The Rum Howler Blog

(A Website for Spirited Reviews)

  • Copyright

    Copyright is inherent when an original work is created. This means that the producer of original work is automatically granted copyright protection. This copyright protection not only exists in North America, but extends to other countries as well. Thus, all of the work produced on this blog is protected by copyright, including all of the pictures and all of the articles. These original works may not be copied or reused in any way whatsoever without the permission of the author, Chip Dykstra.
  • Cocktails and Recipes

    Click Image for Awesome Recipes

  • Industry Interviews

    Interviews

    Click the Image for Great Interviews with the Movers of Industry

  • The Rum Howler Interview (Good Food Revolution)

    Click on the Image to see my interview on Good Food Revolution

  • The Rum Howler Blog

    Unknown's avatar

  • Rum Reviews

  • Whisky Reviews

  • Gin Reviews

  • Tequila Reviews

  • Vodka Reviews

  • Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

    Join 1,090 other subscribers
  • Subscribe

  • Visitors

    • 15,437,749 pageviews since inception
  • Archives

  • Follow The Rum Howler Blog on WordPress.com

Review: Forty Creek Barrel Select Niagara Whisky

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 22, 2023

It is almost almost ten years since Campari assumed the reigns of the Forty Creek Whisky brand, and I notice that some changes have taken place. Now Bill Ashburn is Forty Creek’s Master Blender (although is is very likely that Bill has had his hand in most of the Forty Creek whiskies since the beginning). Forty Creek has shifted the branding of its whisky adding the term Niagara Whisky to their labels attaching themselves firmly to the Niagara Peninsula and Canada’s largest wine region. New bottles have been introduced; and, for many of their whisky brands, lower prices as well.

The flagship brand is still Forty Creek Barrel Select, and the website still promotes this whisky as a blend of separately aged grain whiskies (corn, barley, and rye). However, whereas the distillery once promoted this spirit as having a wine barrel finish. This tidbit of information is now absent from Whisky’s description on the the shop website (maybe I missed it). I thought it was about time I revisited the whisky, and wrote a new review based on the new bottle and the liquid inside.

He is a link to my new review completely revised review:

Review: Forty Creek Barrel Select Niagara Whisky

“… When I bring the glass to my nose, the breezes bring me a light sweetness of corn and butterscotch mixed with almond, vanilla and orange peel. There is a lot of fine wood and grain spice and perhaps just a touch of alcohol. As I let the glass breathe, scents of marmalade begin to form as does a light impression of fresh cut grain laying in the windrows …”

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y Review, Whisky Review | Tagged: , , , | Comments Off on Review: Forty Creek Barrel Select Niagara Whisky

Review: St-Roc Foundation Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 19, 2023

The Distillerie de Québec was founded several years ago by Christophe Légasse and David Lévesque, who are committed towards creating fine spirits with a regional (Quebec) taste. Theirs is one of many new micro-distilleries which have begun to proliferate the landscape of the North American Distilling industry. They have created a small portfolio of spirits that has began to penetrate the Canadian market which include Cap Diamant VodkaTrait-Carré Dry and Aged Gins, and the subject of this review, Rhum St-Roc Foundation.

St-Roc Foundation is a British style amber rum produced from organic cane sugar as well as molasses. The rum is twice distilled and then aged in ex-bourbon barrels in the aging cellars of La Distillerie de Québec. The final rum is a blend of one to three year old aged rums with no sugar or colouring added. According to the distillery, this rum is meant to be a tribute to Quebec City’s St-Roc Distillery which was founded in the 18th century, which marked the birth of the distilling industry in Canada.

Review: St-Roc Foundation Rum

“… initial notes of grassy hay fields, vanilla, almond and light butterscotch. Somewhere in that grassy hay field there must be flowers as their is also a light indication of florals and pollen. Pears and fresh straw are somewhere in that mix as well. There is just a touch of rough and tumble in the breezes with indications of resin, and a funky note which must be a feature of the small still distillation …”

This is my first look at the spirits of the Distillerie de Québec. I will be traversing their line-up over the next couple of weeks looking at their gins and vodka.

Chimo!

Posted in Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: St-Roc Foundation Rum

Review: El Tesoro Añejo Tequila

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 16, 2023

El Tesoro is a premium tequila brand produced by Tequila Tapatio, S.A. de C.V. who make their teuila at the La Alteña Distillery. La Alteña was founded in 1937 by Don Felipe Camarena and is located near the town of Arandas in the Jalisco (Los Altos Southern) Highlands.

The distillery uses traditional means to produce their tequila preferring the Tohona Wheel to the roller mill for shredding the agave pina’s, after of course the pinas have been baked in brick stone ovens. They also use open air wooden fermentation tanks rather than stainless steel tanks, and of course they double distill the fermented juice in copper pot stills.

In 2021 Tequila Tapatio, S.A. de C.V.  was named Tequila producer of the year by the prestigious IWSC (International Wine & Spirits Competition.

Here is a link to my review for their aged El Tesoro Anejo:

Review: El Tesoro Añejo Tequila

“… This is one of those spirits where the taste descriptors do not do justice to the overall impact the spirit has as we sip. There is a sense of polish, as the flavour impressions sort of slip and slide together bringing about a feeling of balance and nuance which I find quite delightful …”

I hope you enjoy this review, as much as I enjoyed the El Tesoro Tequila spirit.

Chimo!

Posted in Anejo Tequila, Tequila, Tequila Review | Tagged: , , , | Comments Off on Review: El Tesoro Añejo Tequila

Review: Forty Creek Art of The Blend

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 14, 2023

Forty Creek recently rebranded itself as Forty Creek Niagara Whisky which seems to be an attempt to infuse the notion of Canadian Whisky style unique to the  Niagara wine growing region of Canada. Their Art of The Blend whisky was as far as I know the first of their bottlings to sport the new moniker. And, I suspect to drive the point home,this is a whisky with a firm connection to wine making.

According to the Forty Creek Whisky website:

Our Master Blender Bill Ashburn celebrates 35 years of imagination and craft with this extraordinary limited creation. Art of the Blend tells his story, first the making of wine, then the art of whisky blending. Ashburn’s creation is our iconic Niagara whisky infused with grapes harvested in the darkest hours of winter. A stunning expression of whisky mastery and experimentation, it is a sensational journey that never ends.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Forty Creek Art of The Blend

“… What strikes me first is how fruity the nose is with red berries, purple grapes and fresh green apples showing off in the breezes. There is a hint of sourness which reminds me of fermenting fruit and tart raspberry jam …”

Please enjoy my latest review.

Chimo!

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review, Whisky Review | Tagged: , , , | Comments Off on Review: Forty Creek Art of The Blend

Big Black Dick – It Comes in Different Flavours

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 12, 2023

A way back in September of 2010, I was invited to join a local rum club called The First Chapter of the Edmonton Rum Chums. The purpose of the club was to have a group of like minded individuals get together about once a month exploring the wide diversity within the world of rum. I have to admit that I was not prepared for what I was to happen at that first meeting, for it was at that gathering that I had my first taste of Big Black Dick!  The Dark Rum that originated on the Cayman Islands of course.

Of course I wrote a review of Big Black Dick Dark Caribbean Rum on my website soon after my experience with the strange spirit. The review soon became somewhat infamous, leaving my fans speechless, and bringing a whole new group of curious persons to my website.

Recently I revisited the review, updated it with some current information regarding its provenance, and adding the important information that it now comes in six different flavours: Light, Dark, Vanilla, Coconut, White Chocolate, and Dark Chocolate.

Here is a link to my updated review:

Review: Big Black Dick Dark Caribbean Rum

“… Big Black Dick ha a dark bronze colour. There is a scent of pungent smoke and lurking leathery tobacco with burnt molasses scents. Sugary baking spices, dried fruit (raisins and prunes), allspice and cloves all find their way out of the glass and into my nostrils …”

Enjoy the review, but remember I have only reviewed one flavour, it comes in six different flavours!

Chimo!

 

Posted in Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , | 1 Comment »