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Posts Tagged ‘Rum Howler Awards’

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#22 Canadian Whisky – Wiser’s 18 Year Old Limited Release

Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 4, 2013

rum_howler_badge- 25WHISKYWiser’s 18 Year Old is a Limited Release bottling totaling only 3500 bottles for each batch produced. Because this is such a limited bottling, the number of whisky barrels selected to produce each batch is relatively small. In fact, according to Hiram Walker Mater Blender, Dr. Don Livermore, the number of casks selected for each bottling of Wiser’s 18 Year Old is in the range of only 15 to 20 ex bourbon casks per batch. With such a small group of barrels to work from, it is inevitable that variations in will exist between separate batches.

Wisers 18 Bottle ShotI have not reviewed this whisky for over three years, and I since we know that we can expect the whisky to change a little from batch to batch, I decided it would be appropriate to provide a new review based upon the sample bottle provided to me for my Top 25 Canadian Whisky Countdown series. To read that new review of what has turned out to be the Number 22 Canadian Whisky in my Countdown, you may click on the following review excerpt:

Review: Wiser’s 18 Years Old Limited Release Canadian Whisky

“… I let the glass sit for several minutes, and when I returned the spice had not relented; however, I was also noticing much more now. Alongside the wood spice with its rush of white pepper and orange peel was the unmistakable scent of fruit-filled rye grain. A sweetness of toffee and butterscotch was in the air as well as hints of dark luscious fruit (prunes and canned cherries) all seemingly nestled within a menagerie of oak spice, wood sap and rye grain …”

This is an oak filled monster of a whisky which runs your taste buds through a gauntlet of spice, and then tempers them with a light toffee sweetness. The overall result is marvelous!

Enjoy the Review!

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Note: You may follow my Countdown list of the 25 Best Canadian Whiskies here:   The Rum Howler 2013 – Top 25 Canadian Whiskies

Posted in Awards, Canadian Whisky, Extras, Single Malt Whisky, Whisk(e)y | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on #22 Canadian Whisky – Wiser’s 18 Year Old Limited Release

#23 Canadian Whisky – Highwood Canadian Rye Whisky

Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 3, 2013

rum_howler_badge- 25WHISKYI consider the Highwood Distillery to be a rather unique whisky producer making a style of Canadian Whisky unlike anything else on the Canadian Whisky landscape. What is so original about the Highwood Whisky is the grain from which it is distilled. Highwood is the only distillery which uses local Canadian prairie wheat for the distillation base of all of their Highwood branded whisky. They do this because wheat alcohol, rather than barley or corn alcohol, has less heavy, non-digestible components which makes for an extremely easy drinking spirit. As well, rather than distilling their grain upon a large column still (as most Canadian Whisky is produced) they make all of their whisky upon a pot still one batch at a time.

HW_Rye_Whisky_shadowI have been a rather vocal proponent of their style of whisky ever since I first tasted it. Highwood Whisky is suave, mellow and full of delicious, delicate flavour nuances. What a pleasant surprise it was to find that my Rum Chums liked the distillery’s flagship whisky more than I did. The result of all of this love, is that Highwood Canadian Rye Whisky landed at the number 23 spot on my Canadian Whisky Countdown.

Here is a link to my recent September review:

#23 Canadian Whisky – Highwood Canadian Rye Whisky

“… The first thing I noticed about the Highwood Whisky as I sipped it was that it is a smooth, gentle, and mellow whisky which has the soft sensation in the mouth of a much older whisky. Honeycomb, ginger, wood spice, and a light dab of vanilla all support a wonderfully clean, dusty rye flavour. There is polish in evidence here, but a little rough and tumble too, as the wood spices liven the mouth-feel and take me back in time to when rye was the King of Canadian Spirits …”

For those who are value conscious, I should make the point that this whisky is probably the most affordable spirit in the entire countdown, a hidden gem in the foothills of the Rockies!

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Note: You may follow my Countdown list of the 25 Best Canadian Whiskies here:   The Rum Howler 2013 – Top 25 Canadian Whiskies

Posted in Awards, Canadian Whisky, Extras, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on #23 Canadian Whisky – Highwood Canadian Rye Whisky

#24 Canadian Whisky – Forty Creek Heart of Gold

Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 2, 2013

rum_howler_badge- 25WHISKYThis year John Hall (Whisky Maker, Forty Creek Distillery) launched a new rye forward Forty Creek blend, Heart of Gold (2013 Limited Release). Heart of Gold, like all of John Hall’s whisky blends, is distilled from three separate grains: barley (which adds soft nutty flavours); corn (which adds weight and body) and of course rye (which adds flavour and spice). Although all three grains are used, the clear intention of Mr. Hall in creating this whisky was to showcase the spicy, fruity and floral notes of Canadian Rye.

Heart_of_Gold_bottleAccording to John Hall:

“This project started nearly a decade ago, focusing specifically on Canada’s noble rye grain. I have always brought out the spicy, fruity notes of rye in my whiskies, but this time, I wanted to perfect how to capture the underlying delicate floral notes of the rye that too often get lost in the process.“

My tasting panel agrees that the noble rye grain is worth exploring as the Heart of Gold was determined to be Number 24 on my Top 25 Canadian Whisky Countdown.

Here is a link to my most recent  review:

#24 Canadian Whisky – Forty Creek Heart of Gold

“… The initial nose reminds me strongly of rye whisky as I remember it from my youth (seventies/early eighties). The breezes above the glass are full of wood spices (cardamom, ginger, sandalwood, sawdust and white pepper), and those breezes remind me of autumns past when the ripened grain in the fields was being combined. The air all around the farm would be full of the scents and smells of the harvest, complete with the straw left behind in windrows and the separated chaff and grain dust floating in the air above the fields and granaries …”

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Note: You may follow my Countdown list of the 25 Best Canadian Whiskies here:   The Rum Howler 2013 – Top 25 Canadian Whiskies

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Posted in Awards, Canadian Whisky, Extras, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on #24 Canadian Whisky – Forty Creek Heart of Gold

The Rum Howler Top 25 Canadian Whisky Countdown

Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 1, 2013

rum_howler_badge- 25WHISKYLast year in December, I published my 2012 Rum Howler – Top 30 Rums list based upon a series side by side tastings that my Rum Chums and I completed last fall. All of the rums upon the final list were aged sipping rums, and the list included some of the most expensive (Appleton Estate 50 Year Old) rums in the worlds, as well as some of the best rum bargains (Plantation Guatemala Gran Anejo Rum).

This fall, I completed a similar list for the Best Canadian Whiskies in the market today.  Over the next 25 days I will be counting down each of these Whiskies from number 25 to number 1 in an advent style list revealing the very best (as determined by my Rum Chums and I)  on Christmas Day. As I fill out the list, I will be providing my most up to date review for each spirit. These lists are really quite fun to create, and I hope that those who follow this countdown (and who read the reviews) have some fun. Disagreement with my Panel of Judges is welcome, as are your own opinions about the list.

If you are interested in such things, a detailed explanation of how I came up with this list is available here:

The Rum Howler 2013 – Top 25 Canadian Whiskies

copper-pot-heroI shall begin The Rum Howler Top 10 White Rum Countdown with the Number 25 Canadian Whisky as determined by my judges:

(Just click on the excerpt to read my review):

#25 Canadian Whisky – Forty Creek Copper Pot Reserve

” … The initial nose of the whisky brings oak and rye spices into the breezes above the glass with an effervescent orange peel zest riding the coattails of the spice. As the glass sits, green tobacco and orange marmalade jump in with a soft punky caramel tainting their scent. I detect some cinnamon and ginger rising up from the glass and my sense is that the Copper Pot is going to be a very interesting and complex whisky ….”

The Copper Pot Reserve has everything I want in a whisky, a rush of spice that lingers throughout the taste experience, wonderful caramel and chocolate flavours balanced perfectly with a mildly bitter, but soft nuttiness, and a complexity which is off the charts.

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I hope everyone enjoys this year’s Christmas Countdown!

Posted in Awards, Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on The Rum Howler Top 25 Canadian Whisky Countdown

The 2013 Rum Howler Awards – The Year in Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on November 27, 2013

RH-winner2013Rum continues to be a spirit on the rise. There was a time not long ago that when I stopped by a local store to buy a bottle of rum, I had really only two or three choices, and they were all named Bacardi. Now it is not uncommon for me to see up to twenty different rum brands even in the small liquor stores, and some of the large stores will have as many as 50 different brands to choose from. When I talk to the local merchants, they all tell a similar story, more and more people are asking for rum and some of them even come into the stores brandishing my reviews as ammunition.

My Rum Howler Awards are published each year. They represent my yearly proclamations regarding the best rums which I have tasted within that particular year. As is the case each year, all of my Awards are based upon side by side tastings within each category of spirit. I taste the spirit neat, and I also mix a few cocktails. Sometimes I have my friends help me. All rum samples which I receive to review on my website each year are automatically considered for the awards. I do my review, and then I set aside the remainder of the spirit for the end of the year judging. I also receive additional industry samples specifically for these awards.

My side by side tastings are completed, and it is time for me to reveal the recipients of my 2013 Rum Howler Awards for Excellence in the Production of Rum.

The 2013 Rum Howler Awards – The Year in Rum

Posted in Awards, Dark Rums, Extras, Flavouerd Rums, Overproof Rum, Rum, Rum Reviews, Spiced Rum, White Rums | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

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