The Rum Howler Blog

Top 30 Rums Countdown # 4 – Zacapa XO (25 Year Solero) Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 21, 2012

Top 30 Ron Zacapa XO 25 Earlier in my countdown when I introduced Ron Zacapa Centenario (23 Solero), I spoke of Ron Zacapa’s ‘House above the Clouds’ and the aging process known as Sistema Solera. It turns out that Ron Zacapa produces not just one outstanding luxury sipping rum, but two. The Ron Zacapa XO (25 Year Solero) is blended from solera aged stocks which range in age from 6 years to 25 years. This rum, like its slightly younger sibling, is aged in a mixture of solera aging barrels which include American Whisky casks, and Sherry and Pedro Ximenez wine barrels. However, the difference is in the finish, which is where, for the Ron Zacapa Xo (25 Year Solera), cognac casks are introduced into the aging regimen.

It is probably just a matter of preference, but for the record, every Judge (including myself), on my Judging Panel, showed a slight preference for the Cognac finished Ron Zacapa XO which arrives in the number 4 spot in the Rum Howler Top 30 Countdown of the Best Rums in the World.

# 4 – Zacapa XO (25 Year Solero) Rum

“… Scents of mild toffee and spice combined with a rich oak and vanilla aroma rise from the glass to the delight of my nostrils. There seems to be a light orange citrus weaving through the aroma. The spices I can identify by smell are vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg with just a hint of cloves. The toffee smells of deep dark brown sugar with the firm imprint of real dairy butter. The aroma has nice nutty accents tempering the oak and holding its harsher tannins at bay …”

A rum full of complexity with almost perfect balance and smoothness. A delicious, sweet rum that had my taste buds absolutely reeling with delight.

Posted in Awards, Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: Dark Rum, Guatemalan Rum, Rum, Rum Awards, Rum Review, Top 30 Rum, Zacapa Rum | Comments Off on Top 30 Rums Countdown # 4 – Zacapa XO (25 Year Solero) Rum

Top 30 Rums Countdown # 5 – El Dorado 12 Year Old Special Reserve Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 20, 2012

Top 30 The El Dorado 12 Year Old Special Reserve Rum is blended from aged stocks (the youngest being no less than 12 years old) from the original Wooden Enmore Coffey still, the original metal Diamond Coffey still, as well as from the ancient Port Mourant double wooden pot still which was used to produce ‘navy’ rum for the English Admiralty. All of the Demerara Rum produced by El Dorado is aged exclusively in American oak (bourbon barrels). Demerara Distillers Ltd. (DDL) has built a reputation for outstanding quality. Their use of old traditional stills in conjunction with modern stills and distilling techniques have helped them earn world-wide acclaim for their Luxury Cask Rums.

I guess I am adding to that acclaim, by declaring the El Dorado 12 Year Old Special Reserve one of the top 5 rums in Rum Howler Top 30 Rums of the World countdown:

# 5 – El Dorado 12 Year Old Special Reserve Rum

“… Oak and wood spices provide a nice backdrop for the sweet baking spices (vanilla, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves) and rich molasses that rises into the breezes above the glass. There are hints of spicy orange peel, and fresh citrus fruit which appear and disappear within the aroma …”

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Posted in Awards, Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: Dark Rum, Demerara Distillers Limited, El Dorado Rum, Guyanese Rum, Rum, Rum Review, Top 30 Rum | Comments Off on Top 30 Rums Countdown # 5 – El Dorado 12 Year Old Special Reserve Rum

Bowmore 1957: Bottle No.1 sells for £100,000

Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 19, 2012

I am not sure how many of you remember my previous posting Revealing Some Magic: The Oldest Bowmore Ever; however, I am pleased to pass on the following press release:

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Bowmore^® Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky Announces

The No. 1 Bottle of BOWMORE 1957 – 54 YEARS OLD

Has Sold For £100,000

Islay, Scotland (December 19, 2012) – Bowmore®, the first Islay Single Malt whisky, is delighted to announce that the No. 1 bottle of its oldest ever expression, the exceptionally rare Bowmore 1957, 54 Years Old has been sold for £100,000 (approximately $160,000) at the Bowmore Distillery on Islay. This bottle is not only the oldest whisky the distillery has ever released, it is also the oldest Islay Single Malt ever released. As promised by Morrison Bowmore Distillers, owners of Bowmore, all the net proceeds will be donated to five Scottish charities. The owner, a resident of the United States, would like to remain anonymous.

Distilled in 1957 and bottled in 2011, this 54-year-old marvel has been maturing in the finest oak in Bowmore’s legendary No. 1 Vaults, the oldest maturation warehouse in Scotland. Only 12 bottles exist in the world, two of which are kept in the Morrison Bowmore archives and nine now remain for sale at the Bowmore Distillery.

Bottle No. 1’s profit will be donated to five Scottish charities that encompass a variety of worthy causes: Alzheimer Scotland (care for people with dementia, their caregivers and families); The Beatson Oncology Centre (care for cancer patients receiving treatment in the west of Scotland); Chas (children’s hospice services); Erskine (medical care for Armed Forces); and Marie Curie Cancer Care (cancer care and research).

Says Mike Keiller, Morrison Bowmore Distillers Chief Executive Officer,

“We are delighted to have sold bottle No. 1 of our Bowmore 1957 just before Christmas allowing us to keep our promise to donate all the net proceeds to charity as our gift to those in need in Scotland.”

A collection of 1957 casks were bottled in 1995 but one in particular was held back because it was more exceptional than the rest. Since 1995, the whisky in that cask has been examined every six months to check the quality, the taste, the developments and changes the spirit was taking on its aging voyage. In 2011 it was determined that the liquid had reached its potential and was bottled.

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According to information sent to me the five Charities will each receive £11,000 for Christmas from this sale!

Now that’s a nice Merry Christmas Story!

Posted in Fund Raisers, Scotch Whisky, Single Malt Whisky, Whisk(e)y | Tagged: Bowmore 1957, Charity Fundraiser, Morrison Bowmore, Scotch Whisky, Single Malt | Comments Off on Bowmore 1957: Bottle No.1 sells for £100,000

Top 30 Rums Countdown # 6 – Ron Zacapa Centenario (23 Solero)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 19, 2012

Top 30 The rums of Ron Zacapa are made from virgin sugar cane honey which is harvested and processed in southern Guatemala. The cane honey is fermented, distilled and then brought to maturation at the ‘House above the Clouds’ through the aging process known as Sistema Solera. The Ron Zacapa Centenario (23 Solero) is blended from these solera aged stocks which range in age from 6 years to 23 years. The aging barrels used are a mixture of American Whisky casks, and Sherry and Pedro Ximenez wine barrels.

The combination of solera aging and the variety of reused barrels creates a highly complex rum with a rich aroma and flavour which my Judging Panel and I have ranked as the number 6 rum in my Rum Howler 2012 list of the Best Rums in the World:

# 6 – Ron Zacapa Centenario (23 Solero)

“… The initial aroma which rises from the glass is full of brown sugar, molasses and baking spices. Some lighter notes of orange peel and marmalade work their way upwards with a mixture of toasted walnut, and dried fruit (raisins, dates and a touch of prunes). The rum grows in the glass with the baking spices (nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon and deep dark rich brown sugar) in particular gaining strength and vigor in the breezes above the glass …”

About the only flaw this rum has is that it is so hard to find in my locale!

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Posted in Awards, Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: Dark Rum, Guatemalan Rum, Rum, Rum Awards, Rum Review, Top 30 Rum, Zacapa Rum | Comments Off on Top 30 Rums Countdown # 6 – Ron Zacapa Centenario (23 Solero)

Top 30 Rums Countdown # 7 – Panamonte Reserva XXV (25 Year Old Rum)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 18, 2012

Top 30 The Panamonte Reserva XXV is a new well aged Panamanian rum from PANAMONTE BRANDS. This is a molasses based rum produced from sugar cane grown and distilled in Las Cabras de Pese. Handcrafted by Master Blender, Francisco “Don Pancho” Fernandez Perez, this rum is very special, as every drop of the Panamonte Reserva XXV rum has been aged for a minimum of 25 years in used bourbon casks.

In case you are not familiar with Don Pancho, I should mention that he has built up quite an impressive track record of late, helping to bring to the market two of my more favoured rums, Panama Red 108 and Zafra Master Reserve.

This well aged rum has a robust, complex flavour which is full of character. The oak is strong and present at all times, yet the wood does not devour the rum; instead, it is an integral part the flavour having merged with the other flavour impressions rather than dominating them. My Judging Panel agrees and the Panamonte Reserva was declared the 7th best rum on my countdown list:

# 7 – Panamonte Reserva XXV (25 Year Old Rum)

“… Thick droopy legs run down the sides of that glass after I give it a quick tilt and twirl, and the initial aroma from the glass is steeped in sweet molasses and tainted with oak spice. Dark brown sugars, orange peel, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves all drift upwards from the glass reminding me of the sticky cinnamon buns that my mother used to bake on special occasions … “

The rum tempts me with sweetness, beguiles me with softness, and then warms me with oak spice!

Posted in Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: Dark Rum, Panama Rum, Panamonte Brands, Rum, Rum Awards, Rum Review, Top 30 Rum | Comments Off on Top 30 Rums Countdown # 7 – Panamonte Reserva XXV (25 Year Old Rum)

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