Posts Tagged ‘Review’
Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 3, 2017
Rum Nation has recently invaded my home Province of Alberta with a very interesting assortment of aged rums from the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. The man behind this invasion is Fabio Rossi, who began his life in the spirits trade as a Oenologist (one who has studied winemaking). After his studies, Mr. Rossi left the wine business and started up a whisky company in Edinburgh (Wilson and Morgan) acting as an independent bottler of Single Malt Scotch Whisky. His interest turned to rum and in 1999 Fabio Rossi founded Rum Nation. His company is headquartered in Italy; but Fabio purchases select rums from various distillers in the Caribbean and the Americas. As a result Rum Nation provides a rather unique assortment of rare limited edition rum bottlings.
One such Bottling is the Rum Nation Panama 21 Years.
Here is a link to the review for the Rum Howler #18 Rum of 2017:
“… The rum leads out with the flavours of sweet candied fruit (apricot and peaches) and oak spices. I can also taste rich caramel and molasses which are mingled in nicely with underlying leather and tobacco flavours. Raisins, dates, prunes and chocolate give the rum a nice smokiness …”
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We have reached the top 20 rum spirits of 2017. I have reviewed and/or re-tasted each of these rums within the past three years. (All Rum reviews were based upon bottle samples either purchased by myself or provided to me by industry.)
You can continue to follow the countdown on twitter (Rum Howler on Twitter) using the hashtag #Top100Rums.
Alternatively you can view the list as it grows daily by viewing my Reveal Page:
Posted in Awards, Extras, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: #Top100rums, 2017, 21 Year Old, Review, Rum, Rum howler, Rum Nation Panama, Top 100 Rums | Comments Off on #Top100Rums of 2017: #18 Rum Nation Panama (Aged 21 years)
Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 3, 2017
Canadian Club Whisky (C.C. Whisky) is blended before it is aged, and this process, which has been called ‘Blended at Birth’, is the foundation for the entire portfolio of Canadian Club Whiskies. The particular whisky which is examined in this review is the Canadian Club 20 Year Old Whisky. It is a blend of rye, rye malt, corn, and barley malt spirits which were set down to age together 20 years ago. In fact, I believe that the actual blending formula of base spirits for the 20-year-old Whisky is the same as the blending formula used for Canadian Club’s flagship brand, Canadian Club Premium, which is of course the 6-year-old Whisky which anchors the Canadian Club brand.
Here is a link to the Rum Howler #21 Canadian Whisky in my list of the 100 Best of 2017:
The whisky is smooth with oak spice and hints of sap melded nicely into the other flavours. There is also a smoky quality with dry fruit flavours of raisins and prunes holding the whisky together. A peppery rye note bobs up to the surface, and somewhere in the mix, and I taste dabs of nutmeg and cinnamon as well as a dash of Apricot Brandy.
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Note: To follow the countdown list of the Top 100 Canadian Whiskies of 2017, you should follow me on twitter (Rum Howler on Twitter) using the hashtag #Top100CanadianWhisky.
Alternatively you can view the list as it grows by viewing my Reveal Page here on this website:
The Reveal Page will be updated at as frequently as possible throughout the month of December.
Posted in Awards, Canadian Whisky, Extras, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review, Whisky Review | Tagged: 20 Year Old, 2017, Canadian Club, Canadian Whisky, Review, Rum howler, Top 100 Canadian Whisky, Top100CanadianWhisky | Comments Off on #Top100CanadianWhisky #21: Canadian Club 20 Year Old Whisky
Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 2, 2017
Flor de Caña has a history of rum production which is dated to 1890 at the San Antonio Sugar Mill, in Chichigalpa, Nicaragua. The company was founded by Francisco Alfredo Pellas and today, over 120 years later, the company is led headed by the fifth generation of the Pellas family. It has grown to be not only one of Central America’s leading brands of rum, it is also one of the most recognized rum brands in the world. According to the company website, all of the Flor de Caña rum is produced from molasses which is made from sugar cane harvested in fields adjacent to the distillery in Chichigalpa. This molasses is fermented and then distilled five times in a continuous column still. The resulting distillate is laid down to age in small American white oak barrels in traditional aging warehouses built without air conditioning in an undisturbed environment.
Flor de Caña Centenario 18 is now blended to an average age of 18 years.
Here is a link to the review for the Rum Howler #19 Rum of 2017:
“… This is a clean dry rum displaying a strong fine oak spice personality. This spicy personality is tempered slightly with mild indications of butterscotch accenting the oak spice. There is a lightly bitter flavour of poplar sap and tobacco keeping the mouth dry and heated. As I let the rum breathe the butterscotch sweetness grows slightly in intensity providing a nice foil for the dry spicy bitterness. I can taste a ribbon of orange peel and vanilla and a growing impression of marzipan …”
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We have reached the top 20 rum spirits of 2017. I have reviewed and/or re-tasted each of these rums within the past three years. (All Rum reviews were based upon bottle samples either purchased by myself or provided to me by industry.)
You can continue to follow the countdown on twitter (Rum Howler on Twitter) using the hashtag #Top100Rums.
Alternatively you can view the list as it grows daily by viewing my Reveal Page:
Posted in Awards, Extras, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: #Top100rums, 2017, Centenario 18, Flor de Caña, Review, Rum, Rum howler, Top 100 Rums | Comments Off on #Top100Rums of 2017: #19 Flor de Caña Centenario 18
Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 2, 2017
This year Crown Royal introduced what they call their Noble Collection, and the first limited release Whisky in that Noble Collection is the Crown Royal Cornerstone Blend. Cornerstone is a blending of three of Crown Royal’s most essential whiskies. Two of these ‘essential’ whiskies are predominantly corn-based, one produced on the large multi column still (about 60 % of the blend), one of them produced on Crown Royal’s Coffey Still (about 6 % of the blend). The third whisky which comprises about 33 % of the blend is a high percentage rye blend whisky. These three whiskies represent the cornerstone of the Crown Royal Whisky flavour profile.
Each of the whiskies in the blend is aged at least 8 years and the final spirit is bottled at 40.3% alcohol by volume.
Here is a link to the Rum Howler #22 Canadian Whisky in my list of the 100 Best of 2017:
The rye grain is complimented by the lightly spicy flavour of sap from freshly split wood. There is also a nice fruity sweetness which brings me impressions of marmalade, canned peaches, butterscotch, maple and vanilla. There are also underlying flavours of raisins, damp tobacco, hints of clove and ginger, some fresh leather and a touch of musty burlap.
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Note: To follow the countdown list of the Top 100 Canadian Whiskies of 2017, you should follow me on twitter (Rum Howler on Twitter) using the hashtag #Top100CanadianWhisky.
Alternatively you can view the list as it grows by viewing my Reveal Page here on this website:
The Reveal Page will be updated at as frequently as possible throughout the month of December.
Posted in Awards, Canadian Whisky, Extras, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review, Whisky Review | Tagged: 2017, Canadian Whisky, Cornerstone Blend, Crown Royal, Review, Rum howler, Top 100 Canadian Whisky, Top100CanadianWhisky | Comments Off on #Top100CanadianWhisky #22: Crown Royal Cornerstone Blend
Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 1, 2017
The Brugal Distillery was founded in 1888, by Andrés Brugal Montaner. Although the Edrington Group now controls the company, George Arzeno Brugal, is the current chairman, and most of the current board members are direct descendants of the original company founder. My understanding based upon discussions with the local Brugal Brand Ambassador for Brugal is that when the Edrington Group gained control of the rum company, they instituted a new wood policy which governs how all of the Brugal spirits are aged. This practice brings the cask selection process into line with the wood policy the company uses for its Scotch whiskies.
Although Brugal still makes their rum in a traditional manner (from molasses) and ages it on site in Puerto Plata, the Brugal 1888 (Ron Gran Reserva Familiar) now undergoes a special double maturation process. The rum is first aged in medium toasted, ex-Bourbon White American Oak Casks for 6 to 8 years. This is followed by a second maturation in first-fill Spanish Oloroso Sherry Casks.
Here is a link to the review for the Rum Howler #20 Rum of 2017:
“… Despite the sherry enhancement the rum remains true to its cane roots as the initial nose brings forward classic aged rum notes of oak sap, semi-sweet caramel and treacle, and spicy tobacco aromas. There is a light dryness implied with dusty sandalwood notes and light scents of banana and orange peel. As the glass sits, luscious baking spices evolve with dark brown sugars, vanillans, cinnamon and nutmeg all forming a wonderful menagerie of scents in the breezes above the glass …”
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We have reached the top 20 rum spirits of 2017. I have reviewed and/or re-tasted each of these rums within the past three years. (All Rum reviews were based upon bottle samples either purchased by myself or provided to me by industry.)
You can continue to follow the countdown on twitter (Rum Howler on Twitter) using the hashtag #Top100Rums.
Alternatively you can view the list as it grows daily by viewing my Reveal Page:
Posted in Awards, Extras, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: #Top100rums, 1888, 2017, Brugal, Review, Ron Gran Reserva, Rum, Rum howler, Top 100 Rums | Comments Off on #Top100Rums of 2017: #20 Brugal 1888 (Ron Gran Reserva Familiar)
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