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 1,090 other subscribers
  • Subscribe

  • Visitors

    • 15,513,361 pageviews since inception
  • Archives

  • Follow The Rum Howler Blog on WordPress.com

Posts Tagged ‘Cocktails and Recipes’

Review: Plantation 3 Stars Silver Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on January 8, 2013

plantation-3stars-bPlantation 3 Stars Silver Rum is relatively new white cocktail rum from Cognac Ferrand. In producing this rum Alexandre Gabriel (President and Owner, of Cognac Ferrand) blends rum from three different Caribbean Islands in order to achieve the correct balance between flavour and character suitable for a cocktail rum bearing the Plantation name. These three Islands (Barbados, Jamaica, and Trinidad) are considered by the folks at Cognac Ferrand to be the three “star” producers of the Caribbean, hence the name “Plantation 3 Stars” was chosen for the rum.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“… The breezes above the glass display a very obvious scent of hard candy where orange and lemon drops mix with tropical fruits like mango and soft banana. There is even a few lightly minty notes of Christmas candy-cane and a light butterscotch/caramel impression in the air …”

Here is a link to the full review which includes three great cocktails which work superbly with the rum:

Review: Plantation 3 Stars Silver Rum

Enjoy the review!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Rum, Rum Reviews, White Rums | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Plantation 3 Stars Silver Rum

Review: Beluga Noble Russian Vodka

Posted by Arctic Wolf on November 22, 2012

According to the website information, Beluga Noble Russian Vodka is manufactured in a remote area of Siberia, reported to be 300 km from the nearest large settlement. The vodka is produced from grain alcohol (some of the alcohol may be produced from malted grain), and purified Siberian spring water. Even though artesian spring water is naturally pure, for this Vodka, it must also undergo a double filtration, through quartz sand and a special silver filter. After distillation, a third stage of purification involves a 10.5 meter coal column filter which is composed of birch charcoal. Prior to bottling, the vodka is rested 30 days. This rest period apparently allows the molecular components within to stabilize allowing for a smoother more velvet-like mouth-feel and taste.

Interestingly enough, Beluga vodka also contains other special ingredients (in extremely small quantities) such as honey, oat extract, and Silybum Marianum (milk thistle) extract. The addition of minute quantities of special ingredients is consistent with what I know of traditional European production methods where each distilled vodka has its own recipe and its own special ingredients. It is these special ingredients used in very small proportions which contribute to the individual character of each Vodka. (By small quantities I really do mean small; typically these extra ingredients are measured in parts per million.)

Beluga Noble Russian Vodka has recently been introduced into my home Province of Alberta. It is a Premium Vodka which is priced to occupy the same market niche as Grey Goose and Belvedere. A bottle was delivered to me by Thirsty Cellar Imports, who are importing this spirit and I was asked to provide a review on my website.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“… The nose is clean with faint wisps of lemon and spice. There is something else in the air as well, a very soft aroma which seems very vaguely sweet and herbal, and at the same time very vaguely like fresh cereal porridge (made with milk). As I sip the Vodka, I am very impressed.  I taste very lightly sweet flavours of lemon and citrus zest as well as a very gentle spiciness. The aftertaste is vaguely sweet reminding my of honey or cane syrup, and I taste a very light maltiness which is very appealing… “

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Beluga Noble Russian Vodka

Please enjoy my review of this new Premium Russian Vodka which includes recipe for a standard Vodka Martini, and my own Estate Cocktail.

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Vodka, Vodka Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Beluga Noble Russian Vodka

Review: Don Julio Reposado Tequila

Posted by Arctic Wolf on November 17, 2012

Don Julio is a 100% Blue Weber Agave Tequila made from agave grown in the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico. As a highland tequila,we can expect the Don Julio to exhibit strong fruity citrus notes and to have a little hot pepper in the finish. The company was established by Don Julio González, who apparently began to examine the prospect of making his own Tequila in 1942. He established his distillery called, La Primavera, and spent nearly forty years refining his Tequila into the spirit which now bears his name.

The Don Julio Reposado is aged in American white-oak barrels for eight months. The spirit is currently owned by the Diageo Conglomerate, and I was provided with a 375 ml sample for this review by their Northern Alberta Marketing Agent.

Here is an excerpt from my Review:

“… The initial aroma rising into the breezes above the glass is that typical herbaceous agave aroma which is lightly peppery or spicy, somewhat earthy and somewhat fruity. I am reminded of baked squash, white pepper, and spicy citrus zest (reminiscent of grapefruit)… “

You may read the full review here which also includes the recipe for one of my favourite tequila Cocktails, Metro Mexico:

Review: Don Julio Reposado Tequila

Please enjoy the review and of course my great cocktail recipe.

Cheers!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Reposado Tequila, Tequila, Tequila Review | Tagged: , , , | Comments Off on Review: Don Julio Reposado Tequila

Review: Jose Cuervo Especial Plata (Silver)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on November 4, 2012

According to the Jose Cuervo website, it all began in 1795, when Jose María Guadalupe de Cuervo was producing his Mexcal wine spirit commercially based upon an official permit from the King of Spain. By 1812, he had established La Rojena, the distillery which to this day still produces Jose Cuervo Tequila. By 1844, Jose Cuervo Tequila was being distributed within Mexico, and in 1873 the earliest known documented export of the Tequila outside of Mexico apparently occurred when 3 bottles of Jose Cuervo were transported across the United States border by donkey. As you know, those exports have continued (although no longer by donkey), and now Jose Cuervo is the best-selling tequila brand in the entire world currently owned by Diageo.

The Jose Cuervo Especial is available as both a Gold or ‘joven’ tequila and as a Silver or ‘plata’ tequila. These tequila spirits are not made from 100 % blue agave which means that they are referred to in the industry as Mixto. A Mixto tequila must have at least 51 % of its volume made from blue agave distillate, but the other 49 % can be from other sugars which may include glucose and fructose. The Northern Alberta Marketing team for Diageo arranged for me to receive a bottle of the Jose Cuervo Especial Plata (Silver) to review here on my website. Here is an excerpt from that review:

“… The initial nose from the glass carries a mixture of light honey, mild white pepper and a somewhat muted herbaceous agave (the smell of which actually resembles boiled squash). As I let the glass sit, the light honey tones begin to remind me of sugar cane syrup, and the breezes above the glass reveal a light impression of lemon zest within the white pepper … “

Here is a link to the full review which includes my standard Margarita recipe:

Review: Jose Cuervo Especial Plata (Silver)

Please enjoy the review!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Mixto Tequila, Tequila, Tequila Review | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Jose Cuervo Especial Plata (Silver)

Review: Captain Morgan Silver Spiced Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on October 28, 2012

Captain Morgan Rum traces its history back to 1945 when Seagram’s CEO, Samuel Bronfman, negotiated the purchase of the Long Pond Distillery from the Jamaican Government and formed the Captain Morgan Rum Company. The company’s iconic rum brand, Captain Morgan’s Original Spiced Rum was based upon a recipe purchased from two local Jamaican pharmacists, the Levy Brothers, who had developed the recipe using rum from the Long Pond Distillery. The brand is now owned by the Diageo Conglomerate, and their Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum is the best-selling spiced rum in the world.

The subject of this review, is the lessor known Captain Morgan Silver Spiced Rum, which (according to the Captain Morgan Website), is a blend of clear, rich Puerto Rican white rum and tropical spice with sweet vanilla character. It is bottled at 35% alcohol by volume and fortunately for me, the Diageo Marketing Team here in Alberta provided me a the sample of the Canadian bottle for my review.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“… The initial aroma is pleasant with a pleasing (but very mild) mixture of butterscotch and vanilla rising into the breezes. I sense some tropical fruit (mango, banana and orange peel) and light accents of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Also rising into the breezes is a very light oakiness…. “

Here is a link to the full review which includes a great cocktail of mine, the Spiced Darwin:

Review: Captain Morgan Silver Spiced Rum

Please enjoy the review, Cheers!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Rum, Rum Reviews, Spiced Rum | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Captain Morgan Silver Spiced Rum