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

    Unknown's avatar

  • 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 1,092 other subscribers
  • Subscribe

  • Visitors

    • 15,532,707 pageviews since inception
  • Archives

  • Follow The Rum Howler Blog on WordPress.com

Posts Tagged ‘Review’

Review: Provincial Spiced Vodka

Posted by Arctic Wolf on April 2, 2017

recliner-sam_2933Radouga Distilleries is a small distillery which began operations in Blaine Lake Saskatchewan (near Saskatoon) on November 20th 2014. Recently I met one of their sales reps (D’arcy Nemanishin) at the November Edmonton Food and Wine Show. We chatted briefly and I sampled the distillery’s 7-time distilled Provincial Vodka (review here). After the show D’arcy arranged for me to receive a few samples of their line-up of Paul’s Pies Liqueurs (Paul Riben is the Owner/CEO of the distillery), as well as the Provincial Spiced and Provincial Vodkas.

Paul Riben distills all of Radouga Distilleries products using grain that Paul grows himself. The operation is a true field to glass operation. I sampled all four spirits over the holidays, and I have decided to share my thoughts here on my website.

Here is a link to the review for Provincial Spiced Vodka.

Review: Provincial Spiced Vodka

“… The main flavours are a mixture of darkened caramel and some lightly bitter wood spice. I add an ice-cube and quickly decide that this was also a mistake as the light sweetness of the spirit is quelled allowing the bitterness within the wood spices free rein. There are perhaps a few toasted coconut flavours and some light almond-like flavours developing in my consciousness …”

 

Posted in Flavoured Vodka, Vodka, Vodka Reviews | Tagged: , , , | Comments Off on Review: Provincial Spiced Vodka

Review: Spytail Black Ginger Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on March 31, 2017

last-saks-pirate-sam_3003Spytail Black Ginger Rum is produced by Biggar and Leith, who are based in the New York area with distribution across North America and in 16 Countries worldwide (and growing). Biggar & Leith own a small portfolio of spirits which are produced by established, family owned distilleries.

Spytail Black Ginger Rum pays homage to the submarine, SPYTAIL, as apparently plans for the legendary underwater ship were discovered by Biggar and Leith’s distillers in Cognac, France. While that may seem unlikely, this actually makes sense as the first mechanical submarines were not only invented in France, they were tested within the Charente River which flows near their distillery. The production of Spytail Rum is based on a 19th Century recipe which calls for the aging of fresh ginger root and spices in barrels of Rum. The spirit is produced from a blend of Caribbean rums which are both blended and bottled at the Cognac, France facility.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Spytail Black Ginger Rum

“… The rum brings a tasty combination of rum-like brown sugar and spicy oriental ginger across the palate. The spirit is not as sweet as the nose implied; however there is enough sweetness to help balance the overt spiciness of the ginger root. Bits of orange marmalade meander into the rum’s flavour along with hints of cinnamon and some more obvious vanilla …”

Please enjoy my review which concludes with a very nice cocktail, The Last Saskatchewan Pirate.

Chimo!

Posted in Rum, Rum Reviews, Spiced Rum | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Spytail Black Ginger Rum

Review: Invergordon 1984 – 28 Year Old (SKU W&M 228)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on March 29, 2017

inverInvergordon Distillers (currently owned by Whyte & Mackay) was founded in 1959 in the Highlands region of Scotland and the newly built distillery began to operate in 1959.  The distillery has three working Coffey stills which produce grain whisky (primarily from wheat and corn) for various Whyte and Mackay blended whiskies as well as other Scottish producers.

The Wilson and Morgan 1984 Invergordon 28 Year Old Single Grain Whisky (SKU W&M 228) was distilled in 1987 and bottled in 2016. This whisky is part of Wilson and Morgan’s Special Release Series which is comprised of Scotch whiskies, all of which are 25 years of age or older, and many of which have received an unusual or special maturation regime. This particular whisky was matured for its entire life in a 2nd fill Sherry butt and bottled at cask strength (56.5% alcohol by volume).

Here is a link to my full review of this special whisky:

Review: W&M Invergordon 1984 – 28 Year Old

“… This is a complex whisky full of charred oak and cereal grain, but tempered with rich vanillans and butterscotch toffee. There is a firm herbal quality within the grain which reminds me of fresh-cut green hay with just a smidgen of heather and menthol …”

Please enjoy my review of this outstanding grain whisky, Chimo!

Posted in Scotch Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Invergordon 1984 – 28 Year Old (SKU W&M 228)

Review: Malfy Gin (Con Limone)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on March 27, 2017

The Lady From Sicily

The Lady From Sicily

Malfy Gin is a brand owned by Biggar and Leith, who are based in the New York area with distribution across North America and in 16 Countries worldwide (and growing). Biggar & Leith own a small portfolio of spirits which are produced by established, family owned distilleries.

Malfy G.Q.D.I. (Gin di Qualità Distillato in Italia) is distilled by the Vergnano family in Moncalieri, Italy. (G.Q.D.I. stands for ‘Gin di qualità distillato in Italia’. It is a stamp and guarantee of quality and origin.) The family uses a traditional stainless steel vacuum still and produces their gin from a distillation of lemons (coastal grown Italian lemons – some from Amalfi and some from Sicily) and juniper (of course) as well as 5 other botanicals (including coriander, angelica and cassia bark).

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Malfy Gin (Con Limone)

“… the gin revels in the lemon. At first , that is all I taste. However, as I let my palate adjust I begin to notice other flavours playing within the lemon construct. Lightly bitter juniper, hints of dark licorice, and a spiciness which at first I took for lemon zest, but which certainly has the imprint of coriander upon it as well …”

Please enjoy my review, and my cocktail suggestion which follows, the Lady From Sicily, Chimo!

Posted in Gin, Gin Review | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Malfy Gin (Con Limone)

Review: Victoria Caledonian Mac na Braiche

Posted by Arctic Wolf on March 26, 2017

mac-na-braiche-sam_3038The Victoria Caledonian Distillery has been on my radar for a while now. I first heard of it when founder Graeme Malconey invited me to an information seminar and whisky tasting several years ago. At that time the distillery was just in the planning stages and Graeme was touring the country raising money to build his distillery.

In the fall of 2016, word reached me that the Victoria Caledonian Brewery & Distillery had began to produce and age new make spirit. Then in January of 2017 Andrew Walls, Sales Manager and Brand Ambassador for the aforementioned distillery reached out to me asking if he could share some samples for me to review. He, in fact agreed to come all the way to my house in Edmonton and provided a private tasting for my tasting group, the Rum Chums. One of those spirits we sampled was a ‘whisky in progress’,  Victoria Caledonian Mac na Braiche.

Andrew left me with a sample, and although the spirit is not a whisky yet, I felt it deserved a full review on my website.

Here is a link to that review:

Review: Victoria Caledonian Mac na Braiche

“… The nose carries both the signature of both the ex red-wine cask and single malt whisky. I notice a ribbon of cherry-like turkish delight in the breezes wrapped up in fine oak spice and a malty sweetness. There are some impressions of dry raisins as well as canned pears and yellow-green apple slices. Bits of almond, vanilla, ginger spice and a light grassiness rounds out the aroma …”

Please enjoy my review of this wonderful new spirit from the Victoria Caledonian Distillery, chimo!

Note: The Victoria Caledonian Distillery And Brewery has a very interesting custom cask program which allows interested consumers to design and order their own custom cask from a variety of cask options. If you are interested, please contact Andrew Campbell Walls at Andrew@MacaloneyDistillers.com  or download the cask offer here:

http://vcaledonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Cask-Offer.pdf.

Posted in Moonshine and New-make | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Victoria Caledonian Mac na Braiche