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Posts Tagged ‘Cocktail’

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Cocktail Hour: An Old Fashioned Redhead

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 13, 2017

Today’s mixed drink shakes up the classic Old Fashioned Cocktail. My inspiration for the libation is Red Head Single Malt Irish Whiskey a new triple distilled Single Malt from Ireland’s Walsh Whiskey Distillery. The single malt spirit was aged in hand selected Oloroso Sherry butts which infused their rich fruity flavours (think raisins, figs and dates) into the rich nutty flavour (think barley grain) of Writer’s Tears Irish Whiskey.

My new libation uses Cran-Raspberry syrup to enhance the rich fruity sherry cask flavours of the Irish Tears Red Head Irish Whiskey (yumm).

Let me introduce An Old Fashioned Red Head:

An Old Fashioned Redhead

2 1/2 oz Writer’s Tears Red Head Irish Whisky
1/2  oz Cran-Raspberry Syrup (see recipe here)
1 Blackberry
2 Raspberries
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
ice

Add Ice to a Rocks Glass
Add Cran-Raspberry Syrup and Angostura Bitters
Pour the Writer’s Tears Red Head Irish Whisky over the Ice
Stir and garnish with the remaining Berries

Enjoy Responsibly!

If  you are interested in more cocktail recipes, please click this link (Cocktails and Recipes) for more of my mixed drink recipes!

Note:  My Review of Writer’s Tears Red Head Irish Single Malt Whiskey (released through Vintages last Saturday in Ontario) will publish on Friday!

Chimo!

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Cocktail Hour: Black Storm

Posted by Arctic Wolf on May 27, 2017

Allen Smith – Master Blender, Mount Gay Rum

Several weeks ago, I was given an opportunity to interview Allen Smith, Master Blender at the Mount Gay Distillery in Barbados. Smith was promoted to Master Blender at Mount Gay Rum Distillery in 2010. In this role, Allen overseas all aspects of the brand’s new blending facility at St. Lucy with a continuing focus on innovation shaped by his years of experience.

One of the topics I brought up was the Cocktail Revolution and how Mount Gay Rum is reacting to this world-wide trend. Allen responded by noting how bartenders and mixologists have embraced his rums:

” As I travel across the globe and meet rising bartenders and mixologists, I love how they are embracing Mount Gay. They are coming to me to learn about the key aromatics in our rums, so that when they create their cocktails they are enhancing the spirit rather than masking it. I’m thrilled to hear that they are mixing our rums and creating delicious drinks with it.”

During the Interview, Allen said, that although he prefers to drink his rum directly from the barrel (neat and at full strength), occasionally he does enjoy a certain cocktail as well, the Black Storm. The Black Storm is of course a variation upon the popular Dark ‘n Stormy. It is though mixed with Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum rather than with Goslings.

The Black Storm

My interview with Allen Smith will be published in a few days, and I thought that a nice way to introduce that interview would be to feature Mr. Smith’s preferred mixed drink and the rum he prefers to mix with, Mount Gay 1703 Black Barrel.

The Black Storm

2 oz Mount Gay 1703 Black Barrel
Citrus Wheel (usually Lime)
ice
5 oz Ginger Beer

Add ice and a citrus wheel to large glass
Add Mount Gay 1703 Black Barrel Rum
Top with ginger beer

Enjoy Responsibly!

If  you are interested in more of my original cocktail recipes, please click this link (Cocktails and Recipes) for more of my mixed drink recipes!

____________________________________________________________

I hope you enjoy the Black Storm. My alluded to Interview with Allen Smith will publish on Monday, and my review of Mount Gay 1703 Black Barrel Rum will publish on Friday.

Chimo!

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Cocktail Hour: The Time Traveller

Posted by Arctic Wolf on May 7, 2017

The Appleton Estate Signature Blend VX Rum can be a polarizing spirit. Persons new to the Appleton Rum flavour profile (which combines the funk of the Jamaican Pot Still with firm oak spice and orange peel flavours) often find the cane spirit a little daunting. However, it is equally true that once these same persons have grown accustomed to the robust flavour profile of Appleton Estate Rum, they just might be hooked for life. (Count myself in that category.)

Here is a mixed drink which attempts to bridge that gap for the cocktail enthusiast who is experimenting with the robust Appleton flagship rum for the first time. The libation is based upon the concept of the Vesper Cocktail and uses Skyy Vodka to temper the firm spicy Appleton flavour.

I decided to call my creation, the Time Traveller, as I feel that as you travel forward through time your desire for a stronger portion of Appleton Signature Blend VX Rum will grow. It would not be a quantum leap to suggest that the time will come the vodka portion will be eliminated replaced entirely by the Appleton Rum.

Time Traveller
a cocktail by Chip Dykstra (Aka Arctic Wolf)

1 1/4 oz Appleton Signature Blend VX
3/4 oz Skyy Vodka
1/2 oz Bols Triple Sec
2/3 oz Lime Juice
1/3 oz Lemon Juice
1/3 oz Sugar Syrup (1:1 ratio)
Lime Slice

Add the ingredients into a metal cocktail shaker with ice
Shake until the outside of the shaker begins to frost
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass
Garnish with a lime slice

Please Enjoy Responsibly!

If  you are interested in more of my original cocktail recipes, please click this link (Cocktails and Recipes) for more of my mixed drink recipes!

Please note my reviews for Skyy Vodka and the the newly re-branded Appleton Signature Blend VX Rum will publish on Tuesday and Friday.

Chimo!

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Review: Pusser’s Gunpowder Proof Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on April 28, 2017

sam_3048Pusser’s Rum is advertised as the original rum of the British Royal Navy. And it is a fact that for over 300 years it was a tradition of the British Navy that each member of the crew was issued a daily ‘tot’ of rum. This tradition began in 1655, and by 1731, the tradition of the daily ‘tot’ was in general use throughout the British Navy. As it was the ship’s purser who was responsible for issuing the rum, the tot of rum became known as Pusser’s Rum in a sort of slang derivation of the term ‘Purser’s Rum’.

Pusser’s Gunpowder Proof Rum is new to the Pusser’s range. According to the producer’s website it is a traditional Royal Navy style rum produced at original Admiralty strength. Prior to the invention of the hydrometer, the ship’s purser shutdown claims of watering down sailors’ daily tot by mixing a few grains of gunpowder to the rum to see if it would burn. If the mixture ignited, the rum was ‘at proof.’ If it didn’t, the purser might find himself tossed to sea.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Pusser’s Gunpowder Proof Rum

“… The nose is heavy with aromas of brown sugar, caramel and molasses. Within the brown sugary caramel I sense a building up of baking spices (vanilla, with some hints of nutmeg and cinnamon) and dry fruit (heavy on dry raisins and light on dates and prunes). Perhaps I am gleaning some wisps of black licorice and asphalt tar as well …”

Please enjoy the review which includes a nice cocktail suggestion, the Magazine.

Chimo!

 

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Review: Opihr Gin

Posted by Arctic Wolf on April 3, 2017

ophir-ginOpihr Gin was created (for Quintessential Brands) by Joanne Moore, who also was the creative force behind my recently reviewed Bloom Gin (see review here). Opihr is a unique style of London Dry Gin created  from hand-picked exotic botanicals which were collected along the original trade routes which brought Oriental spices to the Western World. These spices include cubeb peppers from Malaysia (isle of Malacca), cardamom and Tellicherry black peppers from India’s south-east coast in Malabar, spicy cumin seeds from Turkey,  juniper from Venice, coriander from Morocco, and oranges from Spain.

The spices are bought to England’s oldest continuously operating gin distillery ( G & J Greenall), where within a copper pot still, Opihr Gin is produced using the same London Dry method that has been used at that distillery since 1761.

Here is a link to my latest Gin review:

Review: Opihr Gin

“… Opihr Gin has a lightly oily texture which feels nice in the mouth. This is combined with a very aggressive flavour profile which seems to take me on a frantic ride. Peppery spices and bursts of citrus compete for my attention, and both of those flavour impressions are impacted by a light herbal (almost perfumed) character …”

Please enjoy my review which concludes with a spicy brunch cocktail, the Red Snapper, Chimo!

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