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Posts Tagged ‘Cocktails and Recipes’

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Review: Patriot Excellence Vodka

Posted by Arctic Wolf on October 4, 2011

The Patriot Excellence is a French Vodka which was brought into my local by Paul Charabin of PB Beverages, an Alberta based company which imports and distributes a wide selection of spirits from around the world. The Vodka is filtered six times, and is made from a blend of 100% natural grain spirits and pure spring water.  It is advertised as an exceptional vodka with an elegant, ideal, and smooth taste.

My friends and I approached this spirit blind against four other vodka spirits at one of my recent taste events. Much to our surprise, the Patriot Excellence Vodka (unlike other hyped spirits we have tried) lived up to its advertising being by far the best Vodka at the event.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“…When I poured out the samples of Patriot Vodka into each shot glass for my guests it was obvious right from the beginning that the Vodka was going to be a hit with everyone. It was creamy, and displayed a clean aroma and mouth-feel that my tasting group has only experienced in the very best of Vodkas…”

Here is a link to the full review:

Review: Patriot Excellence Vodka

As well I created a nice cocktail featuring raspberry syrup and Patriot Excellence Vodka called, Rustic Breeze.

Please enjoy the Review and the Cocktail!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Vodka, Vodka Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Patriot Excellence Vodka

Review: Pusser’s (Blue Label) Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 29, 2011

Pusser’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 in 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 Rum became known as Pusser’s Rum in a sort of slang derivation of the term ‘Purser’s Rum’.

Although the naval tradition of the daily tot had ended, in 1979 Charles Tobias obtained the rights and the blending information for the British Naval Rum, and formed Pusser’s Ltd. on Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. His company produces their Pusser’s Rum following the blending information and the traditions of the Admiralty, including producing the rum from wooden pot stills just as the had been the tradition for over 200 years.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“…This is a little hot and spicy in the initial mouth feel. The rum has a fresh oaky flavour with tannins disguised as tangy orange zest. As well, a firm vanilla and a light toffee complement this spicy oak and serves to temper its bite. There are some caramel flavours and some baking spices which give the rum depth…”

You may read the full review here:

Review: Pusser’s (Blue Label) Rum

As well I have included my cocktail suggestion for the Pusser’s Rum, The Pain Killer Cocktail.

Please enjoy the review and the cocktail suggestion!!

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

Review: Luksusowa Vodka

Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 27, 2011

Luksusowa Vodka is an authentic potato vodka produced in Poland and distributed world-wide by the Pernod Ricard conglomerate. The vodka is produced utilizing a combination of traditional and modern production methods which include an initial distillation at a local ‘farm distilleries’, and then further refinement at a larger centralized plant where a continuous column still processes the distillate in a triple distillation which is used in conjunction with gas chromatography to produce a pure potato spirit. This pure spirit is combined with natural spring water from deep artesian wells to produce Luksusowa Vodka.

I learned while researching this spirit that Luksusowa, being a pure potato vodka is gluten-free. It is a good alternative spirit for those who are gluten intolerant or those who may have Celiac disease. For my review, I received a bottle of from the PR agency which represents Luksusowa in Canada. I put the spirit through the paces of my, Vodka Review Methodology and here is an excerpt from the resulting review:

“… When I sampled the Luksusowa Vodka, I invited three friends to help me. I poured each of us a sample in a shot glass for the initial sip, and asked each person to sip just a little letting it sit on their tongue before swallowing…. We all felt the Vodka was very clean on the nose. I thought I could smell a very light starchiness with perhaps a very light hint of citrus zest and spice…“

Here is a link to the full review:

Review: Luksusowa Vodka

As well I have included a nice recipe for this spirit called the Arctic Vodka Cooler.

Please enjoy the review and the included recipe!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Vodka, Vodka Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Review: Jura 10 Year Old Single Malt Whisky

Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 25, 2011

The Isle of Jura lies just seven miles wide and is 30 miles long. It apparently has only one road and one hotel, and its population is about 200 people strong. The Distillery (the island has only one), was built at an old smugglers’ cave near the hamlet of Craighouse in 1810. Unfortunately the distillery in those early days led a troubled life, and it soon fell into disrepair and was abandoned. It was not until 153 years later, in 1963, that the distillery was rebuilt by two local businessmen, Robin Fletcher and Tony Riley-Smith who then began to distill their Jura Single Malt Whisky.

I mentioned to the folks at Authentic Wine and Spirits, that I was going to be reviewing a few Single Malts this fall, and to my delight added a couple of the Jura expressions to the review line-up.

Here is an excerpt from the review:

“….The initial aroma from the glass is of oak spice, almond and marmalade, with a certain fruitiness in evidence as well. Some drier woody notes begin to rise in the breezes and the effect is not unlike the smell of the willow trees in my backyard in the springtime. As the glass breathes hints of peat begin to well up and that almond scent turns to marzipan. Like most whiskies the scents and the aromas grow in the glass over time …”

You may read the full review here:

Review: Jura 10 Year Old Single Malt Whisky

I have included a cocktail suggestion, The Isle of Pleasure.

Please enjoy the review and the cocktail!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Scotch Whisky, Single Malt Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Jura 10 Year Old Single Malt Whisky

Revisiting: Appleton Estate VX Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 14, 2011

Appleton Estate VX Rum is the entry-level rum in the Appleton Estate family of rums.  It is a blend of up to fifteen Jamaican rums of various styles which have been aged in hand crafted oak.

I was afforded a chance to revisit Appleton Vx recently when the media company representing the brand sent me a bottle. Although I have already reviewed the rum, the company felt I should have some handy to use as a resource for my cocktail explorations.  Of course, the first thing I did when I opened my bottle was to sample a bit while I read my original review.

Here is an excerpt from that review:

” The rum displays an amber colour with orange flashes.  Surprisingly (to me) the rum when swirled left nice long skinny legs in my glass indicating a buttery oil present.  The aroma is very spicy, and full of oak tannin.  I smell a firm and distinct orange peel, and light brown sugar and molasses rising in the tangy oak spice….”

The rum of course has not changed and you may read the entire review here:

Review: Appleton Estate VX Rum

I was supposed to be using the rum for cocktails, and so the next thing I did was to make the original cocktail that I designed for the Appleton Vx called, the Traveller.  One Traveller led to another, and the 200 ml sample I was sent disappeared pretty quickly. Fortunately I have my own 750 ml bottle that will allow me to keep ‘travelling’ with my Appleton VX.

Here is a Link to that nice cocktail and a few nice variations:

The Traveller Cocktail

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , | 4 Comments »

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