The Rum Howler Blog

Review: Spring Mill Vodka

Posted by Arctic Wolf on April 25, 2022

The Spring Mill Distillery has roots in Upper Canada that stretch all the way back to 1836 when the Sleeman Family built a Distillery to augment the Brewery built 2 year earlier. While the Brewery became a Canadian success story, the Distillery was quite the opposite as it ceased operations almost immediately after it was founded. However, the seed of that distillery must have have stayed with the Sleemans, as 183 years later they did it all over again and launched the Spring Mill Distillery on the banks of the Speed River in Guelph, Ontario.

Spring Mill Distillery Vodka is produced from a base spirit of Red Winter wheat on copper stills which look like they would be perfectly at home in any Scottish Single Malt Distillery.

Here is a link to my full review of the Spring Mill Vodka spirit:

Review: Spring Mill Vodka

“… There are light indications of spicy grain and perhaps just a touch of wheat flour on the nose. As the spirit warms the spiciness becomes more intense a light indications of lemon grass and banana also appear …”

Please enjoy my review which conclude with a daiquiri/gimlet style cocktail I call Civility. The world could certainly use more civility right now …

Chimo!

Posted in Vodka, Vodka Reviews | Tagged: Guelph, Sleeman, Speed River, Spring Mill, Spring Mill Distillery, Vodka | Comments Off on Review: Spring Mill Vodka

Review: Barcelo Imperial Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on April 22, 2022

Ron Barceló was founded in 1930 under the name Barceló & Co in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. The rum brand quickly grew in popularity growing into one of the largest in the Dominican, and the brand is now exported world-wide to over 25 countries.

According to the company’s website Barcelo Imperial Rum is a blend of Barcelo’s finest Dominican rums which have been aged for up to ten years in ex-Bourbon oak casks. Although the spirit has no age statement, we can assume that the Imperial spirit will have an average age somewhat less than those ten years mentioned on the website.

I reviewed the Barcelo Imperial over twelve years ago. However, based upon improvements noted I when I revisited and reviewed Barcelo Anejo, it is apparent to me that a re-visitation of the Barcelo Imperial is warranted.

Here is a link to that full review:

Review: Barcelo Imperial Rum

“… Rich toffee and dark brown sugar accent fine oak spices and hints of sap. Vanilla and baking spice appear as does a mild scent of fresh copper pennies. Notes of almond have have appeared and they have began to meld with the toffee and vanilla giving me a real sense of marzipan …”

Please enjoy my review which concludes with a nice cocktail suggestion, an Aztec Rum Old Fashioned.

Chimo!

Posted in Howls | Comments Off on Review: Barcelo Imperial Rum

Review: Lot No. 40 Dark Oak 100 % Rye Whisky

Posted by Arctic Wolf on April 20, 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. Alas, timing is everything, and according to Don Livermore (Master Blender for Corby and J.P. Wiser’s branded whiskies), the whisky never really caught on as the market wasn’t quite ready for this new style of Canadian Whisky. However, with an upsurge of interest in Canadian Whisky across North America (and in particular at the premium end of the market), Corby (the owner of the Wiser’s Brand), relaunched the whisky in 2012.

Lot No. 40 Dark Oak has apparently been released a bigger, bolder version of Lot No. 40 Rye Whisky. This is a 100% rye grain whisky, distilled upon a pot still, and aged first in new American Oak barrels and then finished in a second new oak barrel however this finishing barrel is this time heavily charred (Char No. 4) to add more flavour and colour.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Lot No. 40 Dark Oak

“… Woody notes filled with sap and tannin. Honeycomb and raisin with canned peaches and apricots clinging in the background. Allspice and nutmeg with hints of clove and cinnamon. Bitter vanillans, Macintosh Apples, bittersweet chocolate and wiffs of charcoal smoke …

I hope you enjoy my review. I will be visiting more of the Lot No. 40 Line-up in the coming weeks.

Chimo!

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review, Whisky Review | Tagged: 100 % Rye Whisky, Canadian Whisky, Dark Oak, Lot No. 40, Review, Whisky | Comments Off on Review: Lot No. 40 Dark Oak 100 % Rye Whisky

Review: Barcelo Gran Anejo Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on April 19, 2022

According to the company’s website Barcelo Gran Anejo Rum is a blend of Dominican rums aged for up to six years in ex-Bourbon oak casks. This makes it a more premium rum that the previously reviewed Barcelo Anejo (see here). Although the Gran Anejo is reported to contain rums aged up to six years, I should point out that the spirit is sold without an age statement. I think we can assume that the Gran Anejo Rum will have an average age somewhat less than the six years mentioned on the website.

In my locale (Edmonton, Alberta) the rum is sold at 40 % alcohol by volume in a 750 ml bottle, however I have also seen bottles sold at 37.5 % alcohol by volume in 700 ml bottles. This review is for the version sold at the 40 % bottling strength.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Barcelo Gran Anejo Rum

“… The Gran Anejo Rum does seem to be a step up from its younger sibling, Barcello Anejo. The initial aroma brings fine wood spices, hints of butterscotch and almond into the air. Accompanying notes of vanilla, orange and banana peel arrive as well as does a mild menthol grassiness. Perhaps I am noticing a light build up of baking spices (cinnamon and ginger) as well …”

Please enjoy the review as well as the suggested cocktail which follows, The Swift Turtle!

Chimo!

Posted in Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: Gran Anejo, Review, Ron Barcelo, Rum | Comments Off on Review: Barcelo Gran Anejo Rum

Review: Crown Crown Winter Wheat

Posted by Arctic Wolf on April 14, 2022

The Crown Royal Noble Collection is a series of whiskies that have been released on an annual basis since 2016. The Collection showcases Crown Royal whiskies with new flavour profiles by blending different components of the various whiskies that go into the Crown Royal blend and/or using different finishing techniques in maturing the company’s flagship whisky.

The Crown Royal Winter Wheat is the sixth expression of the Noble Collection. It is a limited-edition whisky with mash bill heavily influenced with hearty winter wheat (51%) combined with corn (39%), and malted barley 10%.

I first became aware of this newest edition to the Noble family when I encountered the spirit when serving as a juror for the recent 2022 Canadian Whisky Awards. This spirit, identified to me only as Sample Number 156 at the time, was one of those samples which caught my attention while I was judging the various spirits. It came as no surprise to me when that particular sample was identified by the other judges as something special, and the spirit subsequently was named Canada’s best whisky and Canadian Whisky of the Year 2022 at the twelfth annual Canadian Whisky Awards.

Here is a link to my review of this remarkable whisky:

Review: Crown Crown Winter Wheat

“… Deep notes of rich oak and honeycomb with luscious toffee and toasted walnuts greet the nose. Robust corn notes join with the oak giving the glass a little bit of a bourbon quality. The winter wheat breaks through soon thereafter bringing notes reminiscent of burly rye grain …”

Please enjoy my review.

Chimo!

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: Canadian Whisky, Crown Royal, Noble Collection, Review, Winter Wheat | Comments Off on Review: Crown Crown Winter Wheat

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