition, and innovation was not a high priority (or at least from my point of view it did not appear so).

John Hall was the genesis of change.  He opened the Kittling Ridge Winery & Distillery in 1992.  The distillery portion (which would become the Forty Creek Distillery) was the first major distillery to be built in Canada since 1974. and once it was producing whisky, John Hall’s impact on the landscape of Canadian Whisky was profound. And, the release in 2007 of Forty Creek’s first Special Release Limited Edition Whisky made this clear.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

These Limited Edition whiskies became an annual affair. Each one gave the Whisky consumer in Canada a new twist on the Canadian spirit, and, since 2008, I have bought a few bottles of each annual release. My growing collection is a source of great enjoyment, and I look forward with anticipation to each year’s Special Release.

Here are some links to a few of my reviews for some of my favourite Forty Creek Limited Edition Special Releases:

 

 

Chimo!

 

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisky Review | Tagged: , , , | 1 Comment »

2019 Rum Howler Favourite 20 Canadian Whiskies: #3 – Canadian Rockies 21 Year Old

Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 20, 2019

Seven years ago, I encountered Canadian Rockies 21 Year Old Whisky as a random sample which I was assessing as part of my duties when I served on the jury for the 2012 Canadian Whisky Awards. At the time the small sample bottle which contained the Canadian Rockies 21 Year Old Whisky was one which I earmarked as a superior whisky. So, when the Awards Competition was complete, it was to my dismay that I learned this particular whisky (Random Sample number 7 by the way) was a brand destined not for Canada; but instead for Taiwan.

The Fountana Group Canada is the brand owner, and it turns out the whisky was produced by Highwood Distillers right here in my home Province of Alberta. The Fountana Group contracted Highwood to produce a well aged whisky for export to Asia where it has by all accounts been well received. It was, I should add, also well received by the other jurors on that panel for the Canadian Whisky Awards as this brand won the prestigious Connoisseur Whisky of the Year for the Export Market at those same 2012 Canadian Whisky Awards.

When I wrote a brief review for this whisky in 2013, I lamented that this great whisky was available only in Asia, and I hoped that the brand owner (and the folks at Highwood Distillery) might read the review, and decide that maybe Canada deserved this Whisky too. The Fountana Group must have agreed with me as the whisky has for a few years now been available across Canada.

Here is a link to a more recent review written in 2017:

Review: Canadian Rockies 21 Year Old Whisky

“… The initial breezes above the glass brought me impressions of dusty grain fields and firm oak spices. Soon I began to notice orange peel and butterscotch scents moving together over time creating impressions of marmalade and caramel toffee. There were also lovely hints of cinnamon and vanilla weaving within the breezes …”

Please enjoy the review!

Chimo!

 

 

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisky Review | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on 2019 Rum Howler Favourite 20 Canadian Whiskies: #3 – Canadian Rockies 21 Year Old

2019 Rum Howler Favourite 20 Canadian Whiskies: #4 – Caribou Crossing Single Barrel Canadian Whisky

Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 19, 2019

Caribou Crossing is what is known as a Single Barrel Whisky. From the company’s inventory of over 200,000 barrels of Canadian whisky, Sazerac’s whisky making team selects what they deem to be some of the very finest barrels. Each of these chosen barrels is bottled individually capturing its unique flavour. This means that each individual bottling offers a unique taste experience for the whisky enthusiast.

This is a whisky which I believe has gotten better over time. When the brand was first introduced, my review scores were high, but nothing to get to excited about. But over the past three years my review scores have jumped significantly. I’m not sure whether that barrel picking team from Sazerac has just gotten better at their job, or if maybe I am just more attuned to the wonderful mixture of spicy rye and sweet corn that jumps to my palate each time I sample a new bottle.

Whatever the reason, Caribou Crossing Single Barrel Canadian Whisky is now one of my very favourites. I certainly would like Mrs. Claus to put a bottle under the tree for me this year:

Review: Caribou Crossing Single Barrel Canadian Whisky

“… The lightly buttered mouth-feel gives the Caribou Crossing a little length in the exit featuring flavours of oak, corn and butterscotch which trail down the throat. After the whisky is swallowed, sweet honeycomb lingers on the palate and the glowing embers of disappearing rye spices leave their imprint …”

Please enjoy the review, Chimo!

 

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisky Review | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on 2019 Rum Howler Favourite 20 Canadian Whiskies: #4 – Caribou Crossing Single Barrel Canadian Whisky

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »