The Rum Howler Blog

Schenley Golden Wedding Canadian Whisky

Posted by Arctic Wolf on October 16, 2014

Schenley Golden Wedding is a Canadian Whisky produced at the Black Velvet Distillery in Lethbridge, Alberta for Constellation Brands. The spirit is one of Constellation’s economy Canadian Whisky brands, and when I encounter the spirit in the local liquor stores it usually occupies the bottom shelf of the Canadian Whisky section of the store. Not only is it bottom shelf, the brand has such a low profile, that I can not even find it represented as a whisky brand on Constellation’s website. It is almost as if the company has forgotten it.

Canadian Cooler I have over the past few years received several requests from readers to review Golden Wedding, and after a sample came my way earlier this summer, I have finally found the time to fulfill this desire.

You may read my full review by clicking on the following link:

Review: Schenley Golden Wedding Canadian Whisky

“… I notice the Golden Wedding has a light amber colour, and that the breezes above the glass contain a mixture of peppery rye spice, toffee, caramel and light wisps of corn syrup. There are also indications of fresh grain, sandalwood, chaff, vanilla, some intense honey and butterscotch …”

I hope you enjoy my latest review and the bar drink which accompanies it, the Canadian Cooler.

Cheers Everyone!

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: Bar drinks, Canadian Cooler, Canadian Whisky, Cocktails, Golden Wedding, Schenley, Whisky, Whisky Review | Comments Off on Schenley Golden Wedding Canadian Whisky

Review: Pisco El Gobernador

Posted by Arctic Wolf on October 12, 2014

Miguel Torres Chile was founded in 1979 by the Torres family. After a search for a suitable location found them a 100 hectare vineyard near the Andes Mountains, as well as cellar near the City of Curicó, the company began the work of producing their new Chilean wine. Their holdings in Chile have increased over time, and the company now has over 400 hectares in production on six different properties. Recently the company introduced their new Pisco El Gobernador (translation: the Governor), a distilled brandy (produced upon tradition copper pot stills) made from an equal mixture of Moscatel de Alejandra and Moscatel Rosada grape varietals. The final spirit is stored (or rested) for up to one year in stainless steel tanks after which it is filtered clear and then bottled.

Pisco Lime Sour

Pacific Wines and Spirits are the local distributors of the Miguel Torres brand in Western Canada, and they provided me with much of the background information for this review. Miguel Torres is well-known for their wine and brandy production in Spain (having produced wine for more close to 150 years and having owned vineyards for more than 300 years).

Here is a link to my full review for Miguel Torres Chile’s, Pisco El Gobernador:

Review Pisco El Gobernador

“When I brought the glass to my nose, I noticed the breezes above the glass were tinged with a candied fruitiness which held a strong influences of green grapes, and milder influences of orange peel, dry apricots and canned peaches. Within the candied, fruit-like scents there was also a mild agave-like accent which featured the light, but distinctive aroma of white pepper and a very mild earthy agave fruit scent which reminds me of steamed squash and grilled eggplant.”

I hope everyone enjoys my newest review of this fascinating spirit from Chile, and of course I hope you enjoy my suggested cocktail, the Pisco Lime Sour. Cheers Everyone and Happy Thanksgiving!

Note: I would like to thank all those who offered words of encouragement over the past six weeks. Although the issues which have prevented me from writing reviews over that time frame are not completely resolved, some stability has returned, and I feel comfortable returning to my website. I am of course very far behind in my writing with many spirits in my review queue, and I thank all those companies who have sent me samples for their patience and understanding.

Posted in Brandy and Cognac Reviews, Pisco Review | 1 Comment »

Leave of Absence

Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 15, 2014

Here is just a quick note to let everyone know I will be back to writing reviews soon. Some family health issues have required (and still require) my attention and support, and so I have taken a brief Leave of Absence.

Posted in Howls | 12 Comments »

Gin and Tonic Challenge – 1830 Sahara Dry Gin

Posted by Arctic Wolf on August 26, 2014

Highwood Distillers, who provided my recent sample of 1830 Sahara Dry Gin, is a Canadian distillery situated in the town of High River, Alberta, which lies just about 40 minutes due south of Calgary, at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. The distillery was originally established as the Sunnyvale Distillery in 1974, however it was renamed ‘Highwood Distillers’ in 1984 linking the Distillery geographically to the nearby Highwood River and the scenic foothills in which the Town of High River is situated.

1830 Sahara Dry Gin is produced in the London Dry style from Canadian prairie wheat and naturally sourced Rocky Mountain water. Juniper, Citrus of Lemon, and other botanicals are all added during the final distillation. The gin is as described, very dry; so dry in fact, that the folks at Highwood Distillers named it Sahara.

When I reviewed this local gin I was quite taken in by its lightly bitter, softly dry nature, and I was very enthusiastic about the cocktails which I constructed which included a Lime Fizz, a Lime Gimlet, and of course a Gin and Tonic. During this challenge (about half way through it actually), when I made my G&T cocktail with the Sahara Gin, I was taken in all over again. It was so good that I made the decision to delay its published score such that I could sample it head to head against the other G&T cocktails which populated my leader board, and use it as the yard stick by which I would judge the other Gin and Tonics by. A few of the G&T cocktails which I made came close, but none measured up to the wonderful G&T made with the 1830 Sahara Dry Gin.

I think, and I am only guessing here, that it is the wheat base for the gin is what makes everything work so well. Although the 1830 Sahara Gin is very dry, it has a softness and a mellow quality which I have noticed before in spirits distilled from wheat. It is this softness combined with the dryness that is making me like the gin so much. In fact in my review, I concluded that this is a paradigm shifting gin which softly rocked my cocktail world!

All of the results from my head to head sampling is completed, and the Best Gin for Gin and Tonic Cocktails is Highwood’s Sahara Dry Gin with an outstanding G&T Score of 91.5/100.

All of my Scores for the Rum Howler 2014 Gin and Tonic Challenge can be found here:

Rum Howler 2014 Gin and Tonic Challenge

As well you may read my newly published review of 1830 Sahara Dry Gin here:

Review: 1830 Sahara Dry Gin

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Posted in Awards, Extras, Gin, Gin Review | Tagged: Cocktails, Gin, Gin and Tonic, Gin Review, Highwood Distillers, Rum Howler Gin and Tonic Challenge, Sahara Dry Gin | 4 Comments »

Gin and Tonic Challenge – The Botanist Islay Dry Gin

Posted by Arctic Wolf on August 25, 2014

The Botanist is the creation of Bruichladdich Master Distiller, Jim McEwan whom I had the opportunity to meet and talk to this past fall when he came to Edmonton to host an exclusive Bruichladdich Tasting at our city’s historic Chateau Louis Hotel. Although the focus of the tasting seminar was the new range of Bruichladdich Single Malt whiskies, Jim did include his new Botanist Islay Dry Gin in the flight of spirits. In fact he spent more than a little time describing to us how the distillery had come to the decision to produce this gin and his own personal journey of discovery which he underwent while he went through the process of researching and producing the first Islay Dry Gin. (Jim McEwan even admitted to trading some of his prized Single Malt Scotch with one of the industries venerable gin producers in return for some of his gin secrets.)

At the end of the tasting, I was invited to talk to Jim, and he offered to pour me another glass of my favourite spirit from the tasting. Although, I had tasted a range of Single Malts which included spirits 12 years old (and older), Mr. McEwan did not seem at all surprised when I asked for a second glass of The Botanist straight up with no ice. It was, in my opinion, the star of the afternoon.

I finished my review of this lovely gin last night after and one of my conclusions was that it is not only a great cocktail gin, it is also equally enjoyable as a sipping spirit which is most unusual in the gin category. of course this means, it scored rather well in my G&T Challenge landing near the very top of the leader board.

My G&T Score for the Botanist Gin is a very high 90.5/100 points.

By now you all know that you do not have to keep track of these scores yourself, as I have constructed a separate page to keep a running tally of all scores as they are published:

Rum Howler 2014 Gin and Tonic Challenge

As well you may read my newly published review of The Botanist Islay Dry Gin here:

Review: The Botanist Islay Dry Gin

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Note: I received my sample bottle of The Botanist Gin from the local distributor, Select Wines.

Posted in Awards, Extras, Gin, Gin Review | Tagged: Cocktails, Gin, Gin and Tonic, Gin Review, Islay Dry Gin, Rum Howler Gin and Tonic Challenge, The Botanist | Comments Off on Gin and Tonic Challenge – The Botanist Islay Dry Gin

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