The Rum Howler Blog

(A Website for Spirited Reviews)

  • Copyright

    Copyright is inherent when an original work is created. This means that the producer of original work is automatically granted copyright protection. This copyright protection not only exists in North America, but extends to other countries as well. Thus, all of the work produced on this blog is protected by copyright, including all of the pictures and all of the articles. These original works may not be copied or reused in any way whatsoever without the permission of the author, Chip Dykstra.

  • Cocktails and Recipes

    Click Image for Awesome Recipes

  • Industry Interviews

    Interviews

    Click the Image for Great Interviews with the Movers of Industry

  • The Rum Howler Interview (Good Food Revolution)

    Click on the Image to see my interview on Good Food Revolution

  • The Rum Howler Blog

    Unknown's avatar

  • Rum Reviews

  • Whisky Reviews

  • Gin Reviews

  • Tequila Reviews

  • Vodka Reviews

  • Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

    Join 1,092 other subscribers

  • Subscribe

  • Visitors

    • 15,529,264 pageviews since inception

  • Archives

  • Follow The Rum Howler Blog on WordPress.com

Posts Tagged ‘Cocktails and Recipes’

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »

Whisky Review: Crown Royal Reserve Canadian Whisky

Posted by Arctic Wolf on January 28, 2010

Crown Royal was first produced in 1939 to commemorate the arrival of the first Royal Tour in Canada of King George VI and Queen Elisabeth.  The distinctive crown shaped bottle, and royal purple bag for which Crown Royal Canadian Whisky is famous for, were created in honor of this occasion.

Today Crown Royal is one of the best known brands of Canadian Whisky in the world .  The Reserve was developed by Master Blender, Andrew Mackay,  at the Gimli Distillery near Winnipeg, Manitoba.  This whisky is aged a little longer than the regular Crown Royal for a smoother taste profile .  Here is a link to the  Crown Royal Whisky website.

I have included a cocktail suggestion with the review as well as a highball drink which I like very much.  Here is an excerpt from the review:

“Crown Royal Reserve is a little soft in the mouth.  Its flavour profile includes a little spicy rye and a little dank bourbon and corn flavour.   The whisky is smooth with a mild sweetness, a gentle vanilla, and a gentle spiciness.  A soft but firm firm oak nestles in the background….”

You may read the rest of the review here:

Review: Crown Royal Reserve Canadian Whisky

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Cocktails & Recipes, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Whisky Review: Crown Royal Reserve Canadian Whisky

Rum Review: Ron Zacapa Centenario XO

Posted by Arctic Wolf on January 25, 2010

Industrias Licoreras de Guatamala , is the consortium of  companies that have combined to produce, bottle, market , and sell internationally some of the great rums of Guatemala like Ron Zacapa and Botran Rums.  These rums are not widely available in my locale but they are highly regarded.  When I was given the chance to procure a sample of Ron Zacapa Centenario Xo 25 year old rum to review on my blog, I jumped at the chance.  (The sample was provided by a great group of guys called The Rum Chums.)

The Ron Zacapa Centenario XO is a blend of rums made from sweet first crush virgin sugar cane.  The rums are blended from solera aged stocks which range in age from six years to 25 years.  These stocks are aged in special cellars more than 7000 feet above sea level, at the Zacapa “House in the Clouds”, which is the name used locally to describe the Zacapa distillery and rum aging facility.   These barrels are a mixture of  reused American bourbon, sherry, Pedro Ximenez wines, and cognac  barrels.  The combination of solera aging and the wide variety of reused barrels creates a highly complex rum with a multitude of aroma and flavour.

I couldn’t resist snapping this picture of my rum sample next to a canvas painting that my Sister in Law gave me for Christmas (in laws always treat you better than outlaws).

Here is an excerpt from the review:

“Richness and luxury ooze from the nose of this sweet nectar.  Scents of mild toffee and spice combined with a rich oak and vanilla aroma rise from the glass to the delight of my nostrils.  There seems to be a light orange citrus weaving through the aroma.”

You can read the entire review and find my decadent cocktail, The Royal Batiste, here:

Review: Zacapa Centenario XO (25 YR Solero) Rum

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Rum Review: Ron Zacapa Centenario XO

Whiskey Review: Old Parr Superior 18 Year Old Whiskey

Posted by Arctic Wolf on January 20, 2010

Its time to return to Scotland and sample one of the most decorated Scottish Blends ever produced, Old Parr Superior 18 year Old Whisky. Old Parr Superior,  is blended and bottled by MacDonald Greenlees Distillers, who in turn are owned by Diageo (click on the link to go to the Diageo website.)

Old Parr Superior was named by Jim Murray as the 2007 World Whisky of the Year, in his 2007 Whisky Bible.    This recognition caused quite a stir and a fair amount of consternation, as the blend was only available overseas, in the Pacific Rim markets.   But collectors and whisky aficionados may now begin to rejoice as rumors have begun to circulate that this whisky is coming to North America.

So in preparation of this event I have prepared a review of the Old Parr Superior whisky using a bottle from my own private collection to sample and taste.  Here is an excerpt from my hard work:

“The whisky arrives in the mouth with a soft chewy peat. The soft peat completely envelops the palate, and it is as if you have to chew through the smoke and peat to get at the other flavours.   As the Old Parr sits on my tongue, the other flavours pop out of the smoke one by one…”

You can read the full review here:

Review: Old Parr Superior Scotch Whisky

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Scotch Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , | 2 Comments »

Whisky Review: Black Velvet Deluxe Canadian Whisky

Posted by Arctic Wolf on January 19, 2010

I don’t think it would shock anyone who reads my blog to know that I love Canadian Whisky.  I find it to be the smoothest, easiest drinking whisky in the world.  It mixes well in all kinds of cocktails, and for the most part Canadian Whisky has a consistent flavour profile, with the variance between brands being found  in the nuances of their flavour profiles, rather than in large differences between those  flavour profiles.

Black Velvet Canadian Whisky was originally produced at the famous  Schenley distillery in Valleyfield Quebec in 1945, and has a long history in North America.  The original name was Schenley Black Label; but, because of its unusual smoothness, the name was later changed to Black Velvet.  A very successful marketing campaign introduced in 1969 featured the “Black Velvet Girl”. Famous faces who have been Black Velvet Girls are, Christie Brinkley, Sybil Sheppard and Cheryl Tiegs.

Now the whisky is a blend of distilled and aged Canadian whisky currently produced at the Black Velvet Distillery (Palliser Distillery) in Lethbridge Alberta. According to   the brand owner,  Constellation Brands, Black Velvet is the second highest selling whisky in its category in the US.

Here is an excerpt from the review:

“This is a polished, smooth whisky with the alcohol bite soothed and mellowed.  The spices are mild and enjoyable, and I find good  balance.  Citrus fruits sit at the front of the palate, with honey and vanilla.  Of course we have a strong rye influence which provides the foundation upon which these flavours rest. …”

You can read the entire review here:

Review: Black Velvet Deluxe Canadian Whisky

As well I have included a nice “forrest approved” highball drink with a real ‘Canadian’ flair,   called “The Canadian Caribou“.

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Cocktails & Recipes, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , | 5 Comments »

Rum Review: Renegade Rum Company 2000 Jamaica Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on January 15, 2010

Its time for another review of those artisan cask rums from Renegade Rum Company.  This time from the Hampden Distillery, The Renegade Rum Company 2000 Jamaica Rum.

.Jamaica’s Hampden Estate was created (coincidentally) by two Scottish families (The Stirlings and the Farquarsons)  in 1753.  The rums distilled there, are pot still rums, full of fruity flavour and character.   The Renegade Rum 2000 Jamaica Rum was aged for eight in bourbon casks at the Jamaican Hampden Estate and then finished Scotland  in white wine Chateau Climens Sauternes casks.

This unusual finish is what sets Renegade Rums apart from the crowd,  Their rums are single vintage artisan rums made from hand selected stocks of some of the finest  and most unique distilleries in the Caribbean.   Renegade will hand pick the rum casks from the selected distilleries and ship the rums to Scotland to refinish or ‘Ace” them in hand selected finishing barrels at the Bruichladdich distillery.

The barrels chosen for refinishing are not second run whiskey barrels from the United States, but instead more exotic wine barrels from selected wineries in Europe.  These rums are unique and quite unlike anything produced anywhere else in the world.  They do not taste like traditional rums, rather they taste like new hybrid spirits with the influence from the finishing casks setting their imprint firmly into the rum.

Here is my review:

Review: Renegade Rum Company 2000 Jamaica Rum

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

This review includes another ‘forrest approved cocktail“.  This one is called,  A Sloe Walk in the Jungle. The name of the cocktail highlights the myriad of scents and aromas which rise from the glass as this rum is poured.  A veritable ‘Jungle’ of aroma.

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , | 2 Comments »

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »