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Posts Tagged ‘Rum’

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#93 Dictador 20 Year Old Solera Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 23, 2015

Dictador is produced in Colombia on the Caribbean coast at Cartagena de Indias City. Rather than being produced from molasses, the rum is produced from the virgin honey of sugar cane which has been distilled upon a stainless steel alembic, and aged using Dicatador’s unique take on the solera-style aging system. Although the rum is produced upon a stainless steel alembic, the inner workings of this still contain more than enough copper such that it functions in basically the same manner as a copper pot still.

Dictador 20 SAM_1387Interestingly, the choice of the distillery to use sugar cane honey rather than molasses is based upon a peculiarity of Colombian government policy. It seems that the country has mandated that automobiles in Colombia must use a certain percentage of biofuels in conjunction with gasoline as their fuel source. As molasses is the most readily available source of biofuel, almost all molasses produced in Columbia is earmarked for biofuel production. This means that the folks at Dictador Rum have little choice but to produce and use their own sugar cane honey for rum production.

The Dictador 20 Year Old Rum, is a solera aged rum which is taken from the solera at the point where the average age of the rum within that solera row is at least 20 years of age.  (Some older rum is certainly within those barrels as well.)

Here is a link to my review of the #93 Spirit in my Rum Howler 2015 Top 100 Spirits Countdown:

#93 – Dictador 20 Year Old Solera Rum

“… The aroma from the glass is heavily tainted with oak and baking spice. I smell dark brown sugars and toffee which grow stronger and deeper as the glass decants. A hint of maple sits in the breezes, and accents of cinnamon, nutmeg as well as a firm dash of vanilla rise up to complement the strong oak aroma. There is a light smokey element as well which seems to imply sherry like scents of dried currants and raisins …”

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You may follow my Countdown list of the 100 Best Spirits here: The Rum Howler 2015 – Top 100 Spirits

Posted in Awards, Dark Rums, Extras, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on #93 Dictador 20 Year Old Solera Rum

#97 Santa Teresa 1796 Antiguo de Solera

Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 19, 2015

The Ron Santa Theresa 1796 Antiguo de Solera is a Venezuelan rum which can trace its ancestry back to the year of 1796 when the Santa Theresa Hacienda was created. It was of course, 200 years later that the Ron Santa Theresa 1796 was created to commemorate the bicentennial anniversary of the Hacienda.

Santa Theresa 1796 SAM_1710This is a true Solera rum with 4 rows of aging barrels set one atop each other. As the rum ages, a portion of the rum moves through each row until it reaches the final solera row at the bottom years later. The barrels are not emptied fully and only a portion of the rum from the previous or higher row is moved to the lower row each time. According to the Santa Theresa website, a very small portion of the rum reaches an age approximating 25 years before bottling.

Here is a link to my review of the #97 Spirit in my Rum Howler 2015 Top 100 Spirits Countdown:

#97 – Ron Santa Teresa 1796 Antiguo de Solera

“… The rum has a different reddish tone and the initial aroma seems to be hinting that the spirit has at some point in its journey passed through an exotic wine cask which left an imprint of fruity dark cherries and plums upon the scent of the rum. Rich aromas of butterscotch and light smells of molasses join with these fruity scents and the result is most appealing …”

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You may follow my Countdown list of the 100 Best Spirits here: The Rum Howler 2015 – Top 100 Spirits

Posted in Awards, Dark Rums, Extras, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on #97 Santa Teresa 1796 Antiguo de Solera

#99 El Dorado 8 Year Old Cask Aged Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 17, 2015

The Diamond Distillery sits on the East Bank of the Demerara River near Georgetown, Guyana. The Distillery, originally attached to the now closed Diamond Sugar Estate, is home to Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL). Two years ago, I was invited by DDL and Woodman Wines and Spirits to travel to Guyana for a very exclusive tour of DDL’s facilities with a small group of Canadian Spirits Writers and Restauranteurs. It was in Guyana that I encountered their new 8 Year Old Rum.

SAM_1070According to the El Dorado Website, the El Dorado 8 Year old Cask Aged Rum is blended from selected stocks of rum which were produced from no less than four of DDL’s traditional Heritage Stills including both the original Wooden Coffey Still which was rescued from the Enmore Estate and the Double Wooden Pot Still which was rescued from the Port Mourant Estate. Each of these stills is well over 200 years old and they represent the last of their kind operating in the world today. The use of these ancient stills ensures that the Demerara Rum produced at DDL’s Diamond Distillery is unlike anything produced anywhere else in the world.

(For more information on the unique Heritage Stills in operation at the Diamond distillery you may read my first hand account here (Diamond Distillery Tour).

Here is a link to my review of the #99 Spirit in my Rum Howler 2015 Top 100 Spirits Countdown:

#99 – El Dorado 8 Year Old Cask Aged Rum

“… As I let the glass sit and I enjoy the breezes above the glass, I notice that the oak spices are building and they have begun to meld into the brown sugar and toffee. As I let the breezes drift about, it is almost as though I can smell fresh cinnamon buns baking. I notice a few new nuances in the breezes as well; some mild indications of dry fruit (raisins and dates), the aroma of milk chocolate, and a delicate scent of tar and tobacco. …”

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You may follow my Countdown list of the 100 Best Spirits here: The Rum Howler 2015 – Top 100 Spirits

Posted in Awards, Dark Rums, Extras, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on #99 El Dorado 8 Year Old Cask Aged Rum

Review: Captain Morgan Cannon Blast

Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 15, 2015

Cannon Blast Bottle Image

Captain Morgan Cannon Blast has just begun to appear on store shelves throughout North America. The new spirit from Captain Morgan (apparently produced from Captain Morgan Rum as well as natural flavours and spices) promises to deliver a pleasing citrus sweet front end while providing a finish with a warming (as in spicy), but not overwhelming, sensation. The new spiced rum is apparently (based upon the media information provided) designed to be ideal for the shot glass.

Coinciding with the release of this new citrus and spice flavoured rum, the Captain Morgan media team began to send samples and product information to media outlets (like The Rum Howler Blog) encouraging all of us to use the #(Hashtag)Boom when we tweet and write about their new spirit.

Cannon Blast Blasted Brew ImageHere is a link to my full review:

Review: Captain Morgan Cannon Blast

“… The aroma carries an obvious rum-like caramel aroma which is tainted by the sweet and sour scent of a lemon drop candy. The lemon drop candy scent grows stronger as you let the rum breathe, and as well I begin to notice a light spiciness, which reminds me of ginger and cardamom …”

Please enjoy this review which includes a recipe, Blasted Brew, which mixes the Cannon Blast with Lager Beer.

Chimo!  (#Boom)

Posted in Flavouerd Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews, Spiced Rum | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

Review: Flor de Caña 7 Gran Reserva (NAS)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 11, 2015

Flor de cana 7 SAM_1701Flor 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.

Last year, the entire Flor de Caña line-up received a make-over with splashy new bottle designs. Part of this redesign was the elimination of definitive age statements upon the new bottles and labels. Last year when I corresponded with the company, they indicated that they wanted to modernize the bottle presentation; but they maintained that no changes to the flavour profile of their rums has occurred.

I recently obtained a bottle of their Flor de Caña 7 (Gran Reserva), and I have decided to how the rum has progressed.

Here is a link to my newest review:

Review: Flor de Caña 7 Gran Reserva (No Age Statement)

“… The flavour profile of the Flor de Caña 7 Gran Reserva features a ribbon of bittersweet chocolate complimented by vanilla, dark caramel treacle and baking spices (nutmeg and cinnamon) with the nuttiness of walnuts and pecans laying underneath. There is a firm presence of oak, and within the wood spices are traces of oak sap and hints of green tobacco …”

Please enjoy the review, chimo!

Posted in Dark Rums, Rum, Rum Reviews | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Flor de Caña 7 Gran Reserva (NAS)

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