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

  • 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 1,069 other subscribers

  • Subscribe

  • Visitors

    • 14,383,692 pageviews since inception

  • Archives

  • Follow The Rum Howler Blog on WordPress.com

Posts Tagged ‘Last Straw Distillery’

Next Entries »

Review: Gin Twenty-One (Last Straw Distillery)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on May 1, 2019

The Last Straw Distillery is Ontario’s smallest production micro-distillery located at 40 Pippin Rd. in Vaughan, Ontario (a wee bit north of Toronto) just off Highway 400 and around the corner from Vaughan Mills Shopping Centre. Several months ago I contacted Mike Hook (one of the Distillery owners) to inquire about their new juniper spirit Gin Twenty-One. Mike asked me if I would be interested in receiving a bottle, and when I answered in the positive it was not too long before I was sent a bottle from the most current batch (Batch No. 3). Incidentally a bottle from Batch No. 2 was sent to the 2018 Canadian Artisianal Spirits Competition where it won a gold medal.

According to the Last Straw Distillery website (and the label on the bottle) Gin Twenty-One is the world’s first crowd-sourced gin. The guys at the distillery wanted to create a gin with just the right balance of citrus, juniper and aromatics; so they went public to find the best combination. This was an exercise in patience with many variations of the chosen botanicals created for the experiment. It was the twenty-first recipe which was selected as the crowd favourite, which is of course how Gin Twenty-One received its name.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Gin Twenty-One

“… The aroma from the glass is nice with juniper and licorice/fennel leading out in front of light citrus spice (impressions lemon, grapefruit and orange peel). This is a very traditional gin profile no doubt reflecting the preferences of the gin enthusiasts who helped select the recipe …”

Please enjoy my latest gin review which includes a few recipe suggestions including the Gin Gimlet Vesper.

Chimo!

 

Advertisement

Posted in Gin, Gin Review | Tagged: , , , | 1 Comment »

Review: Last Straw Distillery Blackstrap

Posted by Arctic Wolf on February 21, 2018

The Last Straw Distillery Blackstrap is one the few white spirits in the world actually made from blackstrap molasses rather than sweet molasses. One of the reasons there are so few is because blackstrap is much harder to work with than sweet molasses as the sugar content is lower, and the sugars are harder for the yeast to access. The trade-off is that blackstrap molasses gives a richer, more robust flavour when it is distilled. It took the Distillery about 6 months (of experimentation) to discover a method to obtain reasonable yields out of blackstrap molasses without sacrificing flavour.

You will note that I did not call this spirit rum. This is because Last Straw’s Blackstrap is a new make spirit which has not been aged. Interestingly, if the product were to be produced for the US market, it could legitimately be called a rum; but in Canada where we have stricter rules pertaining to the aging of spirits. To be sold in Canada, rum must be aged for one year in oak barrels. (This means that most white rums are aged in oak and then filtered clear before they are sold in Canada.)

Here is a link to my review of this unique spirit from Canada’s Last Straw Distillery:

Review: Last Straw Distillery Blackstrap

“… The initial aroma is what I call punky with light smells of resin and camphor. Very soon firm aromas of dark licorice, treacle and banana come forward as well as a bonanza of tropical fruit …”

Please enjoy my review as well as my cocktail suggestion, the Brooklynite.

 

Posted in Rum, Rum Reviews, White Rums | Tagged: , , , | Comments Off on Review: Last Straw Distillery Blackstrap

Review: Last Straw Distillery Blackstrap Rum (Cask Two)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on February 14, 2018

The Last Straw Distillery is Ontario’s smallest production micro-distillery located at 40 Pippin Rd. in Vaughan, Ontario (a wee bit north of Toronto) just off Highway 400 and around the corner from Vaughan Mills Shopping Centre. According to Mike Hook, the team at Last Straw Distillery come to the craft of distilling from a variety of different backgrounds, and surprisingly none have had prior experience in the beverage or alcohol business. They are self-taught, and developed their recipes in house, through research, and trial and error, without the use of outside consultants.

The Last Straw Distillery Blackstrap Rum is one the few rums in the world actually made from blackstrap molasses rather than sweet molasses. One of the reasons there are so few is because blackstrap is much harder to work with than sweet molasses as the sugar content is lower, and the sugars are harder for the yeast to access. The tradeoff is that blackstrap molasses gives a richer, more robust flavour when it is distilled. It took the Distillery about 6 months (of experimentation) to discover a method to obtain reasonable yields out of blackstrap molasses without sacrificing flavour.

Last Straw’s Blackstrap Rum is double distilled and aged for a year in a toasted new European oak cask. The rum contains no additives, flavours or colouring and is, of course, made directly from molasses in-house. Last Year I reviewed the Blackstrap Rum from Cask #1, this time I am having a crack at the Blackstrap Rum from Cask #2.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Last Straw Distillery Blackstrap Rum (Cask Two)

” … I sampled the rum from Cask #2 side by side with my previously reviewed sample from Cask #1. Although the scents and smells are obviously similar, scents of mushy banana and ripe plantain alongside some resin-like esters which remind me of camphor. And of course the telltale aroma of blackstrap molasses with hints of dark licorice and treacle …”

Please enjoy my latest review and my recommended cocktail, the Winter Daiquiri.

Posted in Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Last Straw Distillery Blackstrap Rum (Cask Two)

Last Straw Distillery – Black Strap Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on August 4, 2017

The Last Straw Distillery is Ontario’s smallest production micro-distillery located at 40 Pippin Rd. in Vaughan, Ontario (a wee bit north of Toronto) just off Highway 400 and around the corner from Vaughan Mills Shopping Centre. Several months ago I was contacted by Mike Hook (one of the Distillery owners) and was told about the impending release of their new Blackstrap Rum. Mike asked me if I would be interested in receiving a bottle, and when I answered in the positive it was not too long before I was sent Bottle Number 90 from Cask One.

According to Mike Hook, the team at Last Straw Distillery come to the craft of distilling from a variety of different backgrounds, and surprisingly none have had prior experience in the beverage or alcohol business. They are self-taught, and developed their recipes in house, through research, and trial and error, without the use of outside consultants. They have just landed their Dark Side of the Moonshine in a few LCBO stores in Ontario, and expect to have a new-make Blackstrap spirit (the unaged version of the rum) on store shelves this month as well.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Last Straw Blackstrap Rum (Cask One)

The rum has an enticing nose. I notice scents and smells which I have found to be typical in micro-distilled rums: scents of mushy banana and ripe plantain and some resin-like esters which remind me of camphor. Alongside those aromas are the telltale smells of blackstrap molasses with hint of dark licorice and treacle. Rounded out the nose are hints of orange zest, bits of cinnamon, and nutmeg. This is a very good beginning!

Please enjoy my review of this exciting new rum made in Canada, Chimo!

Posted in Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , | Comments Off on Last Straw Distillery – Black Strap Rum

Next Entries »
 
%d bloggers like this: