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Posts Tagged ‘Review’

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Review: Bacardi Anejo Cuatro

Posted by Arctic Wolf on March 5, 2021

It’s been five years since I published my review for Bacardi Anejo Rum, and I noticed the brand has had a facelift recently. It is now branded as Bacardi Anejo Cuatro, and it sports a spiffy new age statement, “Aged 4 Years” according to the new label. When I saw the changes in a local retail store I decided I should reach out for a new sample bottle so I could see if my thoughts on the brands had changes in the past 5 years.

Bacardi Anejo Cuatro Rum is produced using column still distillation and oak barrel aging. The rum carries a four year age statement, and it appears to have replaced the former Bacardi Anejo in the rum producer’s line-up. Apparently, the final rum is further ‘shaped’ by filtering the aged rum through a secret blend of charcoal. This charcoal filtration helps to blunt some of the harsh flavour characteristics of a young rum giving it a smoother taste profile and less astringency.

The final rum is bottled at 40 % alcohol by volume.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Bacardi Anejo Cuatro

“… The rum has a burnished copper colour in the glass with initial notes of fine oak spice, vanilla and butterscotch rising into the air. Orange peel follows with notes of baking spice (cinnamon and clove) as well. Although the rum has been filtered to remove some of its youthful astringency, there is nevertheless more than a few telltale notes of alcohol sharpness …”

Enjoy my review which includes two nice cocktail suggestions, the Spence Cocktail and The Railcar.

Chimo!

Posted in Overproof Rum, Rum | Tagged: , , , | 2 Comments »

Review: Macaloney’s Caledonian Oaken Poitin Whisky

Posted by Arctic Wolf on March 3, 2021

For the past few weeks I have been reviewing the recent Canadian Whisky releases from the Macaloney Caledonian Distillery.  Today I am looking at Oaken Poitin which is a Irish inspired triple distilled spirit matured in select STR (shave-toast-rechar) Portuguese red wine barriques. According to the distillery this is the first triple-distilled pot still whisky spirit sold in Canada and one of the first outside of Ireland.

The Macaloney Caledonian Distillery began producing spirit which had reached the required maturity to be sold as Canadian Whisky in 2020. Their world-class distillery is built on a foundation of traditional Forsyth’s copper pot stills. Using Canadian barley, with island water the distillery produces a range of produces a small range of Island Whiskies.

Here is a link to my review of their Single Malt Whisky matured in red wine barriques:

Review: Macaloney’s Caledonian Oaken Poitin Whisky

“… The impressions formed on the nose translate very well to the palate in terms of taste descriptors with perhaps the grain spice dominating the oak to some extent. Leather, gooseberry, and hints of red wine add some dimension and this is joined by mild impressions of vanilla and butterscotch …”

Please enjoy my review which continues a series of reviews of the new whiskies from the Macaloney Caledonian Distillery.

Chimo!

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisky Review | Tagged: , , , | Comments Off on Review: Macaloney’s Caledonian Oaken Poitin Whisky

Review: Wheatley Vodka

Posted by Arctic Wolf on March 1, 2021

Wheatley Vodka is produced at the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, America’s oldest continually-operated distillery.  Buffalo Trace Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley is responsible for the brand which is distilled in small-batches using a one of a kind micro-still.  This is a wheat based vodka which is distilled a total of 10 times before being triple filtered and then bottled at 41 % alcohol by volume.

This is meant to be a craft spirit suitable to drink on its own or to mix in your favourite vodka cocktails.

When tasting Wheatley Vodka for the first time the spirit was chilled such that I would be tasting the spirit in roughly the same manner as my friends and I would normally enjoy the spirit. I sipped the spirit, downed a shot, tried a few food parings and then made a cocktail.

Then I repeated the entire sequence once again (on a separate day) This time with the vodka served at room temperature.

Here is a link to my full review and commentary:

Review: Wheatley Vodka

“… Despite the spiciness I did not notice any undo effects of alcohol astringency. The spirit seems relatively clean, albeit somewhat spicy. My first cautious sip brought a taste of lemon zest forward, with bits of heated grain spice and hints banana and wheat porridge …”

Please enjoy the review and my suggested serving, Maggie Mae. (I was chilling to the music of Rod Stewart while sipping the cocktail.)

Chimo!

 

Posted in Vodka, Vodka Reviews | Tagged: , , , | Comments Off on Review: Wheatley Vodka

Review: Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve

Posted by Arctic Wolf on February 22, 2021

Johnnie Walker is one of the most iconic whisky brands in the world. With its unique square bottle, and the labels tilted off-center, the company has created a strong brand image and its spirit is considered by many to be the quintessential Scottish whisky. When I reviewed the Gold Label in 2012, the Johnnie Walker website had this to say about their whisky:

GOLD LABEL RESERVE is blended from casks of Whiskies that have been specially selected from the Master Blender, Jim Beveridge’s Private Reserve.

It’s eight years later now, and Johnnie Walker has updated the website information which now reads as follows:

Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve is a Gold Medal award-winning blend created by Master Blender Jim Beveridge to celebrate nearly 200 years of the art of blending. Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve is created using award-winning whiskies – including fruity Highland malts and lighter Speyside malts for sweetness and spice, combined with those from the Scottish islands for our signature smoky finish.

Apparently that ‘Private Reserve’ of Jim Beveridge has either been depleted, or it is now being used for other whiskies. The point is that is it obvious to me that if the description of how the whisky is produced has changed, then the taste profile and quality of the blend may have changed as well. It is probably a good time for a fresh review.

And here is a link to that fresh review:

Review: Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve

“… Butterscotch, honey and wood spice, accents of canned fruit (peaches and apricots), vanilla, cooked apples, and hints of cinnamon. As the glass breathes we notice spicy tobacco and toffee and a welling up of wood spice, fresh grain and chaff, dry fruit (raisins and prunes) and some peat smoke …”

Please enjoy my review. I will continue to climb up the ladder of Johnnie Walker Whiskies with a review of the 18 Year Old which should be ready in a few weeks.

Chimo!

Posted in Scotch Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisky Review | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve

Review: Khukri XXX

Posted by Arctic Wolf on February 19, 2021

Khukri XXX Rum is produced by Nepal Distilleries Private Limited who began to produce spirit in Kathmandu Nepal in 1959. In the beginning, Khuri began distilling alcohol using traditional pot stills from the late 1800s (Those initial pot stills are now on display in the distillery). However the company has modernized production and now uses a 3 column distillation and they have replaced they use of oak barrel aging with the use of special wooden oak vats for maturation of their molasses based distillate.

Reading through the website I came to the conclusion that the rums produced are of no single age. The maturation vats appear to be emptied only partially each time. This leaves a percentage of rum behind to age further until the next time the vat is emptied partially again. Apparently the youngest rum in any particular batch may be as young as 8 months old, while the oldest rum in the blend might have been in the vat when the process was started many years ago.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Khukri XXX

” … The entry brings wood and baking spices forward and unfortunately a mild but noticeable bite of alcohol astringency. I can taste vanilla, cinnamon and dark brown sugar, oak spice and molasses which is followed by treacle, oak spice, orange peel, cola, cocoa and walnut …”

Please enjoy my review!

Chimo!

Posted in Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , | 1 Comment »

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