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Posts Tagged ‘Cocktails and Recipes’

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Review: Matusalem Gran Reserva (Solera 15 Blender)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 14, 2011

It’s Tuesday again, and for the past six weeks I have been re-posting my earliest reviews every Tuesday for the sake of my newer readers who may have missed them. This week I am re-posting my very early review for Ron Matusalem Gran Reserva Rum. Like most of my earliest reviews this one is terse and to the point. I was sorely tempted to rewrite it to give the review more form and substance; but other fixing a few typos and adding a touch of clarification,  I decided to leave it as it is. The review still gets the main point across, and that point is that this is a fine rum!

The Matusalem Gran Reserva is a “Solera Blended” rum which means that the red “Solera 15 Blender” stamp on the bottle does not indicate the youngest rum in the blend, rather it denotes the age of the oldest rum in the blend. (I believe an argument can be put forth that a teensy tiny fraction of the rum may be older; but, the relative amount of super aged rum in the blend is so small that to try to include its age in any sort of statement would be misleading.)

The Ron Matusalem Website does a pretty good job of describing the solera method and if you are interested you should give it a little read. However if you are more interested in my early review, then perhaps I should provide you with an excerpt:

“… This is very good;  mellow vanilla and caramel are the dominant flavours.  In fact mellow is the best description for this rum. It is very smooth which makes this a good rum to drink straight. There are no bitter notes or other flaws in the flavour profile, and on days when I feel like a more mellow drink this really hits the spot…”

You may read the full review here:

Review: Matusalem Gran Reserva (Solera 15 Blender)

Please enjoy the review!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Matusalem Gran Reserva (Solera 15 Blender)

Review: Shiver Gin

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 9, 2011

Shiver Gin is a new product of the Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Commission (NLC). It is a Canadian made gin which is produced in the ‘London Dry’ style in the Canadian Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Of the various styles of gin, London Dry Gin, is the most common. (For those who do not know, the legal requirement is that London Dry Gin must be distilled in the presence juniper and other botanicals.) Of the botanicals used in the production of this particular gin, the company makes specific reference on their website to anise which is said to give the gin “an unexpected uplift with each sip“.

I contacted Gregg Kerr of the NLC  a few weeks ago informing him of my plans to begin a series of gin and vodka reviews hoping to include at least a few Canadian spirits. Greg was kind enough to forward me a bottle of Shiver Gin and here is an excerpt from the resulting review:

“… The juniper aroma was perhaps a little understated on the nose; but, that unmistakably punch of alpine berry reveals itself immediately when you take your first sip. Beside the juniper lie sweeter flavours which I would describe as maraschino cherry liqueur, sweet mandarin oranges, citrus pith, and just a hint of licorice…”

You may read my full review here:

Review: Shiver Gin

Following my review is an excellent cocktail which I highly recommend you try with Shiver Gin, The Darby Cocktail.

Please enjoy the review and my suggested cocktail!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Gin, Gin Review | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Shiver Gin

Review: Old Port Deluxe Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 7, 2011

Old Port Deluxe Rum is distilled and aged at Amrut’s facility in Bangalore India from Indian sugar cane. This cane has a unique and exotic taste all its own making this a truly different taste experience for a ‘Western’ palate like mine.  My original review was published in October of 2009 very shortly after I opened my website. As with all of my early reviews it is terse and to the point. Some persons have told me confidentially that they enjoyed my early reviews which, although they were not as professionally written as my current reviews, seemed to reflect a certain enthusiasm and passion.  I guess I will let you see for your self.

Here is an excerpt from my very first review of a rum produced in India:

“…I can taste real complexity here. Touches of soy sauce, caramel, cinnamon and Brazil nuts. Very Complex but there is a slight touch of bitterness just hiding around the corner. Sometimes I get it and sometimes I don’t. This easily ranks up in texture and richness with the best rums I have tasted but I will warn you that it is a very different sort of taste….”

Please enjoy this early review re-posted for those who may have missed it.

Review:  Old Port Deluxe Rum

If you are interested in rums from India then this review may also be of interest to you:

Review: McDowell’s No. 1 Celebration Rum

Enjoy the reviews!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Old Port Deluxe Rum

Review: Panama Red 108 Overproof Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 5, 2011

Panama Red 108 is a Panamanian rum brought to you by PANAMONTE BRANDS. The rum is handcrafted by the creator of Zafra Master Reserve, Master Blender, Francisco “Don Pancho” Fernandez. It is produced from the sugar cane that grew in Las Cabras de Pese, the same region where the Distillery is located. Although the rum is stated as overproof, Don Pancho has assured me that the rum will feel much smoother in the mouth than a typical overproof rum. It has as its base, a 5 year molasses based rum which is aged in used Bourbon casks at the distillery warehouse in Pese.

There is a bit of a romantic story behind the name of this Rum and it was related to me via email by the Mr. Carlos E. Esquivel G., the Executive Director of PILSA (A Rum distillery and production company, specializing in Aged Rums, and Rum related products in Panama and South America). With his permission, I have reproduced the story here on my website and you may access it through a link in the review.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“…A rum with 54 per cent alcohol strength by volume packs quite a punch!  And that punch is full of concentrated flavours. These flavours practically leap into the mouth out of the glass. Sweet flavours of caramel candy take the lead with more pungent flavours of tobacco and leather riding the coat-tails….”

You may of course read the full review here:

Review: Panama Red 108

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Dark Rums, Overproof Rum, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Panama Red 108 Overproof Rum

Review: Nemiroff Birch Special Vodka

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 2, 2011

The Nemiroff Birch Special Vodka is one of the youngest of the Nemiroff flavours. It is advertised on the Nemiroff website as being built upon centuries-old traditions of Ukrainian ‘horilka’ distilling, and the use of high quality natural ingredients. Launched on the Ukrainian market in March, 2005, its recipe includes the light bitterness of birch buds, and the mellow flavour of the linden blossom. Some ingredients used in the blend to apparently trace back to the traditional Kievan Rus recipes of birch-bud-flavoured liquors.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“…The entry into the mouth is most unexpected based upon the aroma in the glass. Instead of being beguiled by a sweet sugary lemon citrus which carries hints of mildly bitter birch, I taste exactly the opposite. A decidedly bitter birch with overtones of sap leads out with the citrus sweetness trailing far behind…”

You may read the full review here:

Review: Nemiroff Birch Special Vodka

The special taste of the Nemiroff Birch Special required me to construct a a new cocktail which I have named, The Blue Thunder Cocktail.

Please enjoy the review of this rather unique flavoured Vodka and the cocktail that follows!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Flavoured Vodka, Vodka, Vodka Reviews | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Nemiroff Birch Special Vodka

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