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Posts Tagged ‘2017’

#Top100CanadianWhiskies – #55 Stalk and Barrel Red Blend

Posted by Arctic Wolf on October 30, 2017

Barry Bernstein and Barry Stein own and run the Still Water Distillery, Ontario’s first micro-distillery which they founded in 2009. They not only manage the distillation and the blending of the Still Waters’ products, they also act as the distillery’s Chief Bottle Washers and Bottle Fillers. In fact, there is not a single aspect of their business that they do not either personally oversee or do themselves.

According to the producer’s website Stalk and Barrel Rye is:

” … created by using a high percentage of our aged single malt and rye, blended together with selected casks of aged corn. This extraordinarily smooth yet complex mix of sweet malt and plump Canadian rye is imbued with intense flavours, richness, and full body.”

Here is a link to the full review:

Review: Stalk and Barrel Red Blend

“… full of wood and dusty rye spices with grain building in the background. It really is quite nice. Soon vanilla rises out of the glass followed by wisps of butterscotch and maple. There is a light maltiness that comes through more clearly as the glass breathes and light indications of marmalade and almond …”

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Note: As indicated earlier, I will not be creating a posting for every whisky in my countdown on this website; but I am going to try to highlight every Canadian spirit that I have not reviewed previously.

To follow the countdown list on a daily basis, you should follow me on twitter (Rum Howler on Twitter) using the hashtag #Top100CanadianWhisky. Alternatively you can view the  list as it grows by viewing my Reveal Page:

The Rum Howler – Top 100 Canadian Whiskies of 2017

The Reveal Page will be updated at least weekly through September, October and November and then daily in December.

Posted in Awards, Canadian Whisky, Extras, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review, Whisky Review | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on #Top100CanadianWhiskies – #55 Stalk and Barrel Red Blend

#57 of 2017: Kirk and Sweeney 12 Year Rum (#Top100Rums)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on October 26, 2017

Kirk and Sweeney 12 Year Rum is crafted in the Dominica for a company from Sonoma California called 35 Maple Street, which is the spirits division of The Other Guys (TOG). TOG is wine company led by August Sebastiani, a member of one of California’s oldest wine families. The Sabastiani family has been involved in the Californian wine industry since August’s great-grandfather, Samuele Sebastiani, opened his family run winery over 100 years ago.

According to the 35 Maple Street website, their rum has been named for a wooden schooner of the same name. This schooner, KIRK AND SWEENEY, was a rum running vessel which brought rum from the Caribbean to the Northeast Coast during Prohibition. The ship was apparently captured and seized off the coast of New York in 1924 where enforcement officials found an enormous cargo of rum aboard. The rum is produced from stocks that have been aged for 12 years in American oak barrels.

Here is a link to my review of the #57 Rum of 2017:

Review: Kirk and Sweeney 12 Year Rum

“… The longer I allowed the glass to breathe, the more those oak and tobacco scents seem to build in the air. I suspect the initial sweetness I noticed was holding back the oaky scents, but once they pushed through, the rum seemed to be equally permeated with butterscotch and fine oak spices …”

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To follow the countdown list on a daily basis, you should follow me on twitter (Rum Howler on Twitter) using the hashtag #Top100Rums.

Alternatively you can view the list as it grows by viewing my Reveal Page:

The Rum Howler – Top 100 Rums of 2017

The Reveal Page will be updated at least weekly through September, October and November and then daily in December.

Posted in Awards, Extras, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

#Top100CanadianWhisky – #59 TAP 8 Rye (Sherry Finished)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on October 26, 2017

TAP 8 Rye (Sherry Finished) is a blend 8-year-old pot distilled Canadian Whiskies which are then blended with Spanish Amontillado sherry. According to its LCBO listing it is produced in Quebec by Maison Des Futailles. It appears to be distributed in North America by Prestige Spirits.

The moniker TAP 8 appears to be a play on words with the number 8 representing the 8 years of aging the Canadian (rye) Whisky is aged and TAP refers to the tapping of maple trees as the original TAP 8 357 Canadian Whisky was  flavoured with real maple syrup.

Review: TAP 8 Rye (Sherry Finished) 

“… nose is full of dusty rye with hints of pencil shavings and wood spice. It takes a while but some sweetness begins to arrive more like butterscotch than maple, as well as hints of raisins and canned apricots. As I let the glass breathe the impression of sweetness builds threatening to overtake the rye …

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Note: As indicated earlier, I will not be creating a posting for every whisky in my countdown on this website; but I am going to try to highlight every Canadian spirit that I have not reviewed previously.

To follow the countdown list on a daily basis, you should follow me on twitter (Rum Howler on Twitter) using the hashtag #Top100CanadianWhisky. Alternatively you can view the  list as it grows by viewing my Reveal Page:

The Rum Howler – Top 100 Canadian Whiskies of 2017

The Reveal Page will be updated at least weekly through September, October and November and then daily in December.

 

Posted in Awards, Canadian Whisky, Extras, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review, Whisky Review | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on #Top100CanadianWhisky – #59 TAP 8 Rye (Sherry Finished)

#Top100CanadianWHisky: #61 – Pike Creek 10 Year Old (Finished in Rum)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on October 24, 2017

Pike Creek 10 Year Old (Finished in Rum)  is a Canadian Whisky produced from a double distillation in small column copper stills, and aged in re-used American bourbon barrels. Once aged and blended, the whisky is finished in rum barrels.

Pike Creek was originally released in the late 1990s as part of Corby’s initiative to introduce new high-end Canadian whiskies into the North American market. Unfortunately the whisky was discontinued after only a brief time as consumers seemed uninterested in a the new premium product. The whisky was re-introduced in 2012, originally finished in Port Barrels. Sometime in 2016 a switch was made to a rum finished whisky.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Pike Creek 10 Year Old (Finished in Rum)

“… I noticed some bitter chocolate flavours evolving especially when ice is added.  As well a firm rye-like bitterness permeates the whisky. The rum enhancement is still obscured by the whisky although perhaps that maple flavour I am detecting is the sweetness of the rum barrel …”

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Note: As indicated earlier, I will not be creating a posting for every whisky in my countdown on this website; but I am going to try to highlight every Canadian spirit that I have not reviewed previously.

To follow the countdown list on a daily basis, you should follow me on twitter (Rum Howler on Twitter) using the hashtag #Top100CanadianWhisky. Alternatively you can view the  list as it grows by viewing my Reveal Page:

The Rum Howler – Top 100 Canadian Whiskies of 2017

The Reveal Page will be updated at least weekly through September, October and November and then daily in December.

Posted in Awards, Canadian Whisky, Extras, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review, Whisky Review | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on #Top100CanadianWHisky: #61 – Pike Creek 10 Year Old (Finished in Rum)

#Top100Canadian Whisky of 2017: #63 J.P Wiser’s Triple Barrel Rye

Posted by Arctic Wolf on October 22, 2017

John Philip (J.P.) Wiser, purchased a distillery in Prescott Ontario in 1857, and began to produce Wiser’s Whisky.  In fact, it may have been J.P. Wiser who first used the term “Canadian Whiskey” on a whisky label when he introduced his spirit to the World at the Chicago’s World Fair in 1893. The Company merged with the H. Corby Distillery Company sometime after the death of J.P. Wiser in 1917.  Shortly after in 1932, production of the Wiser’s brands moved to the Corby distillery. Today Wiser’s is distilled at the Hiram Walker Distillery in Walkerville, Ontario, and aged in their facilities at Pike Creek near Lakeshore Ontario. Through all of these changes the Wiser’s Brand has been recognized as a vital component of each company’s portfolio of brands.

J.P. Wiser’s Triple Barrel Rye was recently released across Canada.

According to the J.P. Wiser’s website:

Our Triple Barrel Rye whisky is a unique blend of toasted grains, oak, and rich toffee, with a finish that’s silky smooth and long lasting. This full-flavoured whisky offers a rich aroma with a body that is complex and well balanced. It combines distillates from used whisky, first-fill bourbon, and virgin oak casks.

Here is a link to the number 63 Canadian Whisky of 2017:

Review: J.P Wiser’s Triple Barrel Rye

“… I noticed strong notes of graham wafer and toasted rye grain. Some maple and cedar notes add an additional level of complexity and some nice oak vanillans have meandered into the air as well. The dram is very pleasing to nose …”

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Note: As indicated earlier, I will not be creating a posting for every whisky in my countdown on this website; but I am going to try to highlight every Canadian spirit that I have not reviewed previously.

To follow the countdown list on a daily basis, you should follow me on twitter (Rum Howler on Twitter) using the hashtag #Top100CanadianWhisky. Alternatively you can view the  list as it grows by viewing my Reveal Page:

The Rum Howler – Top 100 Canadian Whiskies of 2017

The Reveal Page will be updated at least weekly through September, October and November and then daily in December.

Posted in Awards, Canadian Whisky, Extras, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on #Top100Canadian Whisky of 2017: #63 J.P Wiser’s Triple Barrel Rye