Review: George Street Spiced Rum

There is a place where they believe they know rum better than anywhere else. And it’s hard to ague with those folk because not only have they been smuggling and buying their rum for over three hundred years, they also happen to drink more of the stuff per capita than anyone else in North America. Where is this great rum haven, you might ask? Well, it’s not anywhere in the good old U.S. of A., and it not some tropical haven in Latin America or the Caribbean Islands. Nope, these people who drink more rum than anyone else live on a rock they call Newfoundland, which is part of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador in the Great White North of Canada.

On that rock called Newfoundland is a city called  St. John’s where they have a place where the rum consumption reaches its apex. That place is George Street! A street full of music and revelry, lined from top to bottom with Pubs and Restaurants, where almost everyone’s drink of choice seems to be Rum! And it is for that place that the Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Commission (NLC) have named their new rum, George Street Spiced Rum.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“…After a few minutes rich baking spices have built up, and I imagine that I can smell sweet cinnamon rolls in that glass. Rich brown sugars pour out with vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon and pecans. This is probably the one of the nicest noses I have encountered in a spiced rum. But my feeling is that the spices are only part of the story. It is the aged Guyanese Rum under the spices which is giving the nose depth and character. I have a strong urge  to steal a sip before I am finished nosing the glass…”

Here is a link to the full review:

I have included a nice recipe for a Rum and Cola style drink called the Sparkling Cola Cocktail.
Please enjoy the review and the cocktail!

Rum Review: Spiced Jack No. 94

Legend has it (according to the Spiced Jack Website), that in 1956 a certain roguish pilot, Lieutenant Jack Butler, who was stationed in Bermuda in 1956 developed a secret recipe for spiced rum. Of course after developing this “Top Secret” recipe he and his plane disappeared without a trace. Mysteriously, all of his rum disappeared too. Fortune would have it that he had sent his secret recipe to his brother shortly before he disappeared and now White Rock Distillers are able to bring this formulation forward as Spiced Jack No. 94 Spiced Rum.

The ’94′ is a reference to the bottle strength of this rum which is 94 proof. This is a higher than normal bottling strength for a spiced rum which should impart a little ‘kick’ to the tonsils when it is sipped. In spite of this implied kick to the tonsils, the Spiced Jack Website assures us that the rum will be smooth. In fact, not just smooth, it will be “courageously smooth”.

A friend of mine gave me this bottle in trade on New Years Eve. I had taken a few sips (after I had already sipped a lot of other rums and whiskies that night), and decided a new rum to add to my collection would be a good thing. I never had a chance to try the bottle again until a few days ago when I decided to put it through the paces of my review system.

By clicking on the following link you can discover what I learned about my New Year’s Eve Rum Swap:

Please enjoy the review, and remember that the aim of my blog is not to help you drink more spirits, it is to help you drink better spirits!

Review: Admiral Nelson’s Spiced Rum

Admiral Nelson’s Spiced Rum is bottled at 70 proof (35 % alc/vol).  The Rum is bottled in the U.S. by Admiral Nelson Rum Company of Missouri. The bottle I reviewed would have been aged in oak for at least one year as per Canadian Law. The Admiral Nelson Rum website indicates that savory spices are used to create the blend with a hint of sweet vanilla.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“…When I swirled the rum, I noticed nice long slender legs in my glass. I like long slender legs as they indicate a touch of oiliness in the rum which should lengthen the finish. After I let the glass sit for a while, I took a nice deep wiff and found that the nose of this rum is quite nice. I’m getting a little vanilla, and fragrant rummy caramel which rise  up in a nice mixture.  Tidbits of other spices meander in and out of the breezes,  light accents of cloves, coriander and nutmeg. I detect very little if any oak scent at all….”

You may read my Full Review here:

As well I included a nice recipe I call The Admiral Overboard.

Please enjoy the review and recipe.  Cheers!

The Rum Howler Awards – The Rum Wrap Up

Today I am wrapping up the Rum portion of my Rum Howler Awards presenting what might be considered the ‘grand prize’ awards for best rums I have tasted over the past year.  I wanted to be completely fair about things so I decided that perhaps I should bring in some help and have the final tasting session done by panel rather than by myself alone.

All final tastings were done in a blind format. The panel members were not even tasting the same spirits at the same time. The rums were ranked  by each panel member and then the rankings were compared to choose the best spirit for each category. Categories based loosely on age and price were established as you can see below:

The Rum Howler Award for Best Rum (aged 5 years or less):
(A price point below $37.50 in my market (Alberta) was also required.)

Juan Santos 5 Year

Honourable mention, Bermudez Ron Anejo 1852, El Dorado 5, and Diplomático Añejo,

This was a very close race with each of the four finalists receiving at least one first place vote from each of the panel members. In the end, The Juan Santos was a clear winner receiving second place votes on every scorecard where it was not ranked number one.  For those who are not familiar with Juan Santos, it is a Colombian Rum produced by Casa Santana and is sold in some markets as Ron Santero 5 Anos. In all 9 rums were considered here and the four mentioned were the cream of the crop.

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The Rum Howler Award for Best Rum: (aged 10 years or less)
(The rums must also be priced below $50.00 per 750ml in my market of Alberta)

Bermudez Don Armando

Honourable mention to, Juan Santos 9 Year, Diplomatico Reserva, and Bacardi 8 Yr Old Rum

The Colombian rums from Casa Santana just keep surprising the panel. However a bigger surprise was the Bermudez Don Amando which scored highly on every panel members scorecards. A soft light bodied rum which seemed to win everyone over. The Diplomatico Reserva and the Bacardi 8 yr had strong advocates as well but, the scoring was not as consistently high.  In all eight rums were considered for this award.

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The Rum Howler Award for The Rum of the Year:
(Age and price irrelevant)

Cubaney 25 Solera

Honourable mention Appleton Estate Master Blender’s Legacy, Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva, and Juan Santos 21 Year.

What a finish for the Rum of the year Selection!  A completely surprising result as the unexpected Sample bottle sent to me just recently by Oliver and Oliver (via Pavol Kazimer of Drums) literally ran away with the title on every panel members scorecards.  On some cards it wasn’t even close.  The Appleton Master Blender’s Legacy showed much better than I anticipated, and South America had two rums in the final four.

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And here is a summary of this portion of the Rum Howler 2010 Rum Awards

The Rum Howler Award for The Rum of the Year, Cubaney 25 Solera

The Rum Howler Award for Best Rum (aged 10 years or less), Bermudez Don Armando

The Rum Howler Award for Best Rum (aged 5 years or less), Juan Santos 5 Year

All of my 2010 Rum Awards can be found on this summary page:

The Rum Howler Awards for Rum Excellence!

Review: Captain Morgan’s Original Spiced Rum

It is International “Talk Like a Pirate”Day and so I though I would review a couple of rums which embrace the pirate mythology.  I am going to start with Captain Morgan’s Original Spiced Rum.

Admiral Sir Henry Morgan (aka Captain Morgan) was a Welsh ‘privateer’ who attacked and plundered the Caribbean on behalf of, and with the written consent of (in the form of an English Letter of Marque), the Governor of Jamaica, Sir Thomas Modyford. Privateers at that time in history were essentially ‘legal pirates’ who were allowed to attack and loot enemies of the state reaping the rewards from their plunder in lieu of pay. Researching Sir Henry Morgan, I learned he was a skilled naval captain, a ruthless buccaneer, and one of the most successful ‘privateers’ in the history of piracy earning a Knighthood for himself in 1674.

Captain Morgan’s Original Spiced Rum is of course the name of Diageo’s top-selling spiced rum. I am on a bit of a mission to find out if the rum lives up to the man for which it was named. On the surface at least, we have some nice comparisons. Captain Morgan the Privateer was one of the most successful buccaneers in the history of piracy, practically defining the means and methods of a successful pirate campaign. Captain Morgan the Original Spiced Rum is perhaps the most successful Spiced Rum in the entire category and has pretty much set the standard for sales and marketing for all other spiced rums to follow. But what about the rum itself? Is it really as good as the marketing? I put Captain Morgan Spiced Rum through the paces of my review system to find out.

You may read the full review here:

Review Revisitation: Lamb’s Blacksheep Rum

It is time for another review revisitation.  I have returned to this very early review which was part of the original set of reviews I opened the blog with, but which upon further reflection required  a more thorough study. Lamb’s Blacksheep Rum is a really fun rum for me, but I had better warn you that the rum will not be for all palates.  It is supercharged with cinnamon as the main spice so if cinnamon is not your thing you may want to take that into account.

History

Alfred Lamb is presumed to have opened his wine and spirits business in London in 1849.  His method of aging rum in his cellars under the Thames River is reputed to be one of the secrets behind his rum’s  unexpectedly smooth taste. Lamb’s Blacksheep Spiced Rum is a relatively new offering from Lamb’s and is part of the Corby stable of North American Brands.  This is what the Corby’s website has to say regarding the Blacksheep…

“…Lamb’s® Black Sheep Spiced Rum is produced and blended in small batches to ensure consistency of the complex flavour profile that is unique to the rum category. Our ingredients – the finest cinnamon from Korintje,Madagascar-bourbon vanilla and lime essence from Mexico have been carefully selected from around the world to ensure optimal enjoyment on the palate…”

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“…I would classify this rum as a mixer rather than a sipper.  It’s not that I can’t sip Lamb’s Blacksheep, I can and occasionally I do; but, the flavour profile is like a sweet cinnamon candy.  I love this overcharge of cinnamon, and the inviting vanilla underneath.…”

You may read the full review here:

As with all of my review revisitations, I have left the original review published under the new review for comparison.

Rum Review: The Kraken Black Spiced Rum

The Kraken Black Spiced Rum

The Kraken Black Spiced Rum is a new spiced rum from Proximo Spirits. It is an imported black rum from the Caribbean, reputedly infused with 11 secret spices. The rum is named after the legendary sea monster which is claimed to have attacked sailing ships in the Caribbean during the 18th and 19th centuries. This is a 94 proof black spiced rum.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“…The rum is very dark with what looks like a kind of dark brown and plum colouration.   A moderate amount of legs are apparent when I swirl the glass, and a mildly spicy licorice, cinnamon and molasses rise into the air.  I catch faint wiffs of cloves, plum preserves, and black cherries as well…”

Please read the full review here:

Review: The Kraken Black Spiced Rum

As well I have went out on limb and designed a new cocktail for this rum which I playfully call,  My Pet Squid.   Enjoy!

Rum Review: Calico Jack Spiced Rum

John “Calico Jack’ Rackham was a pirate of the early eighteenth century who seems to have two primary claims to fame.  The first was that his design of the ship’s flag may actually have been the first use this design for a  Jolly Roger flag ever on a pirate ship.  The second is that his crew featured two female pirates, Anne Bonny and Mary Read (Rackham actually believed Mary Read was a man when she joined his crew).

Researching  Calico Jack , I learned he received his nickname due to his fondness for colourful cotton calico clothing.  Also he and Anne Bonny were apparently lovers, although it appears she was actually another man’s wife.

Calico Jack’s pirate days seem to have began in 1718 when he was elevated to the Captaincy on an English warship during a mutiny, and it ended at the end of a hangman’s noose in November of 1720 after being captured off the shore of Jamaica.  His short career of piracy was highlighted by the plundering smaller ships near the coastal shorelines in a stolen sloop and ended shortly after it began.

I could actually find little in the way of redeeming qualities for “Calico Jack” the Pirate, who appears to have captured the imagination popular culture on the basis of the Jolly Roger flag alone.  He certainly seems to have been a lousy pirate.  Perhaps standards were different back then, but huddling close to shorelines attacking only smaller ships, then allowing yourself to be captured after only a brief stint of pirating hardly seems to be the stuff of legend. (It is even rumoured that he was captured in a fight which saw only his female pirates fighting back.  Calico Jack surrendered without a fight.)

I hope that White Rock Distillers, the owners the of Calico Jack Spiced Rum Brand have a rum which fairs better than the its namesake.

You can read the full review here:

Review: Calico Jack Spiced Rum

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Peachy Superbowl Spiced Rum Punch

Its almost Super Sunday, and the Ministry of Rum is having a contest for a Superbowl Punch recipe.  I remembered a recipe that I sent forrest a while back, and decided to enter it in the contest.  The recipe is my original creation as is one of the few punches I know of with peach juice.  So for now I will call it my:

Peachy Superbowl Spiced Rum Punch.

Here is the recipe:
1 cup Lamb’s Blacksheep Spiced Rum
1/2 cup  Appleton Estate VX Rum
1/4 cup Triple Sec
2  cups Peach Juice
3 cups  Orange Juice
1/4 cup Lime Juice
3 tbsp  Simple Syrup

Garnish Punch Bowl with slices of peach fruit

Finish with Large Ice Cubes

I find this to be a very refreshing drink and as you can see I fill my glass to the brim!

Howling Highlights: Blacksheep Rum Balls

I love Rum balls, and there are about as many different ways to make them as there are different types of rum to use in the mix. The Rum Balls i make are as yummy as they are messy.

My Messy Blacksheep Rum Balls. Enjoy!

1 1/2     cup finely chopped nuts  (A mixture of walnuts,pecans, and almonds)
1  1/2    cup icing sugar
4 oz       grated dark bittersweet chocolate
1/3       cup Lamb’s Blacksheep Rum
1 tsp     Real Vanilla Extract
1 or 2 Dairy Milk  chocolate bars

Here’s how to make them:

Place the Dairy Milk bars in the refrigerator to keep them hard so they are easy to grate later.

Make sure the nuts and the first amount of chocolate is very finely chopped and grated.
Mix the first five ingredients together and form into a small ball.
Refrigerate the mixture for 1/2 hour.

When you take the mix from the refrigerator,  Take about a tablespoon at a time and roll the dough into  1 1/2  inch balls.

Cover the balls with the second amount of finely grated Dairy Milk bars.

Place back on the wax paper in the flat Tupperware and seal. Refridgerate until you are ready to eat them.  Yumm!

Here are the finished Messy Blacksheep Rum Balls.  on the top of the tiered serving tray.  I made them with equal parts of walnuts, pecans and almonds.  Sometimes I will increse the almonds to fifty percent of the mix, but this is a matter of taste.  You can experiment with the nut mixture and/ or the type of rum, but I chose the Blacksheep this year as I knew the overcharge of cinnamon from the rum would really go well with the rum balls.  (Just click on any picture to make them larger.)