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

    • 15,528,010 pageviews since inception

  • Archives

  • Follow The Rum Howler Blog on WordPress.com

Posts Tagged ‘Review’

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »

Review: Hennessy Privilege V.S.O.P. Cognac

Posted by Arctic Wolf on August 5, 2018

Jas Hennessy & Co., is the largest Cognac producer in the world today with sales that exceed 45 million bottles per year. The company was founded in 1765 by Richard Hennessy who was an Irish Officer in the army of Louis XV.  Fifty two years later, in 1817, Hennessy Cognac was so highly regarded that the Prince of Wales, (who later would become King George IV of Great Britain) asked the Hennessy House to produce what was termed a “very superior old pale cognac“. This was apparently the genesis for the initials V.S.O.P (Very Superior Old Pale), and these initials have become a labeling standard used throughout the industry to this day.

The subject of this review is Hennessy’s Privilege VSOP Cognac. The spirit is produced from the fruity Ugni Blanc grapes which have been harvested from the four great crus of the Cognac region (Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies and Fins Bois). The grape wine produced is (of course) double distilled upon the Hennessy Distillery’s great copper pot stills and then selected eaux-de-vie is set down to age for at least 4 years in french oak casks which have constructed from old growth oak timbers.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Hennessy’s Privilege VSOP Cognac

“… The initial aroma displays a rich combination of oak spice and vanilla with leathery cedar accents. To some extent the oak dominates covering over the fruity scents of green grape and raisin. After a few minutes the breezes above the glass show me impressions of rich tobacco, dark baking spices, (vanilla, brown sugar, nutmeg, allspice and cinnamon), sticky marmalade, apricot brandy and hints of maple …”

When I was contemplating a cocktail for the Hennessy Privilege VSOP, I wanted to put a modern spin on a traditional (or maybe the right word is ‘classic’) cocktail. I began with Leo Engels 1878 Brandy Crusta, and with a few additions and subtractions, I arrived at what I call the Medusa Coil.

Enjoy my review!

“…

Posted in Brandy and Cognac Reviews, Cognac Review | Tagged: , , | Comments Off on Review: Hennessy Privilege V.S.O.P. Cognac

Review: Glen Garioch 1994 Vintage

Posted by Arctic Wolf on August 1, 2018

The Glen Garioch Distillery (pronounced ‘Glen Geery’) is located in the town of Oldmeldrum, approximately 20 minutes from Aberdeen. It is the Eastern-most distillery in Scotland, in the Valley of Garioch, which is apparently one of the best barley growing regions of Scotland. The distillery was established in 1797.

Glen Garioch’s Vintage bottlings represent Single Malt Whiskies which were distilled in the same year. In the case of Glen Garioch 1994 Vintage the whisky was of course distilled in 1994 and laid down in American Oak casks. Seventeen years later the mature whisky was bottled at 53.9 % alcohol by volume.

Here is a link to my review:

Review: Glen Garioch 1994 Vintage

“… The disproportionate amount of fine oak spice verses caramel/butterscotch sweetness indicates that the barrels used to age the whisky had spent much of their life aging other spirits. The caramel and toffee flavours which come from young charred casks are all but gone leaving just fine spicy sap and very light vanillans. One could easily mistake this Malt for a much younger spirit …”

Please enjoy my review which includes a serving suggestion, the standard Old Fashioned Cocktail.

Chimo!

Posted in Scotch Whisky, Single Malt Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisky Review | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Glen Garioch 1994 Vintage

Cocktail Hour: The Nottingham Walrus and Ungava Gin

Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 30, 2018

North of the Ungava Peninsula (in Northern Quebec) within the body of water known as the Hudson Strait is an arctic island which was given the name, Nottingham Island, by English explorer Henry Hudson when he was exploring what was to become the Canadian North in the 1600s. The island was used for hunting and fishing by the surrounding Inuit communities, and it is known to harbour a large number of walrus during the summer months. The island and its summer inhabitants serve as the inspiration for the name of my cocktail which uses a Canadian Gin which was also inspired by the rugged Canadian North, Ungava Gin.

Nottingham Walrus.SAM_1086Nottingham Walrus

2 oz Ungava Canadian Premium Gin
1 oz Orange Juice
1/2 oz Lemon juice
3/8 oz sugar syrup
ice
Cucumber

Peel and Slice a 4 to 5 inch length of cucumber lengthwise
Add one length of cucumber and a few ice-cubes to a suitable rocks glass
Shake the gin, juice and the sugar syrup over ice in a metal shaker
Strain into the rocks glass over the ice and cucumber
Stir once or twice with the cucumber and serve

Please Indulge in my cocktail suggestions responsibly!

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Note:

Here is a link to my recently revised review of Ungava Gin:

Review: Ungava Gin

“… The flavour of the Ungava Gin represents a nice melding of piny bitterness and herbaceous spiciness with lemon citrus. The floral elements within serve more as an accent than as a main attraction. I found myself drawn to the complex flavour profile which was moderately aggressive and perhaps more traditional than I expected …”

Please enjoy my review and cocktail.

Chimo!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Gin, Gin Review | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Cocktail Hour: The Nottingham Walrus and Ungava Gin

Review: J.P. Wiser’s 15 Year Old Canadian Whisky

Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 29, 2018

John Philip (J.P.) Wiser, purchased a distillery in Prescott Ontario in 1857, and began to produce Wiser’s Whisky.  In fact, it may have been J.P. Wiser who first used the term “Canadian Whiskey” on a whisky label when he introduced his spirit to the World at the Chicago’s World Fair in 1893. Today Wiser’s is distilled at the Hiram Walker Distillery in Walkerville, Ontario, and aged in their facilities at Pike Creek near Lakeshore Ontario. Through all of these changes the Wiser’s Brand has been recognized as a vital component of each company’s portfolio of brands.

J.P. Wiser’s 15 Year Old Canadian Whisky (bottled at 40% alcohol by volume) was recently released across Canada.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: J.P. Wiser’s 15 Year Old Canadian Whisky

” … Smooth and yummy with a rich toffee-like flavour of wood and grain spices melded butterscotch and maple. Canned fruit as noted above is joined by light impressions of raisins and a very light cherry-like impression similar to red licorice (Turkish Delight). The vanilla has joined with the orange peel bringing impressions of marmalade. Rich tobacco and new leather with an underpinning of almond syrup …”

Chimo!

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisky Review | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: J.P. Wiser’s 15 Year Old Canadian Whisky

Review: Russian Standard Vodka

Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 27, 2018

Russian Standard Vodka was introduced in 1998 by Russian businessman and entrepreneur, Roustam Tariko (the owner of Russian Standard Bank). This is a traditional Russian Vodka made from hardy winter wheat cultivated on the Russian steppes. The spirit is quadruple distilled at the company’s distillation and rectification facilities in Saint Petersburg and then blended with the glacial waters from Lake Ladoga (whose waters were chosen for their renowned softness and purity). The Russian Standard Vodka is raised to a final level of purification using a quadruple charcoal filtering process, and then it is finished in steel ‘resting’ tanks before bottling.

I recently revisited the Russian Standard brand when I organized a small Vodka tasting for a few friends. We tasted Russian Standard Vodka, Banff Ice, and Strait Vodka 40. As my previous review for this spirit was published seven years ago I decided that an updated review was in order.

Here is a link to that review:

Review: Russian Standard Vodka 

“… Comparing my notes to my review of 7 years ago, I noticed that my impressions were pretty much the same. I did feel though, that the spirit deserved a higher score this time around. I think perhaps as this was one of my early vodka reviews, I was overly cautious in my initial scoring …”

Please enjoy my review which includes two cocktail suggestions, the Sweet Moscow Mule and Soft Margaret.

Chimo!

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

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »