We just received a bottle of Ron Miel, known to us English-speaking American types as honey rum. Arehucas honey rum is a product of Spain's Canary Islands, consisting of seven-year-old rum blended with honey.
Weighing in at 40 proof (20% ABV) and dosed with natural honey, this is far sweeter than your average rum, so we can see it being an acquired taste - or an excellent sweetener for cocktails. We'll do some investigative reporting and write up a full review ASAP.
We wish we could say this picture was taken here in our Liquor Snob offices, but the best we can brag about is a bottle of the rum the man is holding, not the man himself. We've been excited about Ron de Jeremy rum since we first covered it back in January, and we're positively giddy to try it now. There's a rumor that he kisses the tip of every bottle that goes out, but it's not true - we know because we're the ones that started the rumor...right now.
Expect a review soonishly...as soon as we're done setting the mood.
A while back, we did a couple Charbay whiskey reviews (Hopped and Doubled & Twisted), and we have to say - we liked what we drank. We've just gotten our hands on two more bottles - their rum and tequila to be exact - and we hope to get to tasting them ASAP. In our review of the hopped whiskey we advised you to rough up the elderly if it meant you could get a chance to taste it - we'll try to keep things a bit more peaceable with these reviews.
Learn more about what these folks are up to at Charbay.com.
Sometimes it's like Christmas every week around here. Why do we say that, you ask? Are we tiptoeing around in footie pajamas, whispering to each other about what we'll find in our stockings tomorrow? Yes.
But it's also like Christmas because we often get beautifully-wrapped packages full of our favorite gift - booze. It's like the Fedex guy is our own personal Santa Claus. He doesn't like it when you try to sit in his lap though - we learned that the hard way.
The most recent package was a shipment of seven (yes, seven) bottles of DonQ rum, including their Limon, Mojito and Coco flavored rums, as well as Cristal, Gold, Anejo and Extra Anejo. Great Googly Moogly, we've got some tasting to do.
We got our bottle of Blackbeard Spiced Rum back in October, and if you had put a gun to our heads we would have sworn we reviewed it already, especially considering how bullish we were on the stuff. When it was brought to our attention the review was not online we all pointed fingers at each other and did our usual hair pulling routine but realized that wasn't going to solve the problem. So, with apologies, here is our belated Blackbeard review.
Blackbeard Spiced Rum "Puerto Rican Rum with Spices and Other Natural Flavors" - 86 proof (43% ABV) Facebook.com/BlackBeardSpicedRum
Blackbeard comes in a clear bottle with a striking black and red label, with its namesake pirate menacing you with two swords on the neck, and just chilling in profile down below. Maybe the suggestion is that he already killed you with those swords - we're not sure.
The nose is all kinds of vanilla and caramel, with a hint of oak and other spices. When we sipped, the vanilla and caramel definitely stayed out in front, with a hint of heat from cinnamon and other spices playing over our tongues. All our reviewers agreed we liked the level of vanilla sweetness and spice, and we all agreed we enjoyed it more than the syrupy sweetness of some big-name pirate rums out there, not that we're naming any names for fear of being keelhauled. We liked the spiciness at the finish that was accompanied by a slightly citrusy tang as well.
All in all Blackbeard is an excellent showing among the spiced rums we've tried, and an excellent value at around $15 for 750ML and under $20 for a liter. We can see this particular pirate sailing off the shelves, especially for folks who are looking for a change of pace from all those Captains and Admirals out there peddling spiced rum. This was our favorite spiced rum of 2010, and we plan to keep ourselves well-stocked.
Yes, it turns out legendary adult film star Ron Jeremy will be releasing a fluid into your mouth soon. Don't worry you won't have to worry about your future political career or what your mom would say - it's rum. All the same, try not to blink and make sure you maintain eye contact.
Ron de Jeremy is exceptionally smooth 7-year old rum from Panama. It is created by another legend, a 72-year old Cuban Master Blender Francisco Don Pancho Fernandez. Ron de Jeremy tastes perfect naked with nothing added and works equally great as a mixer. It is the adult rum.
As an aside, aren't all rums "adult rums" since you have to be 21 to drink them? Anyway, all joking aside, no word yet on when it's coming out (ha), but you can keep an eye on Ron de Jeremy online to figure out when and where to get a bottle.
We're not sure why nearly every spiced rum needs to have a pirate theme - maybe it's in the bylaws of the spiced rum distiller's code. That being said, we were happy to greet the latest pirate to arrive on our doorstep, Blackbeard, bearing his 86 proof cargo.*
We've heard excellent things about this particular spiced rum, including the fact it tends heavily toward vanilla flavors and other spiciness, and to quote our friend who tried it, it's apparently "frickin' delicious." We'll have to put that frickin' deliciousness to our own test, when we do a full review soon.
The Blackbeard Rum website is currently under construction, but you'll be able to find out more about the brand there when it goes live.
* - No pirates were harmed in the making of this post.
We just watched a video featuring Marisa Miller of Sports Illustrated and Victoria's Secret fame, and for a while we were pretty sure we were watching a trailer for some kind of porno flick, we realized to our dismay it was a teaser for Captain Morgan's new First Mate campaign. Miller will be the titular (see what we did there?) First Mate.
Keep an eye out for the full campaign, we guess - there were bared swords and bared midriffs, and sand. Lots of sand. SPOILER ALERT: We wanted old Cap to take Marisa in his arms and say "Want a little Captain in you?" but it didn't happen. Check out the vids below (they're essentially the same and both tease the date 10.10.10), and check out the press release.
We just got a package in the mail containing a bottle of Cruzan 9, the brand's foray into spiced rum. They already have all kinds of light, dark, and flavored rums, and 9 is their blend of "nine heirloom spices" with their Virgin Islands rum. According to the label, we're in for Allspice, Vanilla, Cinnamon, Pepper, Ginger, Nutmeg, Clove, Mace, and Juniper Berry. We're sure there's some kind of ROY G BIV mnemonic to remember all those, but all we really care about is how it tastes.
We'll be putting together our thoughts on Cruzan 9 ASAP, and until then you can entertain yourself with their press release and the Cruzan website.
We're starting to get into this Bacardi True Originals series, showcasing different types of bartenders. We can see where they're going with it. We have to admit we were nervous for this one after we saw perfectly good bar utensils start flying through the air. Yes, we were impressed by his aerodynamic artistry, but we kept wanting to yell "STOP BOUNCING THE BOTTLE ON YOUR DAMN ELBOW AND MIX THE DRINK ALREADY!"
Then, we read over at A Dash of Bitters that this dude is a real bartender (named Nicolas Saint-Jean if you're curious) and all is right in the world again - and this is our favorite video in the series. Now we need to just get ourselves one of those vanilla pod straws...
There's a new series of videos made by Bacardi, where a man is on a hunt for the greatest bartender on the planet. This particular bartender (side note: never call female bartenders "bartendress" - we have a friend who learned that the hard way after being ejected from a Boston bar) is called "The Hummingbird" because of her speed and grace while she attends to her nectar. We have to admit, we wish we could watch her flitting around outside our window while we drink our coffee.
If you like this vid, which we got from Mixology.eu, check out the other one, called The Samurai.
Are we dating ourselves with a Joan Jett & the Blackhearts reference? Maybe. But we couldn't avoid it, because it was the first thing that popped into our heads when we read the press release from Heaven Hill announcing the launch of Blackheart Premium Spiced Rum. Here's what they have to say about it:
Blackheart Rum is named for the sultry seductress of the high seas. Blackheart is bold and bawdy, cunning and cutthroat, sexy and seductive and left a trail of broken hearts wherever she traveled - that is how she came to be known as Blackheart. This is her rum.
Blackheart Rum weighs in at a high-test 93 proof, and it sounds like you would like it if you enjoy that certain other rum named after a certain Captain (or a certain Sailor). We don't know much about the history of minxy pirates, but consensus around the office is that we'd rather put a Blackheart in our mouths than a Morgan or a Jerry. More at BlackheartRum.com [link not working at press time, but we're sure they'll get it fixed]
The folks at Bacardi sent us a bottle of a special 89 proof version of their famous Superior Rum - a slightly overproof version of the white rum you're probably familiar with, which is rumored to be closer to the original Cuban formulation of Bacardi's flagship product. We gave it a taste on your behalf - our notes are below.
The bottle looks very similar to the one you might see at your local liquor store, and might be hard to differentiate from a distance. It is slightly different, however, even beyond the fact it's all in Spanish. "Ron Superior de Bacardi y Cia" has a pretty cool ring to it, though. That and just holding the bottle made us feel very Hemingway, without the gift for prose or the suicidal urges.
The nose was very mellow in comparison to Bacardi as we remember it (and most other white rums we've tried), even though it has a higher-than-average proof, and had a light, sweet, sugary smell. The taste at bottle strength was similarly mellow, with some hints of molasses, and was much dryer than expected. As you might anticipate, we were able to mix some daiquiris that curled our toes, and packed just that little bit of extra punch.
It's more expensive than your typical Bacardi Superior, weighing in at close to $50, but we think this is a must-have for rum enthusiasts and those who want to taste a bit of Bacardi's heritage, and a great gift idea. Don't take our word for it - head over to Bacardi.com for more information; otherwise, this rum should be available at your local liquor store.
* PS we apologize for the chintzy iPhone photo of the label...it was the best we could do and hopefully it'll help you recognize the bottle.
Cruzan Single Barrel Estate Rum
Dark St. Croix Rum
80 Proof (40% ABV)
Website: CruzanRum.com
Typical Price: Around $30
Available online at Internet Wines & Spirits
The Look: The bottle is tall and slender with black and gold labeling, getting away from an island party vibe to something a little more classic. In the glass, the rum is a smooth brown color reminiscent of whiskey...not too dark, not too light.
The Nose: The nose was full of caramel and brown sugar and molasses, and there was a hint of nuttiness there too. No huge alcohol burn, but not too sweet either.
The Taste: This rum is on the dryer side, not too sweet, with nice sweet flavors in the mix that don't overpower. There was maple and spice, nutmeg and vanilla, and the faintest hint of dried fruits on the back end. Very nice at bottle strength, but we liked it even more once we added a splash of water.
The Verdict: This is a good rum, period. It's not too spendy at around thirty bucks, and we were really impressed with the effects of blending various rums of various ages into a single cask and aging them another year. Don't step on this one with cola - this one's a sipper for after meals, and would make some excellent cocktails as well.
Many thanks to the Cruzan Rum folks for sending us our review bottle.
Arehucas Ron Miel Arrives for Review
We just received a bottle of Ron Miel, known to us English-speaking American types as honey rum. Arehucas honey rum is a product of Spain's Canary Islands, consisting of seven-year-old rum blended with honey. 
We wish we could say this picture was taken here in our Liquor Snob offices, but the best we can brag about is a bottle of the rum the man is holding, not the man himself. We've been excited about 
A while back, we did a couple Charbay whiskey reviews (
Sometimes it's like Christmas every week around here. Why do we say that, you ask? Are we tiptoeing around in footie pajamas, whispering to each other about what we'll find in our stockings tomorrow? Yes. 
We got our bottle of Blackbeard Spiced Rum back in October, and if you had put a gun to our heads we would have sworn we reviewed it already, especially considering how bullish we were on the stuff. When it was brought to our attention the review was not online we all pointed fingers at each other and did our usual hair pulling routine but realized that wasn't going to solve the problem. So, with apologies, here is our belated Blackbeard review.
We're not sure why nearly every spiced rum needs to have a pirate theme - maybe it's in the bylaws of the spiced rum distiller's code. That being said, we were happy to greet the latest pirate to arrive on our doorstep, Blackbeard, bearing his 86 proof cargo.* 
We just watched a video featuring Marisa Miller of Sports Illustrated and Victoria's Secret fame, and for a while we were pretty sure we were watching a trailer for some kind of porno flick, we realized to our dismay it was a teaser for Captain Morgan's new First Mate campaign. Miller will be the titular (see what we did there?) First Mate.
We just got a package in the mail containing a bottle of Cruzan 9, the brand's foray into spiced rum. They already have all kinds of light, dark, and flavored rums, and 9 is their blend of "nine heirloom spices" with their Virgin Islands rum. According to the label, we're in for Allspice, Vanilla, Cinnamon, Pepper, Ginger, Nutmeg, Clove, Mace, and Juniper Berry. We're sure there's some kind of ROY G BIV mnemonic to remember all those, but all we really care about is how it tastes.
Cruzan Single Barrel Estate Rum
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