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Posts Tagged ‘DrinkWire’

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Review: Dunedin Distillery – DoubleWood 10 Year Old

Posted by Arctic Wolf on March 14, 2013

DW 10YOIn 2011 the Dunedin Distillery – DoubleWood was the first whisky launched as part of the New Zealand Whisky Collection. This whisky was distilled at the now defunct Willow Bank Distillery near Dunedin, on South Island (New Zealand). The distillery was mothballed in 1997, but some of the remaining barrels of whisky were left aging in a seaside bond house until they were purchased by Greg Ramsey who formed the New Zealand Whisky Company.

The Dunedin DoubleWood 10 Year Old was produced from stocks which were aged in American-Oak barrels for 6 years and then finished for 4 more in North Island (French oak) wine barrels. The whisky is a blend of 70% Single Malt whisky, and 30% premium grain whisky, bottled at 40% alcohol by volume.

You may click on the excerpt to read my full review:

Review: Dunedin Distillery – DoubleWood 10 Year Old

“… The initial aroma from the glass is a mixture of wooded scents with the light accent of fieldberries (blackberries and currants) and red cherries. As the glass breathes I notice some alpine scents with woody thickets (alders and willow), some green ferns and moss, and perhaps a hint of heather. The impression of fielberries and cherries continues to wander through the breezes accenting the alpine woodland but not dominating it …”

Please enjoy my review and the Autocrat Cocktail which has been included as my suggested cocktail for the New Zealand whisky.

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, New Zealand Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Dunedin Distillery – DoubleWood 10 Year Old

Review: Plantation Guyana 1999 Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on March 2, 2013

rum-plantation-guyana-bThe Plantation Guyana 1999 Rum is a pot-distilled, Demerara rum which is produced from molasses using an extra long fermentation period prior to distillation. The rum is first aged in Guyana in used bourbon barrels after which it is transported from Jamaica to France by Cognac Ferrand to be finished in their own warehouses and of course their own Cognac Casks.

Cognac Ferrand has long had a special relationship with a variety of Caribbean rum producers which is based upon the rum producer’s need for quality oak casks to age their rum. Based upon this relationship, Cognac Ferrand is able to acquire certain old and unique batches of rum from various Caribbean sources, which they bring back to France and finish in their own warehouses and of course their own Cognac Casks. This Demerera Rum was one such unique batch of rum acquired by Cognac Ferrand. It was bottled at 42 % alcohol by volume as part of Cognac Ferrand’s growing line-up of Plantation Rum.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“…The initial nose from the glass is full of oak tannins which have been tainted with a woody spiciness, rich toffee,and orange peel. I smell light baking, an almond nuttiness, and a firm vanilla. I like the nose, it is spicy, and full of character…”

Here is a link to the full review:

Review: Plantation Guyana 1999 Rum

Please enjoy the review and the wonderful cocktail suggestion (Comfortably Numb) I have suggested for this fine rum!

Cheers!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Plantation Guyana 1999 Rum

Happy 100th Anniversary: Seagram’s VO

Posted by Arctic Wolf on February 20, 2013

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERASeagram’s has a rich and storied history which can be dated back to 1857 when the Granite Mills and Waterloo Distillery Company was formed. About seven years later, Joseph Seagram joined the company and by 1911, it was known as Joseph E. Seagram & Sons.

The Seagram’s VO was, according to legend, created by Joseph Seagram 100 years ago when he blended some of his finest whiskies into a spirit designed especially for the wedding celebration for his son Thomas. 100 years later, the Seagram name is still on the VO bottle, but ownership of this brand has been passed on to Diageo who now use their wide variety of stocks to produce this whisky at the Valleyfield Distillery in Quebec.

The Seagram’s VO is one of the oldest continuously selling brands of Canadian Whisky in the market today, blended in the old-fashioned way to be enjoyed in those short and tall cocktails we Canadians enjoy so much. It is not by any stretch of the imagination a sipper, but then again, I doubt many ‘sipping whiskies’ were being crafted 100 years ago when this blend (bottled at 40 % abv.) was created. In honour of the 100 years of Seagram’s VO, I thought I would publish my review of this venerable Canadian Whisky.

You may click on the excerpt to read the full review:

Review: Seagram’s VO Canadian Whisky

“… The initial nose brings forth notes of oak and rye spice, vanilla and butterscotch, and light impressions of tobacco into the air above the glass. As the whisky breathes, I notice that there is something penetrating about the aroma. It reminds me of a combination of light incense and a freshly snuffed out cigarette. Rounding things out is a light corn accent and an impression of soft canned fruit (peaches perhaps). Somewhere in the background a field of tall dry grass is gently swaying in the breezes … “

Please enjoy the review!

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Happy 100th Anniversary: Seagram’s VO

Review: Rum Nation Demerara 23 Year Old

Posted by Arctic Wolf on February 10, 2013

Demerara 23 1989Rum Nation is an Italian company created by Fabio Rossi, who began his life in the spirits trade as a Oenologist (one who has studied winemaking). After his studies, Mr. Rossi left the wine business and started up a whisky company in Edinburgh (Wilson and Morgan) acting as an independent bottler of Single Malt Scotch Whisky. His interest turned to rum and in 1999 Fabio Rossi founded Rum Nation. His company is headquartered in Italy; but Fabio purchases select rums from various distillers in the Caribbean and the Americas. As a result Rum Nation provides a rather unique assortment of rare limited edition rum bottlings.

One such bottling is Rum Nation Demerara 23 Year Old.

This is quite an interesting rum. According to my correspondence with Mr. Rossi he purchased 3 casks of this rum from a vendor in the United Kingdom in 2002. The barrels bore the marque from the famous Double Wooden Pot still of the Port Maurant Estate (PM). These ex bourbon casks were transferred into a Sherry Butt (Oloroso N. 61)  in 2004 and were left to age in an underground cellar in Bristol, England where “early landed cognac” (Hine and Delamain) was also aged. The cellar in Bristol was closed in 2007, and the rum was brought to the Piedmont area of Italy (famous for the nebbiolo grape varietal) where it continued to age until 2012 when it was bottled in Italy.

Your may click on the following excerpt to read the full review:

Review: Rum Nation Demerara 23 Year Old

“… The initial aroma is perhaps a little daunting as rising from the glass are rich caramel scents laced with the smells of wood sap and resin. Felled poplar trees, spruce wood chips, and fresh unstained oak all seem to be part of that wood-filled onslaught in the breezes above the glass. Wisps of dry fruit and licorice mingle within the breezes as does a faintly sappy, mildly acrid, vaguely rubbery tar-like scent …”

Please enjoy the review of this very interesting Demerara rum.

Cheers!

 

Posted in Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Rum Nation Demerara 23 Year Old

Review: Glenfarclas 25 Year Old Highland Single Malt Whisky

Posted by Arctic Wolf on February 9, 2013

Glenfarclas 25This review continues my examinations of the Glenfarclas Single Malt line-up. I have previously reviewed the Glenfarclas 12 Year, the Glenfarclas 15 Year, the Glenfarclas 17 Year, the Glenfarclas 21 Year, the Glenfarclas 30 Year, the Glenfarclas 40 Year, and the Glenfarclas Cask Strength 105. These whiskies have been matured in two styles of oak barrels, plain oak barrels which have previously contained Bourbon or Scotch whisky, and Spanish oak barrels which have previously contained Oloroso or Fino Sherry from Seville. The whisky is then stored in traditional ‘dunnage’ warehouses that date from the late 1800s. These warehouses have thick stone walls and earthen floors.

The Glenfarclas 25 Year Old Highland Single Malt Whisky which is the subject of this review has been bottled at 43 % and is produced from aged stocks of both first fill sherry casks and refill bourbon casks.

Pacific Wine & Spirits Inc has facilitated my reviews of by inviting me to a tasting event hosted by George Grant, the Sales Director for the Glenfarclas Distillery. Mr. Grant is part of the 6th generation of the Grant Family who originally purchased the distillery in 1865. His family still controls and manages the distillery today. This review was compiled based upon my tasting notes at the event, and subsequent re-visitations to the whisky.

Here is an excerpt from the review:

“… The initial aromas include the rich sherry smells of dried fruit, some floral accents of heather and willow, and hints of orange peel. The oak is asserting itself into the whisky much more firmly than in the younger expressions …”

You may read the full review here:

Review: Glenfarclas 25 Year Old Highland Single Malt Whisky

Posted in Scotch Whisky, Single Malt Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Glenfarclas 25 Year Old Highland Single Malt Whisky

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