The Rum Howler Blog

Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown #25 – Captain Morgan Grapefruit Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on November 30, 2016

2016rum_howler_badge On February 11, 2015, Captain Morgan introduced three flavors to its fleet of rums, CAPTAIN MORGAN® Pineapple Rum, CAPTAIN MORGAN® Coconut Rum, and CAPTAIN MORGAN® Grapefruit Rum. These new Caribbean flavors are each five times distilled and of course made from cane molasses. Each of the expression blends natural flavors with CAPTAIN MORGAN® White Rum, resulting in a spirit which can be enjoyed as a summer cocktail mixer.

Of the three flavours the favourite of my tasting group (and myself) was the Captain Morgan Grapefruit Rum. With this flavoured spirit, Captain Morgan perhaps went just a little ways further out on a limb than they would normally, as they pulled back the sweetness of the spirit and let the grapefruit shine.

Here is a link to the number 25 spirit in my Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown:

#25 – Captain Morgan Grapefruit Rum

“… I kept it simple, and mixed the Captain Morgan Grapefruit Rum with a little lime and grapefruit juice with just a touch of simple syrup over ice. When I served the cocktails I built to my guests, it was as if the mixed drinks were inhaled rather than sipped for enjoyment. Frankly, the simple cocktail was terrific, and before I knew it, I was serving everyone a second …”

The grapefruit flavour of the spirit is refreshing, and this fruit flavour is accompanied by a mild rum-like sweetness which not only compliments the dominant grapefruit, it enhances it as well taking the flavoured rum to a level of enjoyment that I had not expected.

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Stay tuned for more mixing rum revelations as I will be adding to this list each day until Christmas Eve.

And you can follow the rankings by bookmarking this page:

The Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown

Posted in Awards, Extras, Flavouerd Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: 2016 Rum Howler Top 50, Captain Morgan, Grape, Review, Rum howler, Top 50 Mixing Rums | Comments Off on Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown #25 – Captain Morgan Grapefruit Rum

2016 Top 50 Canadian Whisky Countdown: #25 – Hiram Walker Special Old

Posted by Arctic Wolf on November 30, 2016

rum-howler-top-50-2016 Henry Corby began his involvement in the distilling industry in approximately 1841, buying and selling grain at a grist-mill on the banks of the Moira River. By 1859, his distillery had become as important as his milling operation and so it (the distillery) was incorporated as a separate company.

Today the company that Henry Corby established is known as Corby Spirit and Wine Limited which is one of Canada’s leading spirits companies which represents a large portfolio of internationally renowned spirits which include scotch, whiskey, rum, gin and vodka as well as both the Corby and Wiser’s branded Canadian Whisky.

Hiram Walker Special Old is a Corby branded whisky which the company describes as follows:

An upfront, bold rye whisky with a flavour that is gloriously mouth-watering and rugged in nature.

That description is fairly accurate although I might add that the whisky displays uncommon smoothness for a blend which is probably less than 5 years old.

Here is a link to my recently revised review with its new scoring:

#25 – Hiram Walker Special Old Canadian Rye Whisky

“… Rye, toffee, and citrus fruit all seem to jump onto the palate at once and battle for supremacy. A thin layer of honey underneath provides a counterbalance, and a nice wave of oak spice is inter-wound throughout the delivery. When I took my second mouthful a rich cornfield appeared under the flavour profile which unwound a ribbon of bourbon into the whisky as well …”

Stay tuned as the countdown continues tomorrow with the number 24 Canadian Whisky, Chimo!

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* You may follow my Canadian Whisky Countdown by bookmarking this link:

The Rum Howler – Top 50 Canadian Whiskies of 2016

Posted in Awards, Extras | Tagged: 2016 Rum Howler Canadian Whisky Countdown, 2016 Rum Howler Top 50, Canadian Whisky, Hiram Walker Special Old, Review | Comments Off on 2016 Top 50 Canadian Whisky Countdown: #25 – Hiram Walker Special Old

Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown (#30 – #26)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on November 29, 2016

2016rum_howler_badge Today is the last of the ‘group’ postings for my Top 50 Mixing Rum Countdown. From this point forward, the mixing rums will be introduced one at a time as I count down from number 25 to number 1. If you are interested in how the Countdown has progressed so far, here is a link to the growing list:

The Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown

Today’s revelation includes three spiced rums within the grouping. Spiced rum has been a bit of a revelation for myself this year. Whereas I have long considered spiced rums strictly as soda mixers, great with cola and not much else, this year I encountered Tony Abou’s spiced rum cocktail, the Cable Car which opened up a whole new world of mixing possibilities for me with respect to spiced rum servings.

This revelation, I am sure, is the reason why so many spiced rums have made my list. I recommend that any who have not sampled the delight of the Cable Car do so immediately, and if you find that particular libation to your liking, try a few the cocktails I was inspired to create, The Fog Horn, The Jerrycan, The Pedestrian, or the Trolley Car. Hopefully a new world of possibilities will open for you as well.

Here are the next five spirits in my Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown:

The Fog Horn

#27 Screech Spiced 100 (Proof) Rum

“… I mixed a nice spiced rum and cola, and found the result very satisfying. To test the spiced rum’s versatility, I mixed next with ginger-ale and was surprised at the tasty result. Finally I mixed a new short cocktail combining the Screech Spiced 100 (Proof) Rum with Southern Comfort, fresh juice and bitters (my Fog Horn recipe). Once again I was well pleased …”

#26 Captain Morgan Jack-O’Blast Pumpkin Spiced Rum

“… The aroma from the glass is very nice. I let my wife have a nice sniff, not letting her know what was inside. She immediately smiled and said my rum reminded her of her pumpkin spiced chai tea that she loves. I guess you could say that Captain Morgan nailed it! Pumpkin, caramel, and vanilla rise into the breezes accented lightly by cinnamon and cloves. The combination is wonderful …”

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Stay tuned for more mixing rum revelations as I will be adding to this list each day until Christmas Eve.

Posted in Awards, Extras, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: 2016 Rum Howler Top 50, Appleton White, Brugal Especial, Captain Morgan, Jack-O' Blast, Lemon Hart Spiced, Review, Rum howler, Screech Spiced, Top 50 Mixing Rums | Comments Off on Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown (#30 – #26)

The Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Canadian Whisky Countdown (#30 – #26)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on November 28, 2016

rum-howler-top-50-2016 Today I feature the last of the 5 whisky groupings in my 2016 countdown. Beginning on November 30th, I slow the pace and reveal each Canadian Whisky individually one per day until Christmas Even when the best Canadian Whisky of 2016 will be revealed. If you are interested in how the Countdown has progressed so far, here is a link to the growing list:

The Rum Howler – Top 50 Canadian Whiskies of 2016

The five whiskies revealed today feature none which are priced over $40.00, and in fact two of these spirits, Windsor Canadian, and Alberta Premium, can be found for under $25.00 here in Alberta while the Mt. Logan 5 Year Old (a new whisky brand) and the Centennial brands each check in just under the $30.00 mark. All of this reinforces one of the major reasons why I love Canadian Whisky so much; the spirit offers outstanding quality at prices which are much more affordable than other whisky styles. Perhaps this is why the spirit is seeing such a resurgence in sales across Canada and indeed throughout North America.

Here are the next five spirits in my Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Canadian Whisky Countdown (#30 – #26):

#30 Windsor Canadian

“… The initial nose is very typically ‘Canadian’ with firm butterscotch scents lying alongside a fruit-filled spicy rye. As I let the glass sit, some dusty ripened grain notes develop along with accompanying scents of straw and the chaff. There is a bit of dry grassiness reminiscent of timothy and foxtail and some zesty notes of orange and lemon peel. Rounding out the nose are a few bits of cinnamon and dark brown sugar …”

#29 Alberta Premium 100 % Rye Canadian Whisky

“… The breezes above the glass bring me the scents and smells of a fruit-filled rye with additional notes of vanilla. Fine oak spices and a touch of citrus zest mingle within the fruity rye smells. As I allow the whisky to breathe, some nice smells of butterscotch and maple come forward and the overt fruitiness gains momentum. I receive impressions of canned apricots and pears from the glass, and I also sense a light touch of almond in the breezes …”

#28 Mt. Logan 5 Year Old Canadian Rye Whisky

“… Fine oak spices and rye grain drift upwards with a light aroma of butterscotch and vanilla. The breezes above the glass also carry hints of baking spice (ginger and cinnamon), some light tobacco smells, and aromas of dusty grain fields ripe and ready to be swathed. Perhaps there is a touch of corn in the breezes which could be a remnant from the charred American white oak barrels …”

#27) Centennial Rye Whisky (NAS)

“… I let the glass sit for a while, and noticed that the rye grain was joined by wood spices and these spicy accents seem to grow in the breezes. I also notice a light almost bitter astringency in the air which seems to be related to the building rye spice. As the glass continues to decant, some dry grassy tobacco comes to the fore and a light fruitiness is evolving from the rye which is also filling the air with light scents of ginger …”

#26 Crown Royal Black

“… Caramel, butterscotch and maple are melded with flavours of oak spice and cedar. Canned fruit (in particular apricots) is obvious and dark fruit (dates and the skin of black cherries) seems to be hinted at. There is a bit of clove, a touch of cinnamon and dash of spicy wood sap. Finally under everything else is a certain dry tannic bitterness that puckers my mouth, but which seems to be just the right foil …”

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Please enjoy my Countdown of the Best Canadian Whiskies of 2016. Stay tuned as the countdown continues on November 30 with the number 25 Canadian Whisky, Chimo!

Posted in Awards, Canadian Whisky, Extras, Whisk(e)y, Whisky Review | Tagged: 2016 Rum Howler Canadian Whisky Countdown, 2016 Rum Howler Top 50, 5 Year Old, Alberta Premium, Canadian Whisky, Centennial Rye Whisky, Crown Royal Black, Mt. Logan, Review, Windsor Canadian | Comments Off on The Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Canadian Whisky Countdown (#30 – #26)

Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown (#35 – #31)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on November 27, 2016

2016rum_howler_badge When I decided to switch things around this year and publish a countdown of the best mixing rums, I was expecting some push back from my regular readers who look forward to my annual review of the very best rums each year. So far however, my mixing rums list has been met with great enthusiasm. I suspect that everyone was ready for a change this year and a list which is new and fresh is much more exciting than a list which was perhaps getting a little stale which essentially the same information upon it each year.

I will admit though that this year’s list was much harder to put together. Rather than spending a few weeks at the end of the year re-tasting my favourites, I spent most of the year sourcing rums and building cocktails. By my count, I built, tasted and rated almost 160 cocktails as I constructed my overall rankings.

I trust the fruits of my labour were worth the effort. Here are the next five spirits in my Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown:

#35 Plantation Original Dark 73 % Overproof Rum

“… I decided to mix a more complex cocktail which I created call, the Hart Breaker. This cocktail combines an overproof rum with lime, agave syrup, and a heavy dose of crushed ice. It is really a great recipe, and with the Plantation Overproof, it was extremely tasty. I followed this up (the next day) with a true tiki recipe, the Zombie (see recipe below). The zombie kicked my tonsils hard; but again it was just plain tasty with the Plantation rum …”

#34 Rum Nation Demerara Solera N° 14

“… What we have is exactly what the nose implied, a funky ‘navy’ style rum. If you like rums like Pusser’s Navy Rum, then you will like the Demerara No. 14. (Although this is a little less spicy than Pusser’s.) I did a little mixing and found that the rum really shines in cocktails. The rum has the ability to push its funky navy flavour through the mixed drink, even when mixing with cola …”

#33 Pusser’s Spiced Rum

I mixed putting in equal amounts of spiced rum and cola. I felt this ratio of spiced rum to cola was much more to my liking. Having found a suitable ratio for my rum and cola, I next set out to make a more complicated bar drink. Using a brandy recipe which I favoured, I tweaked the ingredients and came up with a new cocktail I call, Bitter Blood and Spice. This mixed drink quickly became my preferred serving for the Pusser’s Spiced Rum.

#32 Smuggler’s Cove Dark Rum

” … Of course rums such as this are practically destined from birth to be mixed with cola, and my review would be remiss if it did not involve a nice rum and coke. The resulting bar drink is very nice. The Smuggler’s Cove seems to be particularly well suited as a cola mixer. I am pretty sure that the agreeable flavour of Smuggler’s Cove and Cola will ensure the rum will disappear quickly at my next deck party …”

# 31 Blue Chair Bay Coconut Spiced Rum

“… The rum mixes very easily into all manner of cocktails. I did a little experimentation, and I found the rum mixes easily with ginger ale, cola, all manner of fruit juices, and even with iced tea. I even tried a little mixed with egg nog (it is almost Christmas Season after all), and I really enjoyed the results …”

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Stay tuned for more mixing rum revelations as I will be adding five more rums to this list shortly.

And you can follow the rankings by bookmarking this page:

The Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown

Posted in Awards, Extras, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: 2016 Rum Howler Top 50, Blue Chair Bay, Coconut Spiced Rum, Demerara No 14, Mixing Rum Countdown, Plantation Original Dark, Pusser's Spiced, Review, Rum howler, Rum Nation, Smuggler's Cove | Comments Off on Rum Howler 2016 Top 50 Mixing Rums Countdown (#35 – #31)

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