The Rum Howler Blog

Review: Sobieski Vodka

Posted by Arctic Wolf on March 4, 2018

Sobieski Vodka is (according to their website) the number 1 selling premium vodka in Poland. It is a true Polish Vodka distilled on a multi-column still from 100% Dankowski rye which was harvested in the low-lying Mazovia (Masowse) region of Poland. The spirit was named ‘Sobieski’ to pay homage to King Jan III Sobieski (1629 – 1696) who is generally regarded as the last great King of Poland and whose spirit of indomitable will, remains even today as an integral aspect of the Poland’s national character.

Rather than sampling this spirit in isolation, I tasted the vodka, side by side with two others, Crystal Skull Vodka and Crystal Skull Aurora. 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 review of the third vodka in the tasting flights:

Review: Sobieski Vodka

” … The aroma was clean to the point that I could find no aroma in my glass. As I sipped for the first time, the spirit brought forward a clean grain-like spiciness and wisps of a sweet lemony citrus in the glass …”

Please enjoy the review which includes a nice cocktail recommendation, the Yellow Bird of Sunshine.

Chimo!

Posted in Vodka, Vodka Reviews | Tagged: Review, Sobieski, Vodka | Comments Off on Review: Sobieski Vodka

Review: West Indies Rum & Cane Merchants – Central America XO

Posted by Arctic Wolf on March 2, 2018

West Indies Rum & Cane Merchants is a new spirits brand owned by Crucial Drinks. and the aim of this brand is to bottle selected rums from lesser known distilleries or rum producing nations of the world.

The marketing for their rum includes the following statement:

“ We only select rums from lesser known distilleries or rum producing nations of the world and present them once that rum has reached an age that perfectly represents that country or distillery’s style. Each of our releases is limited to just one barrel. To preserve the character of these rums we do not chill filter or add caramel colouring to them..”

The West Indies Rum & Cane Merchants – Central America expression is part of their Remarkable Regional Rums sub brand which marriages rums from different distilleries from a specific region. The spirit is bottled as an XO Rum (unfortunately undefined) and is a blend of rums from Guatemala and Nicaragua.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: West Indies Rum & Cane Merchants – Central America XO Rum

“… There is a nice sweep of almond flavour which runs through the rum which tastes quite nice. Interestingly the spirit becomes drier and more spicy with each sip. A light milk chocolate and some vanilla flavour have melded with the butterscotch and light impressions of cinnamon, camphor and resin give the rum a bit of an herbal flair …”

Please enjoy my review which includes my recipe suggestion, my Rum Club Cocktail.

Chimo

Posted in Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: Central America, Review, Rum, West Indies Rum & Cane Merchants, XO | Comments Off on Review: West Indies Rum & Cane Merchants – Central America XO

Review: Pendleton (Let’er Buck) Canadian Whisky

Posted by Arctic Wolf on February 28, 2018

Pendleton (Let ‘er Buck) Canadian Whisky is distilled and aged in Canada. The spirit is then transported to Oregon where it is brought to bottling proof by Hood River Distillers using the glacial fed waters from Mt. Hood. The whisky is named to honour The Pendleton Round-up, a well-respected rodeo in Pendleton, Oregon, and in fact, Pendleton Whisky sponsors numerous rodeos, including the aforementioned the Pendleton Round-Up, the Cheyenne Frontier Days, and the Walla Walla Frontier Days.

This is a non age stated whisky bottled at 40 % alcohol by volume.

Here is a link to my review:

Review: Pendleton (Let’er Buck) Canadian Whisky

“… The aroma is clean and spicy with ginger and oak accenting a honeyed toffee. As the glass breathes, the oak spice gains steam, hints of cardamom and cinnamon appear, and a light caramel toffee builds. I would not consider this to be an extremely complex whisky, rather it is crisp and clean …”

Please enjoy the review which includes a nice cocktail suggestion, the tall and cold Canadian Mammy.

Chimo!

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: Canadian Whisky, Let 'er Buck, Pendleton, Review | Comments Off on Review: Pendleton (Let’er Buck) Canadian Whisky

Review: St-Remy XO Authentic French Brandy

Posted by Arctic Wolf on February 27, 2018

St-Remy Heretic No. 2

In 1886 Paul-Emile Rémy Martin II established the original St-Rémy Distillery in the tiny village of Machecoul. After 30 years of experimentation (in 1917), St. Remy launched Fine St-Rémy, the French Brandy which came to define the St-Rémy style and character for decades to come. The distillery began to exported their French Brandy to the rest of Europe in the 1920s and then jumped the Atlantic to Canada in 1967. Within another decade, the St-Remy spirit was sold on all five major continents, and today St-Rémy proudly proclaims itself the World’s No. 1 French Brandy.

The production of St-Remy XO Authentic French Brandy begins with the selection of grapes, harvested in France’s most prestigious wine-growing regions, such as Burgundy, Champagne, Rhône Valley, Languedoc-Roussillon, Loire Valley, Bordeaux and Beaujolais. Distillation takes place in both column and pot stills where the fermented wine is heated until the contained alcohol evaporates and becomes eaux-de-vie. The heart of the second distillation is carefully selected by the distiller to have the proper characteristics such that the eaux-de-vie will develop into brandy as they are matured in small French oak barrels.

I was enjoying this Brandy again today and thought I would re-post my review from last September :

Review: St-Remy XO Authentic French Brandy

“… When I bring my nose to the glass the breezes bring me aromas rich with oak and caramel toffee. There are firm oaky vanillans imprinted into the oak and toffee as well as hints of maple. The spirit is fruity with scents of orange marmalade, plump raisins, and impressions of Turkish Delight (red licorice) dancing in the background …”

Please enjoy my review which includes my cocktail recommendation, Heretic No. 2.

Chimo!

Posted in Brandy and Cognac Reviews, Brandy Review | Tagged: Authentic, Brandy, French, Review, St. Remy | Comments Off on Review: St-Remy XO Authentic French Brandy

Review: Corralejo Triple Distilado Reposado Tequila

Posted by Arctic Wolf on February 26, 2018

Hacienda Corralejo was established in 1775 by Don Pedro Sanchez de Tagle in the Mexican State of Guanajuato. The distillery (Nom 1368 CRT) uses traditional methods of fermentation and distillation with clay ovens used to cook the agave and copper pot stills used for the distillation.

Corralejo Triple Distilado Reposado Tequila is a 100 % Blue Weber agave reposado tequila which undergoes an unusual distillation process. The fermented agave juice is first distilled through a copper pot still, then through a column still, and once more through the copper pot still. This makes the spirit lighter than a typical Reposado Tequila which would normally be distilled twice through a copper pot still.

As a reposado spirit, the Corralejo Triple Distilado must be aged a minimum of two months, but less than a year in oak barrels of any size. In the case of the Corralejo brand the company typically uses charred American oak barrels. The Corralejo website indicates the spirit is bottled at 38 % alcohol by volume which is probably true for the domestic market; however, my sample bottle (available in Canada) is labelled, 40 % alcohol by volume which is also the bottling proof of the spirit in the USA.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Corralejo Triple Distilado Reposado Tequila

“… I suspect the triple distillation has muted the normally aggressive agave and white pepper allowing me to notice nuances which lie underneath. There is a light honey-like sweetness which builds slightly, and I like how all of the scents and smells are in unison. Hints of oak and light impressions of tea have joined the breezes as well …”

Please enjoy my review, and do try my cocktail suggestion, the Tangelo Margarita.

Chimo!

Posted in Reposado Tequila, Tequila, Tequila Review | Tagged: Corralejo, Reposado, Review, Tangelo Margarita, Tequila, Triple Distilado, Triple Distilled | Comments Off on Review: Corralejo Triple Distilado Reposado Tequila

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