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Posts Tagged ‘Classic’

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Review: Richland Classic Reserve Single Barrel Select Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 11, 2020

As I was sampling the rum selection of World Class Spirits 24 Days of Rum 2020 Advent Calendar I encountered a rum on day 11 which was labeled Richland Single Estate Georgian Rum. It was quite good, in fact it was really good, and so I went to the Richland Rum website to find out more about it. However, when I checked the website out, there were several possibilities as to which rum this actually was. It looked like it was a cane spirit they bottled as the ‘Classic’, but I wanted to be sure so I contacted the folks at Richland Rum to ask.

Stephen Oakley, their Marketing/PR Manager responded to my queries and gave me enough information regarding the Single Estate Georgian Rum. Stephen informed me the the rum I was tasting was Richland Rum’s Single Estate Old South Georgia Rum – Classic Reserve Single Barrel Select. He also gave me additional information which I have shared in my review.

Here is a link to the full review which includes more of Stephen’s comments about their Single Estate, Single Barrel Rum:

Review: Richland Classic Reserve Single Barrel Select Rum

“… I really do believe I could put this in a line-up with a selection of aged bourbons and it would stand up. The spirit is  oaken with rich sap and tannins and just enough sweetness to balance the oak and spice. Pungent baking spices, both corn and cane syrup, honeycomb and vanilla all work their way into the flavour profile. …”

Please enjoy my review of this surprising Single Barrel Rum:.

Chimo!

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Review: Jawbox Single Estate Classic Dry Gin

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 14, 2019

Gin and Ginger

Jawbox Classic Dry Gin is a single estate spirit made in the heartland of the Ards Peninsula near Belfast Ireland. The folks who make the spirit grow and harvest their own grain on the 300 acre Echlinville Estate. They create their own alcohol and distill their dry gin three times on a in copper pot stills. They use eleven botanicals, Juniper, Coriander, Cassia Quills, Angelica Root, Black Mountain Heather, Lemon Peel, Cardamom, Licorice Root, Grains of Paradise, Orris Root and Cubebs, 3 of which are vapour infused rather than steeped.The spirit is apparently named in honour of one of Belfast’s most enduring legacies, the Belfast kitchen sink, a.k.a. the Jawbox.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Jawbox Single Estate Classic Dry Gin

“… The breezes above the glass bring firm indications of juniper accented by an earthy black licorice note and spicy notes of coriander and cardamom. My first impression is that the use of the word ‘classic’ in the name of the gin is justified …”

Please enjoy my review which concludes with two cocktails, the Gin and Tonic #3 and the Jawbox swerve on Gin and Ginger-ale.

Chimo!

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Review: Park Distillery Classic Vodka

Posted by Arctic Wolf on April 8, 2018

Park Distillery  is located in the town of Banff, Alberta. The facility is not just a distillery, it is also a restaurant and bar which opened in May of 2015 shortly after the Provincial government introduced new regulations which allowed for Craft distilleries to operate. Located high in the Mountains of Banff Provincial Park, the Distillery proudly serves regionally produced food in its restaurant, and local (sourced from high-altitude family farms in the Alberta foothills) grains to produce their spirits.

Park Distillery Vodka is produced on the distillery’s 600L Kothe Pot – Twin Column Hybrid Still. It is made from 100% Alberta Triticale (hybrid of wheat and rye) and glacial water which originated at six high glaciers in the Rocky Mountains. This water gains minerality as it travels across rich limestone deposits. The spirit is bottled at 40 % alcohol by volume.

When I tasted the Park Distillery Vodka for the first time, I conducted a side by side tasting with several other locally produced craft vodkas. From that line-up, I chose the two which I felt were the best spirits and decided to write full reviews for them.

This is the review for the Park Distillery Vodka.

Review: Park Distillery Classic Vodka

“… I felt the vodka brought a very light minty aroma into the air which was combined with a sort of lemony scent. There was also light impressions of grain spice.  When sipped the vodka was quite flavourful with mint, grain spice , lemon and a light vegetal flavour …”

Please enjoy my review which includes my cocktail suggestion, the Lemon-Lime Vodka Gimlet.

Chimo!

 

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#77 Two Brewers Yukon Single Malt – Classic

Posted by Arctic Wolf on October 8, 2017

In 2009, the folks at Yukon Brewing decided that it was time to expand their horizons, and so they grabbed a still, formed the Yukon Spirits Company, and began to make whisky. When I fist learned about this a few years ago I was a little surprised. The Yukon is quite a ways north and it is not a place where you would naturally think of folks making beer, let alone whisky. Then again it just might have been the perfect place for both the start-up beer and spirits companies. You see up in the North, they like to support one another, and it wasn’t long before Yukon Brewing and Yukon Spirits were doing a nice business supplying northern communities.

I don’t profess to know anything about beer (I really don’t like the stuff), but once you throw the beer through a still and age it in an oak barrel, an amazing the transformation takes place. The spirit that is created, whisky, is right up my alley.

Here is my link to the #77 Canadian Whisky on my Countdown of the 100 Best of 2017:

Review: Two Brewers Yukon Single Malt – Classic

“… There is great promise here as all that lovely complexity which was noted in the breezes above the glass comes through in spades as the whisky slides across the palate. We can sip this, with ice or a dash of cold water, and when we do nice chocolate flavours are squeezed out and they join the nutty barley, the oak spice ..”

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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.

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Cocktail Hour: Cognac Servings

Posted by Arctic Wolf on October 17, 2016

If you delve into the history of Cognac, you will find that the spirit was drank in a very different manner in the 18th and 19th centuries. In fact, if you happen to enter an old bar in France you might still see blue glass bottles with handles which used to be filled with seltzer water to be used with Cognac. The grape spirit may have remained a mixing spirit had not phylloxera arrived and ravaged the European vineyards.

Because of phylloxera, Cognac all but disappeared in the 1870’s, and it remained a relatively rare spirit until the end of the 19th century. During this time, it was gradually replaced in bars and restaurants by whisk(e)y in both the United Kingdom and North America. When the vineyards recovered and Cognac became more readily available near the beginning of the 20thcentury, it had to find a new market niche to occupy. For this reason, the grape spirit came to be promoted as an after dinner sipping drink rather than as a spirit meant mixed drinks and cocktails.

Brandy Crusta (1878) SAM_1069_1

Brandy Crusta

However, if we go back to the roots of Cognac and how people originally preferred to enjoy the spirit, we find that as a cocktail spirit it has tremendous appeal. Cognac displays intense taste and aromas, great complexity, and a wonderful finish. The original bartenders knew this, and with cognac they created many classic bar drinks for their patrons. In fact, some of our favourite whisky cocktails, the Mint Julep, the Old Fashioned and the Sazerac were originally mixed with Brandy and Cognac.

The recipes I have selected below (click on the mixed drink servings to go to each recipe page) may seem heretical to today’s Cognac enthusiast; but they are all rooted in the true history of the grape spirit which was the original spirit of choice for bartenders who created mixed drinks and cocktails.

Please enjoy these cocktail servings and if you are interested in other libations, please click this link (Cocktails and Recipes) for more of my mixed drink recipes!

Chimo!

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