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Posts Tagged ‘Jamaican Rum’

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Review: Appleton Estate 21 Year Old Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 14, 2013

Appleton Estate 21Appleton Estate currently produces five production rums available in my locale, the Appleton Estate VX, the Appleton Estate Reserve, the Appleton Estate 12 Year Old, the Master Blenders Legacy (my personal favourite), and the most exclusive rum available in Alberta, the Appleton 21 Year Old Rum.

When I first reviewed the 21 Year Old rum in 2010, I had a few issues with both the overt oakiness of the rum, and the manner in which it was packaged. Three years later, I see the packaging has improved substantially, and I have decided to revisit the rum to see if the rum inside that package has improved as well.

You may click on the following excerpt to read my new review:

Review: Appleton Estate 21 Year Old Rum

“… The initial nose is retrained, and I catch notes of brown sugar, wood spice and orange peel. As the rum breathes, the restraints are slowly released and all of the scents and smell of the rum begin to fill the breezes with their aroma. The scent of brown sugar seems to meld with the rising wood spices bringing forward an impression of rich baking spices (nutmeg, vanilla, allspice and cinnamon) and spicy toffee. Firm scents of orange peel and oak are apparent as are sweet smells of marmalade and  dark tobacco. I also notice freshly broken walnuts, pecans, and hints of marzipan …”

Please enjoy my latest review!

Posted in Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Appleton Estate 21 Year Old Rum

Review: Ragged Rock White Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 11, 2013

SAM_0758 Ragged DancerRagged Rock White Rum is produced by the Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation (NLC). The blending stocks for Ragged Rock come from Jamaica, in fact from the same distillery which produces Appleton Estate Rum. These are the same stocks which the NLC uses to produce their Famous Newfoundland Screech Rum and Ragged Rock Amber Rum, although obviously the stocks are treated differently to produce a clear white rum. It should be noted that as per Canadian Law these rum stocks have all been aged for minimum of one full year before being filtered clear to produce the rum.

Note: I was provided a sample bottle of the Ragged Rock White Rum by  Rock Spirits (a division of the Newfoundland Labrador Liquor Corporation)

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

Review: Ragged Rock White Rum 

“… The initial fragrance above the glass is quite striking. I smell very mild butterscotch and vanilla with obvious indications of banana and orange peel in the breezes. There also seems to be a light lemony scent being carried upwards with hints of anise and mint …”

Of course, white rums are cocktail rums, and at the end of my review I designed a nice recipe called the Ragged Canary!

Enjoy the review and the cocktail everyone!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Rum, Rum Reviews, White Rums | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Ragged Rock White Rum

Review: Smuggler’s Cove Dark Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on April 30, 2013

SAM_0724 Smuggler's CoveSmuggler’s Cove Dark Rum is a brand owned by Glenora Distillers Limited who are located in Glenville Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. This dark rum is blended from Jamaican stocks which have been aged a minimum of two years. In fact, these stocks are the same stocks (although the proportions may be different) which are used to produce Famous Newfoundland Screech Rum. The connection with Screech Rum is quite strong as the company which produces Screech, Rock Spirits (a division of the Newfoundland Labrador Liquor Corporation (NLC)) is also the same company which packages the Smuggler’s Cove for Glenora Distillers. It would be fair to say however, that these stocks would be treated quite differently to produce the high-proof (45 % abv) dark rum, which is Smuggler’s Cove.

This brand is quite popular in Nova Scotia, and also has a strong presence in the provinces of Alberta, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

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

Review: Smuggler’s Cove Dark Rum

The initial breezes above the glass are full of molasses and candied caramel. As well, dark liquorice, cinnamon and cloves all taint the air above the glass with their presence. Allowing the rum time to breathe reveals some nice accents of orange marmalade and rich vanilla …

Please enjoy the review!

Posted in Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Smuggler’s Cove Dark Rum

Review: Rum Nation Jamaica 26 Year Old (Distilled 1986)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on April 23, 2013

Rum Nation Jamaica 26yo (1986-12) SL VI GBAbout a month ago, 60 bottles of a special rum from Rum Nation hit the store shelves here in my home province of Alberta. This small batch bottling (only 760 bottles per batch) was distilled upon a pot still at the Long Pond Estate in Jamaica in 1986 and was bottled in 2012 by Rum Nation. (In case you did not know, the Long Pond Distillery is the original home of Captain Morgan Rum.) The rum is apparently produced from locally grown Jamaican sugar cane molasses, and was originally aged in American Ex Bourbon Casks. However, after 18 years of aging in the Bourbon Cask, the rum was transferred to Oloroso Sherry butts where it aged for an additional 8 years.

I was sent a sample of this rum by Fabio Rossi, the owner of Rum Nation, and he advised me that he considers this a small batch rum made for primarily for connoisseurs. Crush Imports is handling the distribution here in Alberta.

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

Review: Rum Nation Jamaica 26 Year Old (Distilled 1986)

” … The dominant impression is fresh asphalt with the scents of the thick black paving oil and the fresh sand and gravel which lie within. (I worked on a paving crew for two years and you never forget that scent after two summers of being immersed in it.) Under that phenolic rubber-like smell is an impression of coarse brown sugar and orange marmalade. Dry fruit, cocoa and licorice add to the complexity of the aroma with impressions of tobacco, toffee, baking spices, and vanilla all residing within those breezes above the glass …”

Please enjoy my review of this remarkable rum!

Posted in Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Rum Nation Jamaica 26 Year Old (Distilled 1986)

Top 30 Rums Countdown # 9 – Appleton Estate Master Blender’s Legacy

Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 16, 2012

Top 30appleton-master-blenders-legacyIn 1749, in the Nassau Valley of Jamaica, the Appleton Estate Sugar Factory was founded. The Nassau Valley is a fertile, interior valley with a special mild micro-climate which is ideally suited to the growth of sugarcane. A water source which wells from a limestone rock formation provides an exceptionally soft pure water which used for the production of Appleton Rums. The Appleton Estate Rum is crafted from pot stills in small batches. After blending and aging the rums are ready for bottling. Unlike most rums produced in the Caribbean, Jamaican law forbids the use of an age statement unless the entire contents of the bottle are aged at least as long as the stated age.

The Appleton Estate Master Blender’s Legacy was produced to recognize three generations of Appleton Estate Master Blenders, Joy Spence, the current Master Blender, Owen Tulloch, the  previous Master Blender, and David Morrison the current protégé of Joy Spence. All three Master Blenders have set their mark on this fantastic rum which, on my countdown list of the Best Rums in the World, checks in at Number 9:

# 9 – Appleton Estate Master Blender’s Legacy

“… The flavour carries the tart spiciness of orange peel and lemon which are laid behind a backdrop of clean pure oak. Sweet flavours of baked fruit (apples and pears), brown sugar and honey are melded into this spiciness. I have read other reviews where the rum is said to have a smoky quality. I understand this perception, but to me I taste a presence tobacco mixed with pungent spices (nutmeg and allspice) …”

 

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Posted in Awards, Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Top 30 Rums Countdown # 9 – Appleton Estate Master Blender’s Legacy

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