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Posts Tagged ‘Review’

Review: Prairie Organic Cucumber Vodka

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 21, 2017

Prairie Organic Spirits are produced and bottled by Ed Phillips and Sons located in Princeton, Minnesota. According to the company website all of the Prairie Organic Spirits are produced using:

“single-sourced, vintage corn grown on family-owned, organic farms in the Midwest”

Additionally we are informed that each batch of Prairie Organic Spirit is distilled in small batches to a specific taste profile rather than being distilled a certain number of time to meet a specific marketing whim.

The subject of this review, Prairie Organic Cucumber Vodka is produced by blending garden fresh cucumber flavour with Prairie Organic Vodka and water. You may read my full review by clicking the link below:

Review: Prairie Organic Cucumber Vodka

“… When I bring my nose to the glass, the scent of freshly cut cucumber is obvious. There is also a  light sweetness accompanying the cucumber scent. I find the spirit enticing and my mind is already going over some mixing possibilities …”

Please enjoy my review which includes two cocktail suggestions, a Cucumber and Lime Tonic, and a Cucumber Mint Cooler.

Chimo!

 

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Review: Murray McDavid Nicaraguan Rum (2006) C.L.D.N.

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 19, 2017

murray-mc-david-nicaragua-sam_3026The 2006 bottling of Murray McDavid’s C.L.D.N.  Nicaraguan Rum was distilled in Nicaragua at the at the Flor de Cana (Compañia Licorera de Nicaragua) Distillery in 1995 and set down to age in bourbon casks. At some point in the history of this rum, several casks (perhaps seven or eight) were purchased by the private bottler Murray McDavid. These casks were chosen for their character, and at some further point (approximately 2005) they were re-casked in re-used white wine (Quarts de Chaume Chenin Blanc) barrels to undergo a short period of flavour enhancement. The final rum was blended and bottled in a Limited Release Bottling numbering only 1500 bottles in 2006.  Two of these bottles found a way into my possession, and I am pleased to review the contents of one of them and share the results with you.

Here is a link to my recent review:

Review: Murray McDavid Nicaraguan Rum

“… we are able to enjoy sweet scents of butterscotch, oak spice, vanilla, and a very persistent grape-like aroma drifting upwards into the air above the glass. As the glass breathes I begin to notice additional smells of Turkish Delight, and light but firm indications of dark brown sugar and baking spices (cinnamon and hints of clove) …”

Please enjoy my review of this interesting historical rum, Chimo!

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Review: Writers Tears Red Head Single Malt Whiskey

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 16, 2017

Bernard and Rosemary Walsh began producing their own independent Irish Whiskey brands in 2007 with the introduction of The Irishman 70 (aka The Irishman Original Clan in the USA) and The Irishman – Single Malt. In 2009 they expanded the portfolio with the introduction Writers Tears, a boutique brand which was created to bring additional nuance to the Irish Whiskey Category. Although these brands are distilled and aged by a third-party distillery, Bernard and Rosemary recently opened the Walsh Whiskey Distillery and began to produce their own new-make spirit in 2016.

The subject of this review, Writers Tears Red Head Single Malt Irish Whisky, is a triple-distilled spirit matured in Spanish butts which were previously seasoned with Olorosso sherry. The Sherry butts impart both flavour and a coppery orange hue which has given rise to the name of the Whiskey, ‘Red Head’.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Writers Tears Red Head Single Malt Irish Whiskey

“… I gave the glass about ten minutes to breathe and the fine oak spices did not relent although I should note that there was also an accompanying sweetness of caramel and malt which promised to balance the dram. The different scents and smells melded together creating an impression of an oak and raisin syrup which was most delightful …”

Please enjoy my review Writer’s Tears Red Head Irish Single Malt Whiskey (released in Ontario this past Saturday through Vintages).

Chimo!

Posted in Irish Whskey, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Writers Tears Red Head Single Malt Whiskey

Review: Smirnoff No. 21 (Red) Vodka

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 6, 2017

I reviewed Smirnoff No. 21 Red first in 2013, and then revisited the brand this year when I chose to compare four Vodkas in a small tasting competition (Smirnoff No. 21 Red, Reyka, Skyy and Last Mountain Distillery Hand Crafted Vodkas). I tasted the spirits in pairs, and when I determined which vodka from each pair was my preferred spirit, then I tasted the winners of each of the previous tasting sessions went head to head in a final taste-off.

Smirnoff No. 21 (Red) was the class of the tasting sessions winning both of its head to head tastings. This is the second time I have reviewed No. 21 and it is the second time it has surprised me by its overall quality.

Here is a link to the full Review:

Review: Smirnoff No. 21 (Red) Vodka

“… The spirit demonstrated scents of fine grain spice, and a sweep of citrus (lemon and lime) zest. When I took a sip, I found the flavour matched the scents in the breezes with  grain-like spiciness of grain and a very light somewhat earthy lemon/balsam flavour. I did not notice any metallic after taste nor any bitterness after I swallowed …”

Please enjoy my review of the surprising winner of my mini tasting competition. Chimo!

 

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Review: Mount Gay Black Barrel

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 2, 2017

Mount Gay 1703 Black Barrel Rum was introduced in 2014. It is comprised of a blend of rums produced from both pot and column still distillation and aged in heavily charred bourbon barrels. According to the Mount Gay Distillery Master Blender, Allen Smith the Black Barrel Rum was specifically blended to give rum enthusiasts the best of two worlds:

“We actually launched Mount Gay Black Barrel in 2013 to give drinkers a complex premium rum that they could enjoy as a sipping rum or by mixing in cocktails, and it has become one of our most popular rums. It’s a small batch, handcrafted blend that has a balanced, but bold spicy flavor.”

Here is a link to my full review of Allen Smith’s Black Barrel Rum:

Review: Mount Gay 1703 Black Barrel Rum

“… I noticed sweet dark caramel and toffee aromas leading out in front of fruity scents of orange peel and banana. All of this is accented by impressions of light baking spices (vanilla and hints of cinnamon). Lurking within this sweetness are impressions of oak spice and ginger, faint hints of copper pennies and some mild indications of pipe tobacco …”

Please enjoy my review which concludes with two very nice recipe suggestions, The Black Storm, and Crimson Cane.

Chimo

 

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