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Review: Legendario Elixir de Cuba

Posted by Arctic Wolf on May 31, 2011

I get a lot of emails from persons trying to find information on Legendario Rums. The only help I can offer is to explain that the export of this Cuban Rum to Canada is actually via Spain rather than Cuba. Jesus Lester Pomo is the Export Manager for the Legendario Rums from Cuba. I met Mr. Pomo (who is s a Cuban National living in Spain) last September at a tasting event held here in Edmonton, and he allowed me to sample the entire Legendario line-up.

Because I receive so many questions about the Legendario Elixir de Cuba, today I am re-posting my review for this Cuban Rum for those persons who may have missed it. I have not changed the scores, but I have edited the review for clarity although the essence of the original review remains the same.

Here is an excerpt from the review:

“…This is really rich. Very very sweet, and more like a rum liqueur than a true rum. It has a hazelnut accent reminding me a bit of  Frangelico except the rum is heavier in the mouth, less viscous and of course tastes much more of molasses and caramel… If I have described some rums as oily, I would have to describe this one as almost honey like in its texture…”

The full review is available here:

Review: Legendario Elixir de Cuba

Please enjoy the Review!

Posted in Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Legendario Elixir de Cuba

Review: Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Posted by Arctic Wolf on May 29, 2011

The Buffalo Trace Distillery is located in Frankfort, Kentucky and is the oldest (although unfortunately, not continuously running) distillery in the Unites States. The Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon was introduced by the distillery in 1999. The Bourbon is made from a mash-bill of Indian Corn, selected rye grains, and malted barley. The resulting spirit is placed in selected white oak “center ring” barrels from selected trees which are aged from 70 to 80 years old. Finally, according to the Buffalo Trace website, meticulous inspection of the various locations in the Buffalo Trace warehouses had concluded that the very best whiskey was being produced on the fourth floor of warehouse C and the fourth through sixth floors of Warehouses I and K on the distillery site. For this reason all of the Buffalo Trace Bourbon is aged only in these locations.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“…The initial aroma from the glass is layer upon layer of fresh cedar and oak planks with the sap still dripping from the fresh wood. The scent has a touch of astringency, and it is hard to get at the sweeter underlying aroma of honeycomb, vanilla and corn. But, as I let the glass decant, I began to notice them, first the honeycomb came wafting up mixed with sweet toffee, and then the vanillans and corn pushed through the breezes….”

You may read the full review here:

Review: Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

As well I have designed two great cocktails which suit this particular bourbon perfectly, the Kentucky Crocodile, and The Crocogator.  Please enjoy the review and the cocktails provided!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Review: Siku Glacial Ice Vodka

Posted by Arctic Wolf on May 26, 2011

Siku (in Greenland) means ice, and the Siku Glacial Ice Vodka is literally made from ice. The process begins with ice which has calved from Greenland’s  Qalerallit Glacier. This ice is harvested at sea, and then it blended with a five time distilled American (96 % alcohol) grain spirit transforming into Vodka via a proprietor stirring process at minus 25 degrees Celsius in small handcrafted batches. This blending process takes place in the Netherlands where the final spirit is bottled.

I was fortunate enough to be given a bottle of Siku Glacier Ice Vodka by Grant Schneider of Aligra Wine and Spirits. He wanted my opinion, and I thought I should share it here on my blog.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“…When I took a shot of the Vodka, I was again impressed by the initial flavour impressions of lemon and lime citrus which were quickly devoured by a growing graininess. The vodka really has some ‘pop’ in the mouth…”

You may read the full review here:

Review: Siku Glacial Ice Vodka

I also included a great new cocktail I call the Blue Glacier.

Please enjoy my review and my new cocktail!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Vodka, Vodka Reviews | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Siku Glacial Ice Vodka

The Juan Santos Rum Reviews

Posted by Arctic Wolf on May 24, 2011

When I opened my website in October of 2009, my early reviews were accepted by the rum community as something worthwhile almost immediately.  In fact, various rum companies and importers began to offer me samples of their products to review pretty much from the get-go. The first such company (The Libor Group) was the Alberta importer for a Colombian Rum called Juan Santos.  They had four well aged dark rums in their portfolio, and I was given a bottle of each to review on my website.  Not once was there any suggestion that I should do anything but just give my honest about each rum.

Because I have so many readers now that I did not have before, I am re-posting these original reviews to allow my new readers a fresh chance to enjoy them as well.

Here are my original Jan Santos Rum Reviews:

Review: Juan Santos 5 Yr Old Rum

Review: Juan Santos 9 Yr Old Rum

Review: Juan Santos 12 Yr Old Rum

Review: Juan Santos 21 Yr Old Rum

It was when I wrote the Juan Santos reviews that I began to add cocktail at the end of each review. It is my firm believe that even the best rums can be enjoyed in a cocktail as well as sipped neat. Since a  few of these cocktails never made it into my recipe section, I thought would be a good time to add them. So if you like cocktails please enjoy the following suggestions:

For the Juan Santos 5 Yr Old Rum, my cocktail suggestion was a Rum and Ginger.
For the Juan Santos 9 Yr Old Rum, my cocktail suggestion was a Rum Manhattan.
For the Juan Santos 5 Yr Old Rum, my cocktail suggestion was a Rum Sloe and Sour.
For the Juan Santos 5 Yr Old Rum, my cocktail suggestion was a Sloe Rum Cocktail.

Please enjoy these original reviews and recipes from my early postings. Cheers!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on The Juan Santos Rum Reviews

Review: Plantation Grenada 1998 (Old Reserve Rum)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on May 22, 2011

In Miami, at the big rum festival, I (along with the other RumXp Judges at the festival) was invited to a special breakfast hosted by Cognac Ferrand, the creators of a very distinct new brand of rum called Plantation. Cognac Ferrand has long had a special relationship with a variety of Caribbean rum producers. This relationship is based upon the rum producer’s need for quality oak casks to age their rum. Cognac casks in particular are highly sought after as ideal oak vessels for maturing quality rums. Based upon this relationship, Cognac Ferrand began to acquire certain very old and unique batches of rum from various Caribbean sources, which they brought back to France to finish in their own Cognac Casks. These rums have been bottled in a series of special Vintages under the umbrella of Cognac Ferrand’s own label, Plantation Rum.

After the event in Miami, I was given eight sample bottles, each 200ml in size, which represented a good portion of the Plantation Rum line-up. The Plantation Grenada 1998 (Old Reserve Rum) is the first of these sample bottles which I have chosen to review here on my blog.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“…The rum enters my mouth with a nice caramel and oak flavour which tickles the taste buds with an undercurrent of fruity green grape and zesty orange citrus peel. As I take further sips from my glass I notice that the rum develops a spicy bite which is full of more citrus peel, oak spice, and candied apples…”

You may read the full review here:

Review: Plantation Grenada 1998 (Old Reserve Rum)

Please enjoy the review!

Posted in Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Plantation Grenada 1998 (Old Reserve Rum)

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