Rolf Devinci

 In the glass is a new to me Barbados rum from the Mount Gay distillery. This spirit is blended from rums distilled in copper pots and column stills, matured in American whiskey casks then finished in charred bourbon barrels. Coming in at a 43% APV this rum shows gold in the glass with a hint of amber. A step up from the entry level Eclipse rum this spirit possesses smoke upon the palate no doubt from aging in charred wood. There is no age statement on the classic Mount Gay bottle and label but a little research indicates it is matured between three and seven years. I definitely taste the bourbon influence in this rum but also some caramel and banana. Mouth feel is verging upon a harshness and there is a degree of roughness in the finish. Not unpleasant but I prefer a little ice melt to open up the spirit and smooth out the finish. One needs to ask whether it justifies the $60 CDN price point over it's Eclipse sibling that retails for twenty less dollars? With an added ice cube I c

Gifted a bottle of the 1796 solara rum so I was looking forward to completing this review. I believe this is my first experience with a solara rum although I may have sampled one unknowingly upon a Carribean cruise to the Dutch Antilles. In the glass is a 1796 Santa Theresa rum from Venezuela distilled by the Vollmer family to celebrate the bicentennial of the Hacienda Santa Theresa. Packaged in an attractive tube the heavy bottle has an unique shape complete with a dipped waxed neck and cork. Classic labeling to complete a traditional saloon look. In a simplified description of the solara system it basically requires inter-connected barrels of rum tiered upon each other with the oldest aged rum on the bottom and newer (less aged) kegs ascending to the top. When a percentage of the bottom barrel aged rum is bottled rums from the other kegs will descend thus replenishing all the tiered barrels. The top (youngest) keg then gets topped up with new rum. The resulting spirit is a blend of o

Quite by surprise during a hot summer bike commute home I discovered the NSLC had added a new Plantation rum selection to the shelves. Stopped enroute planning on picking up a couple cold beers but instead placed a bottle of the Xaymaca rum in the backpack instead. Marketed as a traditional 100% Jamaican pot still rum exhibiting the classic "funk" of the island with the associated Hogo flavors of banana and burnt pineapple I was looking forward to getting home and sampling the rum. I am a big fan of the Plantation rums and, after having a few glasses of the Xaymaca special dry, can say this did not disappoint despite the flavor profile not quite being in my ball park. Packaged in the familiar Plantation 5 year rum style of bottle the Xaymaca looks very familiar to it's cousin with the exception of some green highlights upon the label - no doubt paying homage to Jamaica's lush environment. The nose is intriguing with memories of the Original Dark or Bumbo b

I know I usually focus upon middle shelf rums that make decent working class sippers but circumstances of late have given me the opportunity to try some rums above my weight class. Thanks to the Bills and Browns I managed to win the football pool this past week so figured a specialty/top shelf rum was in my future. While browsing the NSLC specialty rum table it just happened that the product specialist was doing some stock rotation and asked if I had tried the Bumbu. I had not so I was told to stay put while a sample was retrieved from the office. The nose radiating from the plastic sampling cup was sweet.....something familiar but tantalizing elusive. "Caramelized banana" was the response to my hesitancy and was the a-ha moment. Take a ripe banana and saute with a generous scoop of real butter. Add a little bit of cinnamon and you have Bumbu. It was familiar as the tasting notes remind me of a sweeter version of Plantation's Original Dark, itself a blend of

Had my eye on this locally produced black rum for awhile and made the buy this afternoon when I noticed only a single bottle left on the NSLC specialty table. Produced by Barrelling Tide distillery out of Port Williams Nova Scotia the rum presents well in a corked tall clear bottle with an attractive parchment like label. The rum possesses a nose of molasses and in natural light shows amber in the glass or bottle despite the coal black facade presented on the shelf. Neat in the glass it is delicious in a dessert kind of way with a pleasant mouth feel, subtle burn and easy finish. It is sweet but in a dangerous way that encourages more with no need of ice nor mix. Over ice the flavor of the rum changes from pleasant molasses to more of a hard candy impression. I like my rums over ice but in the case of 5 Fathom I think I prefer it neat. Subsequently I am not sure one would want to mix anything with the rum, especially anything overtly sweet as the rum provides enough on it&

The Plantation old fashioned traditional dark is an overproofed monster for sure.At 69% by volume it shows a brilliant mahogany red in the glass and straight up packs a mouth tingling, eyes watering bite with a very flavorable yet intense finish. Designed to mimic the rum rations of the Royal Navy, which were cut with water, the "grog" needed a well muscled rum that packed the recoil punch of an 18 pounder. On ice the intensity begins to subside as the melt water naturally smooths out the burn and, after a few minutes, reminds me of it's less bold sibling Original Dark - which I personally enjoy as a sipper. The thing I like is as an over proof this rum is surprisingly smooth....even neat the mouth feel is pleasant, albeit with a definite burn. If you want to make grog this is the rum to use. If you want a rum and cola where the spirit doesn't get lost in the soda this is the rum to use. If you want a rum punch worth remembering this is the rum to use.

Let me preface my review by acknowledging I like Plantation branded rums. The Original Dark and 5 year aged rums are two of my top  five favorites. That said how can I translate to words my joy when I found the Plantation pineapple infused rum at the NSLC. Awhile back I was told to always do a walk past of the "top shelf" aisle as often specialty products would be located there, including various rums. As I strolled past heading towards the rum section I immediately recognized the unique labeling and bottle shape of Plantation's Original Dark. Brand awareness is a wonderful thing. Intrigued I first checked the price point to see if it is within my middle class budget. Listing at $40 CDN it was near my limit but I was sold by the label..... "We  infuse the ripe pineapples in Plantation Original Dark for three months. Meanwhile we macerate the rinds and distill it to produce a bright pineapple essence. We blend both the essence and infusion together to crea

Picked up a bottle of Smuggler's Cove dark rum produced here in Nova Scotia by Glenora Distilleries. Better known for their whisky the black rum is like a poor cousin invited to the family get together. Surprisingly it actually gets decent reviews for a young dark rum blend. https://therumhowlerblog.com/rum-reviews/dark-rums/smugglers-cove-dark-rum/ Available in a classic saloon style metal capped bottle the labeling is minimalist with no script and a cartoon like label that immediately gives a "meh" impression upon the shelf. In the glass the color is a pleasant dark copper but the nose is rough. Not uncommon for a young blend. In the mouth neat it is equally harsh but it is a budget rum listed at $27.99 for a 750 ml bottle and probably distilled as a economical mixer. That said on ice with some time for a little cube melt this actually becomes palatable as a borderline sipper. The nose becomes less astringent with notes of caramel and vanilla. The finish is

Three hundred years of tradition certainly deserves a review but it had to wait until the NSLC reinstated the blue labeled navy rum back upon it's listings. The famous British naval spirit is a blend of six Caribbean rums offered to sailors as a daily "tot" until 1970 is once again available hereabouts following the Admiralty's original recipe. Here is a promotional video explaining the naming and history of the rum in the Royal Navy... https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ak7-2KbrZjo A lovely rum it possesses a silky but spicy mouth feel with a nice balance of oak, caramel and a touch of vanilla. A hot finish best mitigated over ice or mixed with two parts water for the traditional grog allotment. Apparently it mixes very well with cola and in cocktails. At $36 CDN for a 750 ml bottle it is a nice buy for the chance to try the traditional rum of the British navy.

Picked up a 200 ml bottle of the 1749 original spirit dark rum at the Halifax seaport market this February morning. I'm always interested in trying different rums but especially anything distilled locally. Coldstream spirits are produced in Stewiacke Nova Scotia just down "the pave" from the port city. https://www.coldstreamclear.com/ I was intrigued upon reading the label....a young unaged rum that is smooth? "This unaged dark rum spirit is bold with subtle sweetness and smooth light notes of vanilla." Upon opening one notices the sweetness of the nose of the spirit - a candy like quality that reminds me a little of vanilla and cream soda, no doubt the result of the cane sugar/molasses used in it's distillation. In the glass the rum presents a nice dark copper with a good mouth feel but a definite burn in the finish....not unexpected for a young unaged rum. Over ice this is surprisingly smooth with the melt mellowing the finish but bringin

My friend Jon recently returned from a European vacation with three bottles of Spanish rum in hand. I was anxious to give the spirit a try so pretty much invited myself over despite their probable jet lag. I was somewhat less enthused when I found out the one litre bottles were had, on sale, for the equivalent of $15(ish) CDN. I figured it was going to be harsh in mouth feel and finish best masked in lots of cola and ice. In a saloon style bottle the labeling was rather surprising to my North American sensibilities. Having done some googling I was happy to discover that the definition of negrita was an affectionate term of endearment for young women of color. From my understanding of the Spanish and French context it is a complimentary term with no racist intent which may explain why the distillery has not changed the labeling/ naming in 150 years of production. In the glass the rum presents as a dark amber or a light dark rum. Not much of a nose other than caramel which

Finally got around to picking up a bottle of this local rum marketed by the Authentic Seacoast Distilling Company Ltd based in Guysborough Nova Scotia. http://www.seafeverrum.com/ Packaged in a classic corked bottle it has minimal but attractive labeling with the stopper matching the steel blue color of the label. The clear glass bottle accentuates the straw color of the spirit. With a price point of $35 CDN it is competitive with other mid range rums at the NSLC and West Side Beer Wine and Spirits. " After oak maturing select Caribbean and Canadian rums....we blend them with fig, aromatic cinnamon, vanilla and a hint of citrus..." The nose of the rum is of sweetness with strong notes of butterscotch and candy. Believe it or not I sense an essence of bubblegum, the same as that moment you unwrap the gum from the packaging. Upon tasting it has a pleasant mouth feel with a long finish and a nice burn to remind one it is rum despite the candied overtones.

I was quite happy the day I saw this rum shelved as a new listing at the NSLC. The Plantation brand is one of my favorite distilleries so seeing the Original Dark immediately resulted in a Pavlovian response. Better yet it had a price point of $29.99 CDN which fits within my usual rum budget for a 750 ml bottle.. Packaged in a classic saloon style bottle complete with a cork stopper the purchase was a no brainer and off to the checkout I went with a skip and swagger. The label is very well done with a weathered parchment type of appeal. Lots of information on the fully wrapped bottle that makes a very attractive addition to the rum cart. Advertised as a blend of Trinidadian and Jamaican pot still rums that is then double aged in bourbon and cognac casks. The result is an excellent sipper or mixer..... "....that delivers rich warm tones of authentic Caribbean spirit. This well balanced blend is wonderful when sipped on ice. It is also highly recommended for cocktai

Picked up a bottle of Single Cane Estate Rum while on vacation in the Caribbean last month. Without the benefit of having sampled the spirit it was a leap of faith at the duty free shop with a price tag of $40 USD. I know little of this Dominican Republic offering but was attracted by the bottle design, the use of a traditional cork stopper and the description upon the label. "Each rum in the Single Cane Estate rums range is made from a single source of sugar cane that is grown in its local region, with each rum having its distinctive character and flavor." The label included the notes of the rum with hints of......."honey, cocoa, sweet oats and a hint of citrus". Sounded like a rum that was in my ball park so the bottle was purchased with much anticipation of the tasting. The Tasting So today, on a nice Spring Saturday I broke the seal on the bottle and had my first sip of the rum neat in the glass. It possesses a silky mouth feel but with some immedi

Nowadays known as a general reference to any alcoholic drink the term Grog was actually the British naval slang for rum and water. In an attempt to stretch out the rum rations for his sailors Vice Admiral  Edward Vernon commenced the practice on August 21 1740 while commanding a squadron in the West Indies. "Vernon's 1740 order that the daily rum issue of a half pint of rum be mixed with one quart of water and issued in two servings, before noon and after the end of the working day, became part of the official regulations of the Royal Navy in 1756 and lasted for more than two centuries." Contrary to popular opinion the addition of citrus to Vernon`s grog was not done to prevent scurvy in his sailors. He did suggest to his officers that the men could trade some of their salt and bread rations for sugar or lemons to improve the taste of the rum/water ration if they chose to do so. That said it was later surgeons and officers of the Royal Navy who made the connec

It's official.....I'm sailing with the Captain. Picked up a bottle of the spiced black on sale at the NSLC for $27.00 Cdn, two dollars off the list price. I've read some reviews and had put this on my "buy" list for a couple reasons; it is blended with a blackstrap rum and has a cork stopper....two of my rum preferences. Uncorked the nose out of the bottle is of sweetened vanilla and baking spices. In the glass neat it presents nicely but follows with a spicy finish with some rawness in the throat. Not surprising considering it possesses an alcohol % of 47.3. In the glass over ice the spicy finish is mellowed somewhat but if the cubes begin to melt I noticed the flavor quickly begins to fade along with the heat. The color of the rum remains visually appealing moving from the black of the bottle into exhibiting burnt copper in the glass. Mixed with soda to create the classic Captain and coke the rum marries well with the pop to create a pleasant, but

Always keeping an eye out for sipping rums, especially at a decent price point I purchased this Cruzan selection today on sale at the NSLC for $35.99 CDN. With tasting notes indicating buttery toffee it was definitely in my "ball park" and one I have not yet had the pleasure to sample. The single barrel moniker apparently means this particular bottling all originates from the same barrel of blended rums. What that means is future bottles may present slightly different based upon the origin of the oak barrel it is aged within. The bottle is a classic with a cork stopper but I was pleasantly surprised when I opened it to reveal a wide mouthed bottle!. Very retro and unique in modern packaging. The bottle itself is worthy of a save, especially if the clear plastic labeling is easy to remove. Toffee! The buttery toffee nose of this brilliantly copper color rum jumps right out of the glass.  It will definitely get the taste buds primed for the first taste. In the