The Rum Howler Blog

Review: Gibson’s Finest Bold Canadian Whisky

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 6, 2016

Finest Buckeroo SAM_2611 Gibson’s Finest recently released a brand new 8-year-old expression in Alberta, Gibson’s Finest Bold Canadian Whisky. What makes it ‘Bold’ is the bottling proof which is a full 46 % alcohol by volume which is a full 6 % more than the 40 % alcohol by volume bottlings which are standard for the Canadian Whisky category. The whisky also features what the media notes call a ‘bold deep colour’. The dark colour or the whisky combined with the higher bottling proof apparently are part of the reason why the producer claims the whisky is ‘specially crafted to deliver Canada’s Finest Rye and Cola’.

Here is a link to my latest Canadian Whisky review:

Review: Gibson’s Finest Bold Canadian Whisky

“… When I bring my nose to the glass, a caramel note is quite obvious and sits out in front of the oak spice and whisky grain. I allowed the glass to breathe and soon noticed a building fruitiness of canned pears and baked apples. As time passes vanilla with a touch of cinnamon emerges and melds into the caramel note which now resembles the smell of baking cinnamon buns …”

Please enjoy my review of this brand new Canadian Whisky!

Chimo!

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: 8 Year Old, Bold, Canadian Whisky, Gibson's Finest, Review, Whisky | Comments Off on Review: Gibson’s Finest Bold Canadian Whisky

Review: Brugal Anejo Superior Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 5, 2016

Brugal Anejo SAM_2347 The Brugal Distillery was founded in 1888, by Andrés Brugal Montaner. Over the next one hundred and twenty years the company grew steadily, and it is now one of three large rum distillers in the Dominican Republic. Although the Edrington Group now controls the company, George Arzeno Brugal, is the current chairman, and most of the current board members are direct descendants of the original company founder.

I reviewed Brugal Anejo about six years ago when it was called, Ron Brugal Anejo – Desde 1888. My understanding from talking to the local Brugal Brand Ambassador about two years ago at the Rocky Mountain Food and Wine Show is that the spirit has undergone a few changes since my original review. In particular, since the Edrington Group gained control of the company, they have instituted a new wood policy which governs how all of the Brugal spirits are aged. This practice brings the cask selection process into line with the wood policy the company uses for its Scotch whiskies.

According to the Brugal USA Website, Brugal continues makes their rum in the traditional manner (from molasses) and ages the spirit on site in Puerto Plata. The Brugal Anejo is aged for two to five years in medium toasted ex-Bourbon American white oak casks.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Brugal Anejo Superior Rum

“… the fine oak spices have gained a little momentum. There are light impressions of raisins and chocolate, making me check my notes to make sure that no sherry barrels have been used to age the rum (they have not). A few baking spices are beginning to peek into the breezes with little hits of cinnamon and even lighter cloves. Wisps of orange peel (as well as orange Curacao) seem to meander into the aroma …”

Please enjoy my review!

Posted in Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: Anejo, Brugal, Review, Rum, Superior | Comments Off on Review: Brugal Anejo Superior Rum

Cocktail Hour: The Spanish Mule

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 4, 2016

The Spanish Mule is variant of the more familiar Moscow Mule which mixes spicy ginger beer with Vodka and uses a lime garnish. The Spanish Mule simply replaces the Vodka with Dark Rum. Now if this sounds to you suspiciously like a Dark ‘N Stormy, you would be almost right. Almost, because the aforementioned Dark ‘N Stormy is one of the few rum cocktails in existence which has been granted a Trademark license (the other that I know of is the Pain Killer Cocktail).

Creating a trademark around a cocktail is a tricky business, and in the case of the Dark ‘N Stormy, the trademark granted apparently provides Gosling’s Rum Company, and only Gosling’s Rum Company the right to set the ingredients for this particular Cocktail. Without getting into things too deeply, what this basically means is that if a this bar drink is made with Gosling’s Rum, then and only then is it properly called a Dark ‘N Stormy. If any other rum is used, the cocktail should be given a different name, especially if the bar drink is used for a commercial purpose.

Spanish Mule SAM_2349 For that reason, I choose to call my version of the serving a Spanish Mule as this tends to eliminate any confusion as to what the libation is, and this stops any potential lawsuit from coming my way. (And to be fair, I expect people to respect my rights under copyright so it is only fair that I respect the trademark rights of others as well.)

This is the simplest of Spanish Mule recipes. I am mixing a very nice Anejo Rum, Brugal Superior, with a new non-alcoholic Ginger Beer that I have recently become acquainted with, The Great Jamaican Old Tyme Ginger Beer. Old Tyme is not as spicy as many other ginger beers which makes it a perfect accompaniment for this young (but tasty) Anejo Rum.

Please enjoy the Serve!

Spanish Mule

2 oz Brugal Anejo Superior Rum
3 oz Old Tyme Ginger Beer
ice
Slice of Lime

Add Ice to a Rocks Glass
Add the Rum over ice
Top with Ginger Beer
Stir
Garnish with a lime slice
Enjoy Responsibly!

If you are interested in more of my cocktail recipes, please click this link (Cocktails and Recipes) for more of my mixed drink recipes!

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Note my new review for Brugal Anejo Superior Rum will publish tomorrow!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes | Tagged: Brugal Anejo Superior, Cocktails, Spanish Mule | Comments Off on Cocktail Hour: The Spanish Mule

2016 Spiced Rum Taste-off: Voodoo Spiced Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 3, 2016

I continue my spiced rum taste-off with the 19th best spiced rum on my rum shelf. Voodoo Spiced Rum is produced by Three-D Spirits, Inc. ( www.redrum.com). The company was founded in 1996 with the stated goal to create exceptional handmade rums. Their spiced rum is apparently (according to the website) produced from a blend of aged Virgin Islands Rum. The blended rum is infused with cloves and cinnamon as well as Madagascar vanilla, and bottled at 35 % alcohol by volume.

No information is given regarding the age of the rums in the blend; however, based upon my tasting notes, I would suggest that the spirit was aged for only a limited time period as there is very little evidence of oak or wood spice in the taste profile. This is typical of the spiced rum category.

Here is my review:

#19 Voodoo Spiced Rum

“… When I nose the glass vanilla wafts upward, and it is obviously the dominant spice. I also sense a mild but firm butterscotch sweetness and a light peppery spiciness in the breezes above the glass. Taking a little time and listening to what the merry little breezes above the glass tell me, impressions of cloves become more obvious along with hints of cinnamon …”

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I hope you all find this countdown enjoyable and you can follow the rankings here:

The Rum Howler 2016 Spiced Rum Countdown

Posted in Awards, Extras, Rum, Rum Reviews, Spiced Rum | Tagged: 2016 Spiced Rum Taste-off, Rum, Rum howler, Spiced Rum, Voodoo | 4 Comments »

Cocktail Hour: The Scarlet Ruse

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 1, 2016

Scarlet Ruse SAM_2561 This cocktail, The Scarlet Ruse, is part of my ongoing series of Tequila cocktails named after the Travis McGee novels of American author John D. MacDonald. This is the fourteenth novel in the series and like most of the Travis McGee stories its title is well suited to be also the name of great cocktail. In keeping with the theme of a ruse or trick, this cocktail is actually an altered version of the classic bar drink, the Tequila Sunrise. However the ruse or twist is that the mixed drink is made not with orange juice but with the juice of both the navel orange and the blood orange.

For those unfamiliar with the Tequila Sunrise, it is a simple bar drink made in an ice filled glass with just Orange Juice, Silver Tequila and Grenadine. I experimented with the juice from blood oranges in the recipe, and then I went a step further and used lightly aged Reposado Tequila instead of Silver Tequila. My new recipe, the Scarlet Ruse, tastes a little different from a typical Tequila Sunrise; it is not quite so sweet and carries that lightly earthy flavour which is typical of blood oranges.

However, it is delicious in its own right.

The Scarlet Ruse

1 3/4 oz 1800 Reserva Reposado Tequila
1 oz Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
3/4 oz Fresh Squeezed Juice of Blood Orange
3/4 oz Grenadine
Ice

Build over ice in an Old-Fashioned Glass
Enjoy Responsibly!

If you are interested in more of my original cocktail recipes, please click this link (Cocktails and Recipes) for more of my mixed drink recipes!

Note: My review of 1800 Reserva Reposado Tequila will publish tomorrow.

Chimo!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes | Tagged: 1800 Reserva, Bar Drink, Cocktail, Reserva, Scarlet Ruse, Tequila, Tequila Reposado | Comments Off on Cocktail Hour: The Scarlet Ruse

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