Posts Tagged ‘Rum’
Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 16, 2015
We have entered into the top 10 of my rankings of the Best Rums of 2015, and an intimidating 23-year-old masterpiece from Rum Nation (their Demerara 23 Year Old) leads us into the top 10. My favourite expression from Appleton Estate (the 12 Year Old) grabs the number 9 spot with a wonderfully complex 9 Year Old Agricole rum from Reimonenq (the only agricole Rhum to make my list) making it to number 8. Diplomatico’s sweet and succulent Reserva Exclusiva is always one of my favourites and one of the World’s most sought after rum’s the Zacapa XO (25 Year Solero) just misses the top 5.
Any of these rums would make a wonderful Christmas Gift for any rum aficionado.
Here are the next five wonderful cane spirits in my listing of the Best 25 Rums of 2015:
10) Rum Nation Demerara 23 Year Old
09) Appleton Estate Extra Old 12 Year
08) Reimonenq Vieux 9 Year Old Rhum (Distilled 1999)
07) Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva
06) Zacapa XO (25 Year Solero) Rum
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You may read about and follow the Top 25 Rum Countdown here:
The Rum Howler 2015 Top 25 Rums
Posted in Awards, Extras, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: 12 Year Old, 2015 Top 25 Rums, 9 Year Old, Appleton Estate, Demerara 23 Year Old, Diplomatico, Exclusiva Reserva, Reimonenq, Review, Rhum, Rum, Rum howler, Rum Nation, Zacapa XO 25 | Comments Off on The Rum Howler Top 25 Rums of 2015 – #’s 10 thru 6
Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 14, 2015
The next 5 great rums in my countdown of the Best Rums of 2015 demonstrate a growing trend upon my website. Rums from South America are beginning to dominate the landscape of premium rum. Three of the next five rums are South American, one from Peru (Ron Millonario), one from Colombia (Juan Santos), and one from Guyana (El Dorado). It could be argued that there is a fourth South American Rum on the list as Pusser’s Navy Rum, although blended from rums of various Caribbean countries, receives the lion’s share of its taste characteristic from the giant wooden double pot stills of Demerara Distillers in Guyana, South America as well.
In fact, when I look over my list of top 25 Rums for 2015, over 50% of the rums I have selected are from South America. That’s quite a high percentage considering that 10 years ago I had never even tasted a single rum produced from the southern continent.
Here are the next five wonderful cane spirits in my listing of the Best 25 Rums of 2015:
15) Ron Millonario Solera 15 Reserva Especial
14) Pusser’s 15 Year Old Navy Rum (Nelson’s Blood)
13) Rum Nation Caroni 1998 (Bottled in 2014 @ 55%)
12) Juan Santos 21 Yr Antigua Reserva Rum
11) El Dorado 12 Year Old Special Reserve Rum
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You may read about and follow the Top 25 Rum Countdown here:
The Rum Howler 2015 Top 25 Rums
Posted in Awards, Extras, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: 2015 Top 25 Rums, 21 Year Old, El Dorado 12 Year Old, Juan Santos, Pusser's 15 Year Old, Ron Millonario Especial 15, Rum, Rum howler, Rum Nation Caroni, Rum Review | Comments Off on The Rum Howler Top 25 Rums of 2015 – #’s 15 thru 11
Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 9, 2015
This posting will help catch up my Top Rums of 2015 Countdown with the other two countdowns currently underway, The Rum Howler 2015 – Top 100 Spirits Countdown and the Rum Howler 2015 – Top 25 Canadian Whiskies.
I thought at this time that I should make one thing clear to everyone. Whereas my 2015 Top 100 Spirits Countdown is a compilation of the best spirits I have ever tasted, the 2015 Top 25 Rum and Canadian Whisky Countdowns are compilations of the best spirits (in those categories) which I have both tasted and which are currently available in the year 2015.
This means that the astute reader, when utilizing the various list to do their Christmas shopping, should take into account that my Top 100 Spirits list contains great spirits which are no longer available to the public. However, every rum and whisky listed on the Top 25 Rum And the Top 25 Canadian Whisky lists are currently available for retail purchase somewhere in the world. Some may not be available in your locale, but they are available.
Which brings us on to the next batch of great rums. Here are the links to the reviews for the # 20 through to the #16 ranked rums in my Rum Howler 2015 Top 25 Rums:
20) Rum Nation Panama (Aged 21 years)
19) Pumpkin Face 23
18) Plantation XO 20th Anniversary Barbados Rum
17) El Dorado 25 Year Old Vintage Reserve Rum
16) Ron Zacapa Centenario XO 15
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You may read about and follow the Top 25 Rum Countdown here:
The Rum Howler 2015 Top 25 Rums
Posted in Awards, Dark Rums, Extras, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: 2015 Top 25 Rums, 21 Year Old, El Dorado 25 Year Old, Plantation XO 20th Anniversary Rum, Pumpkin Face 23, Ron Zacapa XO 15, Rum, Rum howler, Rum Nation Panama, Rum Review | Comments Off on The Rum Howler Top 25 Rums of 2015 – #’s 20 thru 16
Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 7, 2015
Havana Club is a Cuban Rum produced by Havana Club International (a joint venture between the Cuban Government and Pernod Ricard) currently produced in two Cuban locations, San José de Las Lajas and Santa Cruz del Norte, Cuba. According to tradition the production of the rum which was to become Havana Club began in 1878 when Spanish immigrant José Arechabala established Destileria La Vizcaya in the port city of Cárdenas, Cuba. The distillery remained in the hands of the Arechabala family and in 1934 José’s grandson (also named José Arechabala) apparently created the recipe for Havana Club Rum and began to market it throughout the world. However, the family lost control of the distillery and the brand when after the Cuban Revolution of 1959, the Cuban Government nationalized the distillery and company.
The Havana Club Barrel Proof Rum underwent a rather unique maturation process where it is first aged in old white oak barrels, and when the final rum is blended, it is then finished in specially ‘selected’ younger finishing casks. I have heard of this ‘Double Barrel’ approach with whisky, but the Havana Club Cuban Barrel Proof Rum, was the first rums that I know of which used older white oak maturation casks and then younger fresh oak finishing casks.
Here is a link to the review of the #18 spirit on my Rum Howler Top 100 Spirits Countdown of the best spirits I have ever tasted.
“… As I poured the rum into my glencairn glass my nose was immediately swatted with a sweet toffee updraft. Hints of cinnamon spice compliment the aroma, and I am very pleased with the complete lack of any charred or burnt notes. This is intense, sweet and clean. I let the drink sit for just a moment, and a pleasant liquorice aroma reminiscent of Sambuca enters the fray. I even catch just a smidgen of raw oak sitting at the very back of the nose. This is marvellous …”
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You may follow my Countdown list of the 100 Best Spirits here: The Rum Howler 2015 – Top 100 Spirits
Note: The Havana Club Barrel Proof brand was replaced a few years ago by Havana Club Selección de Maestros Rum. Although the Selección de Maestros is reported to be made from the same stocks and in the same manner as the original Barrel Proof Rum, whenever I have had occasion to taste the two brands side by side, I always have a firm preference for the older brand.
Posted in Awards, Dark Rums, Extras, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: Barrel Proof, Cuban, Havana Club, Review, Rum, Rum howler, Top 100 Spirits | Comments Off on # 18 Havana Club Cuban Barrel Proof Rum (Rum Howler Top 100 Spirits)
Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 6, 2015
I was not sure I would be able to complete my listing of the top 25 Rums of 2015 this year. This fall has been so hectic. My retail store where I sell sports and movie memorabilia has been extremely busy and the ramp up to Christmas was crazier than ever. As well, on my website, I embarked on the ambitious plan to countdown the best 100 spirits I have ever tasted. The Rum Howler 2015 Top 100 Spirits Countdown fortunately afforded me the opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. As part of the process of compiling my list of the best 100 spirits ever, I was able to taste everything I needed to compile my list of the best rums of 2015.
I will begin my The Rum Howler 2015 – Top 25 Rums Countdown by revealing numbers 25 though 21.
25) Santa Teresa 1796 Antiguo de Solera
24) Dictador 20 Year Solera Rum
23) Ron Zacapa Centenario (23 Solera) Rum (Re- scored in 2015)
22) Dictador 12 Year Solera
21) Angostura 1824 (12 Years Old) Rum
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You may read about and follow the Top 25 Rum Countdown here:
The Rum Howler 2015 Top 25 Rums
Posted in Awards, Dark Rums, Extras, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: 2015 Top 25 Rums, Angostura 1824, Dictador 12, Dictador 20, Review, Ron Zacapa 23 Solera, Rum, Rum howler, Santa Theresa 1796 | Comments Off on The Rum Howler Top 25 Rums of 2015 – #’s 25 thru 21
The Rum Howler Blog 