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Posts Tagged ‘Silver’

Review: Leyenda del Milagro Silver Tequila

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 11, 2018

Leyenda del Milagro Silver Tequila is produced from estate-grown 100% Blue Weber Agave harvested from the highlands of Jalisco. As a highland tequila,we can expect the Milagro Tequila to exhibit strong fruity citrus notes and to have a little hot pepper in the delivery and in the finish. (This is as opposed to lowland tequila which has stronger earthier flavours of agave and less hot pepper.)

The spirit is produced at Tequilera Milagro, S.A. de C.V. (Nom 1559) where the agave is roasted in brick ovens made from the same volcanic-rich soil where the highland agave fourishes in Jalisco. The roasted agave is shredded to extract the cooked juice which (unlike other tequila brands which are double distilled) is triple distilled in a Copper Pot Still. This makes Milagro a lighter spirit than we would typically expect a silver agave spirit to be.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Leyenda del Milagro Silver Tequila

“… The initial aroma is full of rich earthy agave which brings impressions of baked zucchini and boiled celery into focus. There are also hints of damp punky balsam wood. The typical notes of spicy black pepper and fruity citrus zest are muted somewhat which gives the agave more expression than I typically notice in highland tequila …”

Please enjoy my review which concludes with my serving suggestion, Lexi’s Cocktail.

Chimo!

Posted in Blanco Tequila, Tequila, Tequila Review | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Leyenda del Milagro Silver Tequila

Review: Herradura Silver Tequila

Posted by Arctic Wolf on April 30, 2018

The Herradura Tequila brand is owned by Brown-Froman. It is produced thirty miles from Guadalajara, in the state of Jalisco, in the town of Amatitan, at the Brown – Forman Tequila Distillery Mexico, S. de R.L. de C.V..

Herradura is produced from agave grown in the lowlands. This is important to know, because lowland agave will usually bring more earthy fruit flavours through the distillation than highland agave which tends to bring spice and citrus. The lowland character of the Herradura tequila was obvious during my tasting sessions and dealing with the strong earthy flavours of the spirit was particularly significant during cocktail construction.

The subject of this review, the Herradura Silver is a true 100% Weber Blue agave tequila. The agave used is cooked in old stone ovens, and distilled on old copper pot stills. When I tasted the Herradurra spirit several years ago I was told that it was an unaged spirit intended to bring to the palate the true unaltered taste of lowland tequila. I notice this time that my media notes make note that the spirit has been aged for 45 days in American Oak barrels which is meant to bring a touch of refinement to the spirit. It is bottled at 40 % alcohol by volume for the North American Market.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Herradura Silver Tequila

“… I notice firm earthy agave which to me resembles the aroma of baked squash and/or grilled zucchini. As the glass breathes I begin to notice some lemon citrus and both lemon and orange peel. There are hints of menthol/mint and the spiciness of hot white pepper in the air as well. As I adjust to the overt agave aroma, very light indications of sandalwood and oak spice are noticed which bring ever so light impressions of tea and chocolate into the air …”

Please enjoy my review which concludes with a delicious cocktail suggestion, Estrella de la Tarde (the Evening Star).

Chimo!

Posted in Blanco Tequila, Tequila, Tequila Review | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Herradura Silver Tequila

Review: Mount Gay Eclipse Silver Rum

Posted by Arctic Wolf on August 21, 2017

It was in 1910 that the appearance of Haley’s Comet coincided with a total solar eclipse, and this event is said to have inspired Mount Gay to create their Eclipse branded rums. Mount Gay 1703 Eclipse Silver Rum is composed of rum distillate produced from both pot and column still distillation. Although this rum is clear, it has nevertheless been matured in charred white oak barrels, barrels which previously held American whiskey. The lightly aged rum is filtered clear and bottled at 40 % alcohol by volume.

Today (across ten US states and through parts of the Caribbean) another total eclipse of the sun may be witnessed by those lucky enough to be in its path. It seems an ideal day to revisit and update my previous review for the Mount Gay Eclipse Silver Rum.

Review: Mount Gay Eclipse Silver Rum

“… I found that the white rum displayed an inviting aroma to my nostrils above the glass. The scents and smells of light butterscotch were evident as was a firm presence of banana, a mild citrus zest, and a light minty aroma. As the glass decanted a vague grassy vegetal scent began to waft upwards as well. Allowing the glass to breathe resulted in a strengthening of this ‘grassiness’ which seemed to imply a more complex character than I may have originally anticipated …”

Please enjoy the Eclipse today whether it be the astronomical phenomena or the great rum from Mount Gay!

Chimo!

Posted in Rum, Rum Reviews, White Rums | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Mount Gay Eclipse Silver Rum

2015 Margarita Challenge #8 – Avion Silver Tequila

Posted by Arctic Wolf on May 9, 2015

Avion SAM_1535

Avion Margarita

Avion Silver Tequila is a 100% Weber Blue Agave tequila made from the hand-picked fruit grown in the Highlands of Jalisco, Mexico. As a highland tequila, we can expect the Avion Tequila to exhibit strong fruity citrus notes and to have a little hot pepper in the delivery and in the finish. (This is as opposed to lowland tequila which has stronger earthier flavours of agave and less hot pepper.)

According to the information provided to me, to produce Avion Tequila, the harvested agave from the highlands is first slow roasted in brick ovens to bring out its natural flavors and aromas. After distillation, but before the tequila is bottled it is run through a proprietary “Ultra Slow Filtration” process which apparently lasts ten times longer than the filtration process for other tequilas. Something good must be happening because according to the Judges at the 2012 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, this tequila is pretty darn good. They awarded Avion Silver Tequila as the Best Unaged White Spirit, and then gave it a Double Gold Medal for two years in a row.

It turns out that my judging panel for the 2015 Rum Howler Margarita Challenge also believe that something good is happening with Avion Tequila as My Rum Chums and I have determined their Silver Tequila is the 8th best blanco tequila for mixing Margaritas this summer.

Here is a link to my newly revised review:

Review Avion Silver Tequila

“…  I noticed a light effervescent almost spicy aroma of grapefruit zest is reminiscent of the smells of my back garden after a light rain shower. I find  the aroma light and clean almost refreshing. I also noticed a moderately punky/fruity agave aroma with a mild white pepper scent rising from the glass with a light fruity sweetness carried by the agave …”

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Note: If you wish to follow my 2015 Rum Howler Margarita Countdown, I have created a summary page which will list all of the results as they are published. That page is available here:

2015 Rum Howler Margarita Countdown

Posted in Awards, Blanco Tequila, Tequila, Tequila Review | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on 2015 Margarita Challenge #8 – Avion Silver Tequila

2015 Margarita Challenge #9 – Cruz del Sol (Silver)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on May 7, 2015

CRUZ SAM_1521

Cruz Margarita

The Number 9 spirit in my 2015 Rum Howler Margarita Challenge (according to the Cruz Tequila website information) contains no chemicals, additives or flavorings, and is produced entirely from Blue Weber agave plants grown in the highlands of the Los Altos region of Jalisco, Mexico.

The harvested agave is slow cooked in traditional brick ovens for two days, then cooled before the juice is extracted and naturally fermented. The fermented juice is double distilled in small batches and all Cruz Tequila is packaged and bottled using recycled materials. This includes the blown glass bottles and the aluminum caps as well as the aluminum cross on the front label.

During the deliberations for the 2015 Rum Howler Margarita Challenge, my judging panel found Cruz del Sol Silver was a lightly earthy spirit with a building spiciness, and those features of flavour worked well in the Margarita Cocktail I served in the competition. Well enough to rank this tequila as the number 9 spirit in my challenge.

Here is a link to my newly revised review which incorporates the information learned during my most recent tasting sessions as well as the information gleaned during the competition tasting:

Review: Cruz del Sol Silver

“… There is an almost tender quality to the agave which is very pleasant with some interesting earthy flavours of fresh garden squash and cucumber laying underneath the agave fruit. As I continue to sip I taste tiny bits of cinnamon, hints of black licorice, and sweet impressions of sugar cane and mint. Building alongside these subtle flavours is a spicy white pepper and a citric zest which heats the palate a little more with each sip …”

The Cruz Del Sol Silver is a good spirit to serve when introducing persons to the highland tequila taste profile. The soft lightly sweet notes in the flavour profile are more approachable than one finds in a typical blanco tequila from the highlands.

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Note: If you wish to follow my 2015 Rum Howler Margarita Countdown, I have created a summary page which will list all of the results as they are published. That page is available here:

2015 Rum Howler Margarita Countdown

Posted in Awards, Blanco Tequila, Tequila, Tequila Review | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on 2015 Margarita Challenge #9 – Cruz del Sol (Silver)