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

    • 15,438,816 pageviews since inception

  • Archives

  • Follow The Rum Howler Blog on WordPress.com

Review: Ron Centanario No.12 Gran Legado

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 1, 2022

Ron Centenario 12 Gran Legado is a Costa Rica Rum comprised of a mixture of aged in American white oak barrels that previously contained Scotch whisky. This makes the cane spirit somewhat unique in the rum category. The barrels come from different areas of Scotland imparting more than one style of scotch whisky notes to the rum during the maturation.

This is a non age stated spirit which is sold at both 35 % and 40 % alcohol by volume, depending on the market of export. The Bottle I am reviewing was purchased in Mexico and it was bottle at 35 % abv..

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Ron Centanario No.12 Gran Legado

“… Dried plums, caramel, vanilla, and oak spices. Hints of baking spice drift into the breezes above the glass with hints of cinnamon and indications of nutmeg and allspice. Oak and the baking spices build in the air as the rum breathes and a lovely tobacco stained toffee develops as well …”

Please enjoy my review of this surprising versatile (and delicious) aged rum.

Chimo!

Posted in Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Ron Centanario No.12 Gran Legado

Review: Liberator Gin

Posted by Arctic Wolf on May 30, 2022

The Liberator brand is an authentic small batch craft spirits brand produced by Highwood Distillers to honor the WWII RCAF base that was located in their home town of High River as well as to honor the brave men and women who fought in WWII. This is a small volume bottling created such that Highwood would have a line-up of 100% Alberta made craft spirits produced for the local market.

Their Liberty Gin is is produced using Liberator Vodka as the base spirit. This base spirit is distilled in small batches using locally sourced wheat. The local aquifer fed by the nearby Rocky Mountains is used as the water source. This base spirit is infused with all natural botanicals to obtain the final flavour profile. All products in the Liberator Line-up are polished through a multi stage charcoal filtration system prior to bottling which is done with hand-applied closures and labels. The small batch production is limited to a maximum of 300 cases per batch.

Here is a link to my final review in my Liberator Series:

Review: Liberator Gin

“… Classic dry gin style with notes of juniper, licorice and citrus leading out. There is a sort of effervescent spiciness of citrus zest (grapefruit and lemon perhaps) as well as coriander rising into the breezes. A light floral note builds in the background with hints of orange and lime …”

Please enjoy my reviews which concludes with my serving suggestion, the Gin and Tonic (classed up a bit).

Chimo!

Posted in Gin, Gin Review | Tagged: , , , | 1 Comment »

Review:  Lot No. 40 18 Year Old Cask Strength

Posted by Arctic Wolf on May 27, 2022

Last year Corby, owners of the J.P. Wiser’s Brand offered us a brand extension to their popular Lot No. 40 Rye Whisky line-up with the introduction of two new additions, Lot No. 40 Dark Oak and Lot No. 40 18 Year Old Cask Strength. Lot No. 40 was first released in the 1990’s as an upscale connoisseur’s whisky for the North American market.

According to the Corby Website information which I recorded in 2016:

Lot No. 40 is expertly distilled in small batches using only the finest locally sourced ingredients. By distilling in a single copper pot still, the result is a whisky that starts off earthy and woody tasting and then becomes full bodied and complex with a velvety vanilla oak finish.

Recently, Corby released a very exclusive brand addition to the Lot 40 Line-up, the limited edition Lot No. 40 18 Year Old Cask Strength. This is the oldest, and most exclusive expression of Lot No. 40 produced to date. It is a Single Barrel Whisky that was hand selected by Dr. Livermore which was limited to fewer than 150 bottles in total. The expression was bottled at cask strength (56.5 %) and limited to only 130 bottles produced.

I believe the expression has sold out. However, I provide this review such that if such a release were to be offered again, you might have some idea of what might be in store.

Here is a link to the full review:

Review: Lot No. 40 18 Year Old Cask Strength

“… Maple, cedar and oak spice and sap. Vanilla and baking spice (nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger and hints of clove) push through as does a dry dusty impression of burlap. Macintosh apples, orange marmalade, canned fruit, and apricot brandy seem to all appear and disappear as I sip. Pipe tobacco rich toffee as depth and finally burly, rye rye grain and spice come bursting through …”

I hope you enjoy the review, and let us also hope that more releases of this wonderful whisky are on the way.

Chimo!

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review, Whisky Review | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review:  Lot No. 40 18 Year Old Cask Strength

Review: Lamb’s Navy Rum (151 Proof)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on May 25, 2022

In Canada, Lamb’s is one of the most popular rum brands. This brand traces its history all the way back to 1849 when Alfred Lamb opened his wine and spirits business in London. His original Navy Rum is reported to have been a blend of 18 separate rums from various parts of the Caribbean. Alfred Lamb’s method of aging his rum in cellars under the Thames River is said to be one of the secrets behind the unexpectedly smooth taste and popularity of his rum.

The brand was licensed for North American production to Corby Distillers in 1952 and since that time Lamb’s rum has been part of the Corby portfolio of spirit brands. (Halewood Artisanal Spirits hold the license to bottle the brand in Europe, Africa and Asia.)

In North America, the main portfolio of Lamb’s Rums includes, Lamb’s Classic White Rum, Lamb’s Spiced Rum, Lamb’s Palm Breeze, and Lamb’s Navy Rum (which is sold both at 80 proof as well as an overproof 151).

Here is a link to the review for Lambs Navy Rum (151 Proof):

Review: Lamb’s Navy Rum (151 Proof)

“… a bevy of alcohol and caramel spice rising out of the glass. Enough to almost knock a person right over. This is strong, aggressive and demands my strict attention. Vanilla seems to be the predominant aroma with nutmeg, bits of cinnamon and cloves as well as that licorice like smell of molasses) rising up as well …”

Please enjoy the review which includes a 70’s disco reference from The Trammps which suits the rum just fine.

Chimo!

 

Posted in Overproof Rum, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Lamb’s Navy Rum (151 Proof)

Review: Liberator Rye Whisky 

Posted by Arctic Wolf on May 20, 2022

The Liberator brand is an authentic small batch craft spirits brand produced by Highwood Distillers to honor the WWII RCAF base that was located in their home town of High River as well as to honor the brave men and women who fought in WWII. This is a small volume craft offering created such that Highwood Distillers would have a line-up of 100% Alberta made craft spirits produced for the local market.

According to Michael Nychyk, Operations Manager at the Distillery:

This is a small volume brand in our portfolio; but we are proud it honours the RCAF and their connection to High River. And not to mention the spirits are great quality!

Liberator Rye is distilled using locally sourced wheat in small batches. Highwood uses water from a Rocky Mountain fed aquifer to bring the distillate to 75 % abv. and then ages the whisky in a single fill used bourbon barrel for five years. Once the whisky is mature it is blended with aged rye grain whisky to achieve the desired rye-forward whisky flavour profile. At that point the whisky is processed through a multi stage filtration system to polish the final product, after which it is bottled at 42 % alcohol by volume with hand applied closures and labels.

Here is a link to the full review of Highwood’s hand crafted Rye Whisky:

Review: Liberator Rye Whisky 

“… Things begin with a nice push of fine oak spices and rye-like grain spices. There is a lovely toffee sweetness with almond and vanilla emerging as well. A somewhat grassy tobacco aroma lifts out of the glass with hints of ginger spice and perhaps a touch of cinnamon, nutmeg and milk chocolate …”

Please enjoy my review which concludes with my serving suggestion, the Rye Whisky Splash.

Chimo!

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisky Review | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Liberator Rye Whisky 

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »