The Rum Howler Blog

(A Website for Spirited Reviews)

  • Copyright

    Copyright is inherent when an original work is created. This means that the producer of original work is automatically granted copyright protection. This copyright protection not only exists in North America, but extends to other countries as well. Thus, all of the work produced on this blog is protected by copyright, including all of the pictures and all of the articles. These original works may not be copied or reused in any way whatsoever without the permission of the author, Chip Dykstra.

  • Cocktails and Recipes

    Click Image for Awesome Recipes

  • Industry Interviews

    Interviews

    Click the Image for Great Interviews with the Movers of Industry

  • The Rum Howler Interview (Good Food Revolution)

    Click on the Image to see my interview on Good Food Revolution

  • The Rum Howler Blog

    Unknown's avatar

  • Rum Reviews

  • Whisky Reviews

  • Gin Reviews

  • Tequila Reviews

  • Vodka Reviews

  • Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

    Join 1,092 other subscribers

  • Subscribe

  • Visitors

    • 15,517,113 pageviews since inception

  • Archives

  • Follow The Rum Howler Blog on WordPress.com

Posts Tagged ‘Tequila’

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »

Review: Hornitos Plata Tequila

Posted by Arctic Wolf on August 9, 2011

Hornitos Plata Tequila is a 100 % Agave Tequila produced by the Sauza Tequila Import Company  located in Tequila, a municipality of the state of Jalisco, Mexico. The Tequila is the creation of Don Francisco Havier Sauza (Don Franco), a third generation member of the Sauza family who founded the La Preseverancia, distillery. Don Franco is credited with helping the Mexican Government to establish the Jalisco region of Mexico as the exclusive origin of genuine tequila in 1974.

According to the company website, the Plata is constructed to be a pure expression of the natural agave flavour of Tequila, and is made with no aging or contact with wood at all.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“…The entry into the mouth is spicy with more of that citrus than I noticed on the nose. The spicy taste is kind of like black pepper but with a touch of cloves and ginger thrown in. The vegetal earthiness of the Agave fruit lies under the spices accenting them with that punky agave taste but in some ways the earthiness takes a backseat to the pepper which becomes even spicier as you sip some more…”

Here is a Link to the Full Review:

Review: Hornitos Plata Tequila

Of course I have a cocktail recommendation which in this case is one of my own cocktails, The Green Ripper.

Please enjoy the cocktail and the Review!

Posted in Blanco Tequila, Cocktails & Recipes, Tequila, Tequila Review | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Hornitos Plata Tequila

Review: Alamo Reposado Tequila

Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 26, 2011

Alamo Tequila is a 100 % Agave Tequila from Agaveros y Tequileros Unidos de Los Altos, S.A. de C.V. distillery in Jalsico, Mexico. I received my bottle for review from Ravinder Minhas, of Mcbsw Sales Company Inc. who is the local importer of this spirit in Alberta, where I live. When I tried to research Alamo Tequila and the distillery from which the spirit is produced, I was unable to find out very much information at all. Agaveros y Tequileros Unidos de Los Altos appears to be an independent distillery in Jalisco Mexico who specializes in a small range of small market tequila.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“…When I brought the glass to my nose I discovered a lightly sweet, mildly punky agave aroma lifting from the glass. It has a fruity smell but it is not a sharp citrus aroma. Rather it is a more of an earthy aroma resembling the scent of fresh cooked young zucchini. I get a few whispers of vanilla and oak with a very subtle scent of coffee and cream in the breezes as well…”

You may read the full review here:

Review: Alamo Reposado Tequila

As well the review features a brand new cocktail playfully called, A Purple Place for Dying.

Please enjoy the review and my new cocktail!

Posted in Reposado Tequila, Tequila, Tequila Review | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Alamo Reposado Tequila

Review: Hornitos Reposado Tequila

Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 12, 2011

Hornitos Reposado Tequila is a 100 % Agave Tequila produced by the Sauza Tequila Import Company  located in Tequila, a municipality of the state of Jalisco, Mexico. The Tequila is the creation of Don Francisco Havier Sauza (Don Franco), a third generation member of the Sauza family who founded the La Preseverancia, distillery. Don Franco is credited with helping the Mexican Government to establish the Jalisco region of Mexico as the exclusive origin of genuine tequila in 1974. Hornitos was reported to be Don Franco’s favourite tequila. Unlike other spirits which proudly boast of a maturation period in small oak barrels to ensure heavy contact between the spirit and the oak, Don Franco’s Hornitos spirit is different. The Hornitos Reposado is aged in large 10,000 gallon oak ‘pipones’ to ensure limited contact with the wood during maturation such that the agave flavour remains as pure as is possible in a reposado spirit.

And this concept of minimal wood contact may have some merit. I have spoken with many Tequila aficionados who insist that aging Tequila in oak damages the spirit rather than enhances it. These Tequila connoisseurs are looking for that pure agave expression which Hornitos Reposado promises. Sauza is now part of  Beam Global Spirits, and it was the Beam Global Team here in Alberta who made a sample of Hornitos Reposado available to me such that I could provide this review. Here is an excerpt from that review:

“…The initial nose is full of spicy herbal agave fruit. It is a powerful, earthy smell that pours out of the glass growing deeper and stronger as you allow the tequila to breathe. White pepper scents and tart green apples reach the breezes along with grilled pineapple and lemons to round out the nose which is robust and anything but laid back. The scents and aromas from my glass interest me, but I sense a strong warning in those breezes. This is going to be intense…”

You may read the full review here:

Review: Hornitos Reposado Tequila

As well I have constructed a new cocktail for the Hornitos Reposado which I affectionately call, Nightmare in Pink.

Please enjoy the review and the cocktail!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Reposado Tequila, Tequila, Tequila Review | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Hornitos Reposado Tequila

Review: 1921 Añejo Tequila

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 22, 2011

1921 Tequila is made from 100% Agave cultivated in the Highlands of Jalisco, Mexico. The distinction between tequila made from highland agave versus tequila made from lowland agave is important because agave grown in the highlands tends to carry a different flavour profile into the final tequila than lowland tequila. Highland tequila tends to have more sweet fruity citrus flavours and perhaps a touch more hot pepper in the finish.

The website for 1921 Tequila states that their Añejo Tequila has spent  a year in white oak. The tequila is described on the website as:

“…It is definitely a Tequila made to be tasted calmly and enjoyed slowly in a cognac wine glass, allowing the description of the authentic taste of the white oak barrel aged for 12 months, where the wood has blended its most sophisticated characteristics with the agave from Jalisco´s soil…”

I decided to follow the advise of the website and began my tasting session with a cognac glass and the 1921 Añejo Tequila served neat without ice. Here is an excerpt from my review:

“…As I brought the brandy glass up to my nose, the fruity agave began to assert itself into the air around the glass. Nice soft pepper and ginger notes come forward out of the glass as well, followed by lime citrus and soft butterscotch. A hint of  vanilla wafts into the air with some scattered tea leaves.  The aroma is very nice…”

You may read the full review here:

Review: 1921 Añejo Tequila

I have followed the review with a cocktail recommendation called, Maximiliano Tequila.

Please enjoy my review!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Tequila, Tequila Review | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: 1921 Añejo Tequila

Review: Cabo Wabo Blanco Tequila

Posted by Arctic Wolf on May 12, 2011

Last week I received an invitation from Aligra Wine and Spirits to attend their May 5 (Cinco de Mayo) Tequila Tasting which featured 12 Tequila spirits, beginning with 3 unaged Blanco Spirits, and carrying through all the way to 2 ultra high-end extra anejo spirits. The tasting was hosted by the Owners of Aligra, Grant and Allison Schneider, and was so thoroughly enjoyable that I decided that it was time to begin to publish a few more Tequila reviews here on my website.

Cabo Wabo Tequila is made from 100 percent Blue Weber Agave grown in the lowlands of the Mexican State of Jalisco. The distinction between agave grown in the lowlands is important because lowland agave tends to carry more earthy and vegetal flavours into the final distilled Tequila than Agave grown in the highlands. Interestingly, the founder of Cabo Wabo Tequila is rock musician Sammy Hagar, and his Tequila was apparently named after the nightclub he owns in Cabo San Lucas.

When I began to publish spirit reviews, my examination of Cabo Wabo Reposado was the very first Tequila review I published (in November 2009, shortly after I opened my website). So when I  was able to sample the Cabo Wabo Blanco at the recent Cinco de Mayo Tasting event, I decided that it was time to provide another review of one of Sammy Hagar’s lowland tequilas.

Here is an excerpt from the review:

“…In my tasting notes I wrote down words like ‘earthy garden squash’, ‘sweet bell peppers’, and ‘light peppery lime’.  But these tasting notes do not do justice to how wonderfully complex the flavours are, or how nicely they mingle together…”

You may read my full review here:

Review: Cabo Wabo Blanco Tequila

As well I have provided a new cocktail called “The Deep Blue Good-bye“. Please enjoy the review!

Posted in Blanco Tequila, Cocktails & Recipes, Tequila, Tequila Review | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Cabo Wabo Blanco Tequila

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »