Posts Tagged ‘Cuban Rum’
Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 4, 2012
Havana Club’s new Selección de Maestros Rum is an authentic Cuban rum that has recently replaced the Havana Club Barrel Proof in the portfolio of Havana Club Rums. The rum undergoes a rather unique maturation process where it is first aged in old white oak barrels, and when the final rum is blended, it is then finished in specially ‘selected’ younger finishing casks.
The unique approach to aging and finishing has resulted in a delicious, spicy rum which just happens to have made the cut in the Top Thirty Rums Countdown:
“… The immediate nose is of sweet toffee, with a nice complement of cinnamon. Nutmeg and cloves work their way into the breezes along with a little oak, some hot orange peel and a touch of green tobacco. As the glass sits, the aroma of toffee intensifies making the rum seem very attractive, which of course leads me to steal a sip…”
The rum has been bottled at 45 % alcohol by volume which makes the flavour just a bit intense which, for my particular palate, is a very good thing!
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Posted in Awards, Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: Cuban Rum, Dark Rum, Havana Club, Rum, Rum Review, Selección de Maestros, Top 30 Rum | Comments Off on Top 30 Rums Countdown # 21 – Havana Club Selección de Maestros Rum
Posted by Arctic Wolf on May 20, 2012
Havana Club’s new Selección de Maestros Rum is an authentic Cuban rum that has recently replaced the Havana Club Barrel Proof in the portfolio of Havana Club Rums. It is my understanding that the Selección de Maestros is produced in the same manner as the Havana Club Barrel Proof, and any differences between the two rums are more a matter of normal variations in batch production than any real difference between the rums.
The rum undergoes a rather unique maturation process where it is first aged in old white oak barrels, and when the final rum is blended, it is then finished in specially ‘selected’ younger finishing casks. I have heard of this ‘Double Barrel’ approach with whisky, but the Havana Club Barrel Proof and now its replacement, the Selección de Maestros, is the first rum that I know of which uses older white oak maturation casks and then younger fresh oak finishing casks.
Here is an excerpt from my review:
“… The immediate nose is of sweet toffee, with a nice complement of cinnamon. Nutmeg and cloves work their way into the breezes along with a little oak, some hot orange peel and a touch of green tobacco. As the glass sits, the aroma of toffee intensifies making the rum seem very attractive, which of course leads me to steal a sip …”
You may read the full review here:
As well I have added a Cuba Libre’ Style cocktail for your enjoyment called, Cuban Cane Harvest.
Please Enjoy my review!
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Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: Cocktails and Recipes, Cuban Rum, Dark Rum, Havana Club, Rum, Rum Review | Comments Off on Review: Havana Club Selección de Maestros Rum
Posted by Arctic Wolf on November 20, 2011
Photo Courtesy Legendario.com
Jesus Lester Pomo (a Cuban National living in Spain) is the Export Manager for Legendario Rums (headquarters in Spain) responsible for the world-wide export of the Legendario line-up. Although the company is headquartered in Spain, the rum itself apparently hails from Cuba. The Legendario Rum arrives from Cuba to Europe via the Sl Valencia Company. The brand, founded in the city of Havana since 1946, is marketed in the domestic market by the company Cuban Beverages.
The subject of my review, the Legendario Ron Anejo, is produced from a blend of 1, 4, and 6 year-old Cuban Rums which, after blending, are mixed with a small amount of muscatel wine. The blended product is then rested (or married) in American oak barrels for 15 days. The final rum is filtered through a traditional system of activated carbon filters and silica sand before bottling.
Here is an excerpt from my review:
“…When I bring the glass to my nose, I sense a combination of sweet caramel and dark field berries. There are also rich smells of vanilla and baking spices. As I let the glass decant, a honeyed molasses evolves; I also begin to sense which seems to be some wisps of dark tobacco and raisins in the aroma…”
You may read the full review here:
Please enjoy this review of a rather unique Cuban Rum!
Cheers!
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Posted in Dark Rums, Flavouerd Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: Cuban Rum, Dark Rum, Flavoured Rum, Legendario, Rum, Rum Review | Comments Off on Review: Legendario Ron Anejo
Posted by Arctic Wolf on May 31, 2011
I get a lot of emails from persons trying to find information on Legendario Rums. The only help I can offer is to explain that the export of this Cuban Rum to Canada is actually via Spain rather than Cuba. Jesus Lester Pomo is the Export Manager for the Legendario Rums from Cuba. I met Mr. Pomo (who is s a Cuban National living in Spain) last September at a tasting event held here in Edmonton, and he allowed me to sample the entire Legendario line-up.
Because I receive so many questions about the Legendario Elixir de Cuba, today I am re-posting my review for this Cuban Rum for those persons who may have missed it. I have not changed the scores, but I have edited the review for clarity although the essence of the original review remains the same.
Here is an excerpt from the review:
“…This is really rich. Very very sweet, and more like a rum liqueur than a true rum. It has a hazelnut accent reminding me a bit of Frangelico except the rum is heavier in the mouth, less viscous and of course tastes much more of molasses and caramel… If I have described some rums as oily, I would have to describe this one as almost honey like in its texture…”
The full review is available here:
Please enjoy the Review!
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Posted in Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: Cuban Rum, Dark Rum, Legendario, Rum, Rum Review | Comments Off on Review: Legendario Elixir de Cuba
Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 23, 2010
A few weeks ago I received an email from Owen Fieldberg of götchya pröducktos Inc. inviting me to a special industry tasting of the Legendario line-up of Rums. The tasting was set for September 21, at one of my favourite stores Aligra Wine and Spirits. All of the local Venders who sold the Legendario Elixir de Cuba were invited, and it was basically a sneak peek into the new Legendario Rum line-up. Here is what we tasted:
Legendario Elixir de Cuba 34% – 2 – 4 Year
Legendario Añejo 38% – 1 to 6 year
Legendario El Dorado 38 % – aged Gold
Legendario Blanco 40% – aged White
Photo Courtesy Legendario.com
The highlight of the evening was meeting Jesus Lester Pomo the Export Manager from the Legendario headquarters in Spain. Mr. Pomo is a Cuban National (living in Spain) who is responsible for the world-wide export of the Legendario Rums. Mr. Pomo spoke briefly about each rum and then poured generous samples for all of us to try. He even showed me a trick for sampling and tasting I had never seen before. When he poured my sample of the Anejo, he also poured a tiny bit on my wrist. I was asked to spread it around a little and then to take a nice deep wiff. Nice! The warmth from my wrist carried the aroma upwards and gave me a delicious invitation to sample the glass.
I have already reviewed the Legendario Elixer de Cuba here on my blog, but I would feel remiss if I didn’t also give a little indication of each of the other spirits:
The Lengendario El Dorado and Legendario Blanco each exhibited a bevy of character and aroma in the glass. I found the white rum (Legendario Blanco) carried much more flavour in the mouth than many of these new well aged whites which have recently entered the market. The Gold rum (Legendario El Dorado) was even more flavourful, and each of these rums had a satisfying ‘kick’ to impart to my tonsils.
The Legendario Anejo was silky smooth and suave with excellent favours of rummy caramel and oak spice. It was easily my favourite spirit of the afternoon. The rum was very well-balanced and at 38 % alcohol strength the Anejo satisfied at all levels. I am looking forward to mid November when this rum should enter the Alberta marketplace.
I plan to obtain a sample bottle so that I can share a review.
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Posted in Dark Rums, Howls, Rum, White Rums | Tagged: Cuban Rum, Legendario, Rum | 6 Comments »
Posted by Arctic Wolf on August 5, 2010
Pictured to the right is a bottle of Ron Anejo Santigo de Cuba, an authentic Cuban rum which was provided for me to sample. I was asked me to take the bottle home with me, try a few ounces and to provide an opinion. I decided it would be nice to share this opinion on my blog as well.
I have found very little information about the rum, other than what I can decipher from the label and the smattering of information on the internet where it is sold by some internet dealers as an 11-year-old rum, and others as simply an anejo rum without age statement. I also ran across claims that this was Fidel Castro’s favourite rum. A claim which I can neither confirm nor deny.
Here is a clip from my review:
..The mouth is clean and slightly sharp with orange peel, lime and oak spice. Mild toffee and almonds combine with charred coconut, and perhaps a hint of treacle. There is the vaguest hint of leather and smoke but these elements are underdeveloped…”
You may read the rest of the review here:
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Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: Cocktails and Recipes, Cuban Rum, Dark Rum, Rum, Rum Review | 2 Comments »
Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 15, 2010
Pictured to the left is a bottle of Santiago de Cuba Ron Carta Blanca, an authentic Cuban rum which was provided for me to sample by a good friend, who just returned from the Caribbean. He asked me to take the bottle home with me, try as much as I needed to and place the review on my Blog. (Some of my friends think it is really cool to see the rums they love reviewed on my blog. whereas, I think it is really cool to have friends who think like that.)
I have very little information on the rum, other than what I can decipher from the label and the smattering of information on the internet where it is sold by some internet dealers as a standard Cuban white rum.
Here is an excerpt from the review:
“…The caramel flavour of the rum is soft, and I also taste light minty candy flavours. Flashes of vanilla present themselves, but I catch no nutty flavours at all. Some Banana peel and citrus elements appear, but they are mellowed rather than too sharp….”
You may read the full review here…
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Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Rum, Rum Reviews, White Rums | Tagged: Cocktails and Recipes, Cuban Rum, Rum, Rum Review, Santigo de Cuba, White Rum | Comments Off on Rum Review: Santiago de Cuba Ron Carta Blanca
Posted by Arctic Wolf on May 26, 2010
Havana Club 7 Year Old Cuban Rum
In most of the world, Havana Club rum is associated with the brand owned by Pernod Ricard who is currently embroiled in a battle with Bacardi over whom owns the rights to the Havana Club Trademark. Suffice it to say, if you buy Havana Club outside of the US, it is probably the Pernod Ricard brand, and if you buy it within the borders of the US, it will be the Bacardi brand. In the end, after lots of lawyers have made a ton of money, the matter may finally be resolved…or not.
The subject of my review is Havana Club 7 Year Old. It is an authentic Cuban Rum. This rum has become widely available in markets outside of the US, including where I live in Alberta, Canada.
Introduction:
Sometimes when I take the first sip of new rum, I close my eyes and let the it show me where it belongs. This rum brought me to an old tavern, close to the docks. The kind of place you see in old movies where the rum flows and stories get taller in the telling. The place has an oily, tobacco stained floor. Cigarette smoke drifts up to the ceiling mingling here and there with the occasional smell of a Cuban cigar. A girl sits on a boardwalk stage, singing slightly out of key, as the patrons in the tavern pay more attention to their stories than to her. A burly bartender, who looks like he can handle whatever trouble comes his way, wipes the sweat from his brow, and then with the same towel wipes the bar-top. He glances at me playing solitaire in the corner of the room and sipping the rum he served me. I had told him I would stay and pay him well if the rum was good. He served me a soft oily, smoky rum called Havana Club. I smile… the tip will be generous tonight.
You may read my full review here:
As usual I have included a couple of recipes for your enjoyment.
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Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: Cocktails and Recipes, Cuban Rum, Dark Rum, Havana Club, Rum, Rum Review | Comments Off on Rum Review: Havana Club 7 Year Old Cuban Rum
Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 13, 2009
This week’s Rum review is an authentic Cuban rum which, to be honest, blew me away by how good it is. The Barrel Proof rum is a blend of select older rums which are refinished in young oak, and then bottled at 45 % alcohol content. The finishing in the younger oak allows newer oak tannin to be introduced into the blend. This is a tricky procedure but one which bears stunning results if done properly.
The Havana Club website expands on this process as if you wish you may give it a read with this link.
Havana Club website.
Or if you wish you can go straight to my review and read my thoughts on this stunning rum:
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Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: Cocktails and Recipes, Cuban Rum, Dark Rum, Havana Club, Rum, Rum Review | 1 Comment »
Posted by Arctic Wolf on October 22, 2009
Chocolate Legendario Ice Creme
What happens when a good idea goes horribly awry? A new cocktail is born of course ( sort of).
What was the good idea? Rum Flavoured Ice Cream!
I started with my trusty ice cream maker and a bottle of Legendario Rum. What could go wrong?
I filled the ice creme maker with all of the ingredients for a nice ice cream:
375 ml rich cream
500 ml half and half (Half creme half milk)
350 ml cold sugar
75 ml chocolate syrup
I started the ice cream maker with the intent to make a nice stiff ice cream and then when it was almost ready I added 500 ml of my 7 yr old Legendario Elixir de Cuba Rum.
Unfortunately I miscalculated. The alcohol in the rum instantly melted all the ice cream. I was left with a sloppy mess. But it sure tasted good!
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Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Dark Rums, Howls, Rum | Tagged: Cocktails and Recipes, Cuban Rum, Dark Rum, Legendario, Rum | 2 Comments »
