Refined Vices.

[Count Silvio]

Refined Vices.com (http://www.refinedvices.com). A gentleman's guide to life's more refined vices.


Welcome to my new rum, whiskey and cigar review website! I will mostly review rum on this website so I thought this thread would be best suited in this forum.

Rum has recently become a passion of mine, even in this desolate country that is sahara for rums. I created Refined Vices for a few reasons that bugged me when trying to find information about the next rum I was going to purchase.

One of them was that most sites descriptions are very short and do not offer a lot information about the taste for example. These sites also do not have proper pictures, this is why I will have high quality pictures of the product on my website (photographed by me). I'm going to try to keep the overall quality of the website high as well. Consistency is very important to me.

I have also created forums where you can discuss about my reviews and different articles or create a topic of your own.

If you wish to help me in my efforts you may send me articles. I have explained user submissions on the websites Frequently Asked Questions (http://www.refinedvices.com/content/category/3/7/25/) section in greater detail.

I will try post new reviews as often as possible but I will check the forums more often for new posts.

Any feedback is welcome.

Once again welcome to Refined Vices and remember to register! ;) If you have any problems with the activation e-mail, send me an e-mail.

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/8872/gentryjt2.jpg

[Count Silvio]

There is a new review of Ron Pampero Aniversario at Refined Vices. (http://www.refinedvices.com/content/view/30/37/)

[Count Silvio]

I've posted a review of Angostura 1919 (http://www.refinedvices.com/content/view/55/1/) on the frontpage as well as a new history and production section for rum, whiskey and brandy & cognac (thanks Paul).

[Count Silvio]

Finally managed to write a new review. This time it was Mount Gay Eclipse (http://www.refinedvices.com/content/view/61/1/) as requested. I was not very impressed with it.

[Count Silvio]

I see I still have no feedback (not that I don't mind the occasional monologue). Oh well! I just finished my review of Santa Teresa 1796, (http://www.refinedvices.com/content/view/65/37/) I really hope I got the description of the solera process correct. Thanks to Mr Hamilton for the barrel picture.

I've also created a cocktail forum and a trading post at the Refined Vices forums for those interested.

[KINGSTON]

I'm going to check out your web site. Looks great.

[JMac]

Just checked out your great and it give both thumbs up.

I further sent you some questions re rhum agricole and bourbon...to answer them will entail a lot of homework on your part. ;)

[Count Silvio]

Thanks guys!

Just read your e-mail and replied to it, JMac.

[Count Silvio]

Lots of new updates at Refined Vices have been done recently.

The entire graphical layout has been updated
KrustyKrab's Bacardi Tour article (http://www.refinedvices.com/content/view/67/1/) has been published
And just today I published the long awaited Temptryst Lemon Wood Rum review! (http://www.refinedvices.com/content/view/70/1/)

Apologies again that it took so long to review, Angelsword.

[Lew Barrett]

Keep them coming Count. I like your style!

[Dood]

I love the new look. Very "Speakeasy"

[Count Silvio]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate the feedback. I'm considering making a couple of more templates based on that template so the user can choose his/her favorite.

[Count Silvio]

I've reviewed another Havana Club product: The Barrel Proof. (http://www.refinedvices.com/content/view/71/1/)

[Tiare]

Good review Count! Now i want to try that rum..i love the other HC rums i`ve tasted so..

[SamuraiBartender]

I just joined up as well - great reviews!

Cheers!

[Count Silvio]

Thanks for joining Samurai, good to know you like my reviews also :).

Good review Count! Now i want to try that rum..i love the other HC rums i`ve tasted so..

Even though I awarded Barrel Proof the bronze award I think HC7 is still superior. I'd like to try the HC15 one day, too bad it is so expensive.

PS. Happy 10000th post ED!

[Tiare]

I'd like to try the HC15 one day, too bad it is so expensive.

PS. Happy 10000th post ED!

Me too..iґm really curious about HC15, but the 7 is one of my "house rums".

[JMac]

The HC 15 year is that the Maximo or is Maximo a different HC product?

[Count Silvio]

Maximo is Maximo. The very expensive one in crystal decanter, atleast the cork is crystal (I think). HC 15 is expensive but not nearly as expensive.

[Tiare]

Maximo is so expensive that i doubt i ever gonna try it..but i`m fine with the other HC rums..

I find it a bit odd that i like them so much as they are quite light, seen to that i really love the heavy demeraras..

[JMac]

Maximo is so expensive that i doubt i ever gonna try it..but i`m fine with the other HC rums..

I find it a bit odd that i like them so much as they are quite light, seen to that i really love the heavy demeraras..

The same with me. I always liked the heavier rums like Old Sam Young, London Dock, etc. and didn't consider drinking other rums.

I was pleasantly surprised about Havana Clubs rums when I first tried them. Now the same is true for rhum agricoles.

[Tiare]

Agricoles are very nice, i like that grassy flavor.. and with Havana Club i have noiced that they have a distinctive taste that is well, "Havana Clubbish".

[Paulipbartender]

Maximo is so expensive that i doubt i ever gonna try it..but i`m fine with the other HC rums..

Never say never. We stil have rumfestrumfestrumfestrumfestrumfestrumfestrumfestr umfestrumfestrumfestrumfestrumfestrumfestrumfestru mfestrumfest

[frenchrumlover]

i can t wait for the rmfest paul .
night after night i m dreaming about all those fabulous rum out there and hopefully i could try some of them during the rumfest
the only problem is most of the one i want to buy doesn t exist in any shop in uk :(
or maybe i ll be able to buy some of them at the rumfest:)

[frenchrumlover]

oh i almost forgot .
speciality drink finally have the XM bank on their list which is making me an happy man
i m going to get some on sunday.........YEAH:p

[Paulipbartender]

We got a case on Monday and I've been drinking it all week.

It's a been a happy, blurry week. Have a great weekend chaps.....hic!

[Tiare]

I`ve had a daily "tot" of my XM all week too..but only a small tot..but yesterday i switched to my Appleton Reserve.

Frenchrumlover: please tell us how you like the XM when you try it, i would love to hear your opinion!

I`m now awaiting the XM12..have never tried that one and i look forward to compare it with XM10.:p

Cheers!

[frenchrumlover]

no problem tiare .i let you know on sunday evening once i ll have it

[Count Silvio]

Something for the Australians this time: Kimberley. (http://www.refinedvices.com/Kimberley-Cane-Spirit-Australia) Has anyone ever tasted this spirit or other spirits from Hoochery?

[Tiare]

Count, this one looks very interesting!

Quote from the Vices homepage:

Kimberley Cane Spirit is made from the local Ord River cane molasses and pure 'wet season' rain water. This hand bottled rum is aged less than two years in oak in the spirit of Cachaca.

Nice!:p

[JMac]

It does look interesting......I curious though as to what is 'wet season' rain water?????

[Count Silvio]

'Wet season' rain water is collected in Kimberley during November - April when it rains the most in that part of Australia if I am correct.

[Tiare]

It does look interesting......I curious though as to what is 'wet season' rain water?????

Sounds very exotic to me..even if its just rain water..;)

"Stockholm autumn rain water" doesn`t sound exotic..

[Max]

I've made a couple of buys based of this site's reviews and all I can say is I appreciate the reviews and look forward to more...:)

Keep up the good work...;)

[Edward Hamilton]

During the wet season, the air is cleaner than it during the dry season. Right after the sugar cane harvest it's not uncommon for their to be a lot of debris in cisterns where water is collected. I don't think I've ever seen anyone talk about wet season rain water before but you gotta have a good story.

[Rum Runner]

During the wet season, the air is cleaner than it during the dry season. Right after the sugar cane harvest it's not uncommon for their to be a lot of debris in cisterns where water is collected. I don't think I've ever seen anyone talk about wet season rain water before but you gotta have a good story.

Could the wet season referred to be because Kimberly is located down under in Australia?


I'll do some research to confirm the trends there.

Down here in this neck of the Caribbean rainfall is pretty well spread across the year. The most wet historically is August through November due to tropical storms and hurricanes. Typically the driest months are December through May.

Right now we have a pretty active tropical wave passing over us, and it's leaving a deposit of Saharan Desert dust, and some thunderstorms. Just the beginning to hurricane season here, which begins June 1.

[Paulipbartender]

Just as we fly out to the Caribbean.....typical.

Patchy thunderstorms all week in Jamaica - pah. Guess there's nothing to distract us from all the rum.

[Count Silvio]

I've made a couple of buys based of this site's reviews and all I can say is I appreciate the reviews and look forward to more...:)

Keep up the good work...;)

Thank you very much! It pleases me greatly to hear comments like this and I am very glad my reviews have been useful :D.

Just as we fly out to the Caribbean.....typical.

Patchy thunderstorms all week in Jamaica - pah. Guess there's nothing to distract us from all the rum.

Please the gods by sacrificing some of the divine and ingenious concoctions you will conjure in Jamaica.

[Paulipbartender]

I will sacrifice said concoctions to the gullet gods immediately. That should do it

[Tiare]

Donґt forget the 7 hour anti-rain dance after due sacrifice is done.

[Count Silvio]

Donґt forget the 7 hour anti-rain dance after due sacrifice is done.
Good idea, a word of caution though:

This dance is to be performed by licensed professionals only as the slightest step in the wrong direction could have catastrophical or even apocalyptic consequences in the vicinity of the dancer.

[The Squire]

I've made a couple of buys based of this site's reviews and all I can say is I appreciate the reviews and look forward to more...:)

Keep up the good work...;)

I second that... my partner hates you I think..Hoochery is on its way because of you...and a very long and expensive night on the appletons 12 year old is partly to blame because of you...

I hope you're pleased with yourself...... g()fy

p.s. what on earth is Vat 69?

[Count Silvio]

I am very pleased with myself :D.

Vat 69 is Scotch Whisky that is not bad but not that good either. Did I mention this somewhere?

[Count Silvio]

Members of RV here is a good opportunity for you to gain information about Zacapa: http://www.refinedvices.com/forum_/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=343

[RonJames]

Thank you count, interesting read. I am waiting for a time before I dive into zacapa, as I've heard it many fall in love with the girl. Im interesting in comparing the xo, 23, and 15 just to see the differences. The 15 had a little spice to my tongue from what I can remember, I do remember the misses did not like it.

[Count Silvio]

I have reviewed Leblon Cachaca! (http://www.refinedvices.com/leblon-cachaca) First white spirit to receive a gold award on Refined Vices.

[Count Silvio]

Thank you count, interesting read. I am waiting for a time before I dive into zacapa, as I've heard it many fall in love with the girl. Im interesting in comparing the xo, 23, and 15 just to see the differences. The 15 had a little spice to my tongue from what I can remember, I do remember the misses did not like it.

I present you the largest collection of information regarding Ron Zacapa on the Internet (Written by Renй van Hoven):

Ron Zacapa Part I: Interview with the Master Blender (http://www.refinedvices.com/ron-zacapa-interview-with-the-master-blender)
Ron Zacapa: Part II: Solera System Explained (http://www.refinedvices.com/ron-zacapa-part-ii-solera-system-explained)
Ron Zacapa Part III: The Evolution of the Packaging (http://www.refinedvices.com/ron-zacapa-the-evolution-of-the-packaging)

[Gecko]

Count this is not my first visit to your site, but I would like to encourage others to check it out and say how great the info is for rum lovers.

[forrest]

Count, i am a frequent visiter, but this is a great opportunity to learn, that frankly i have been looking forward to. Thank you, and do thank Rene for me also!

[RonJames]

looks like I know what I will be reading over lunch...Ha! And my boss thought I was going to be productive.

[Count Silvio]

My apologies for taking such a long time in writing a new review. I hope you had not abandoned hope yet.

I was sent this rather unique rum flavoured spirit from Germany that contains 5% of high ester 33 year old Jamaica rum. Despite having a 95% primasprit content it actually tastes like aged rum.

My only regret is that I do not have a bottle of the 33 year old pure rum.

http://www.refinedvices.com/sonnichsen-jamaica-rum-verschnitt-1951

[RonJames]

lolol, I was actually thinking the other night, boy I wonder what the counts been up to and I got a good read on the German rum. VERY informative, I'd heard about this but obviously had never looked into it or tasted it.

[Count Silvio]

I'm glad you liked it RonJames! Thanks.

The reason why I have not been able to write many reviews lately is because of the job I was doing. I've been traveling all over Finland a week at a time and only spending weekends or fractions of a weekend at home making it difficult to do anything but sleep!

But thats all behind now and I should have some time for a while to write more. Next up are the Los Valientes triplets and after that the Maui Rum Quadruplet.

[Count Silvio]

Stay tuned for the the reviews of the three Ron Los Valientes rums on Refined Vices in the coming week! This is gonna be some hot stuff.

[RonJames]

I just tuned into your site count and thanks for the great video of Ian Burrell. Interview was great but what really made it was the video during the intermission. It showed the process of cutting cane all the way to production. This isn't designed to short change Ian Burrell as he also did a great job and got me thinking of making a daquiri with an english rum.

[Count Silvio]

Thank you for your continuous feedback RonJames, it is much appreciated. If you liked that video, you will surely like this bit of news from Appleton Estate: http://www.refinedvices.com/appleton-estate-launches-exclusive-edition-rum

[RonJames]

Very interesting. Its the same bottle as the 30year. Although no age was given to this bottle.

[Count Silvio]

And finally the three rums have been reviewed:

Valientes 10 (http://www.refinedvices.com/rum-review-ron-los-valientes-10-anos)
Valientes 15 (http://www.refinedvices.com/ron-los-valientes-15-anos-anejo-especial)
Valientes 20 (http://www.refinedvices.com/ron-los-valientes-20-anos-anejo-reserva-especial)

Stay tuned for Diplomбtico Rum Blanco, Maui Platinum, Maui Gold, Maui Dark, Maui Gold Reserve and *cough*Appleton 30*cough.*

[Count Silvio]

Decadence and Debauchery Part II; The UK RumFest 2008! (http://www.refinedvices.com/decadence-and-debauchery-in-foggy-london-town-part-ii)

Article contains my first ever YouTube video of the UK RumFest 2008.

[Rum Runner]

Decadence and Debauchery replete with Salsa music, what's not to like at the upcoming UK RumFest? Especially when the World's most interesting man will be in attendance. Refined Vices at it's best!

Well done Count...Have a blast!

[Arctic Wolf]

And finally the three rums have been reviewed:

Valientes 10 (http://www.refinedvices.com/rum-review-ron-los-valientes-10-anos)
Valientes 15 (http://www.refinedvices.com/ron-los-valientes-15-anos-anejo-especial)
Valientes 20 (http://www.refinedvices.com/ron-los-valientes-20-anos-anejo-reserva-especial)

Stay tuned for Diplomбtico Rum Blanco, Maui Platinum, Maui Gold, Maui Dark, Maui Gold Reserve and *cough*Appleton 30*cough.*

Well done Count! I enjoyed each review!

[Count Silvio]

The Server is experiencing unknown problems, which is why the site has been down for over a week now.

Apologies for the inconvenience. Just hoping the hard drives aren't broken. *knocks wood*

[RonJames]

Best wishes count, I was trying to check your site the other day for anything new. When are you changing your location on your profile? Your in OZ now aren't you?

[Count Silvio]

I am indeed in OZ, have been for the past three months now. I guess I'm just too lazy to change the location in the profile ;)

[Rum Runner]

Here is hoping the server comes back up with all intact Count.

[Count Silvio]

Its gone.

[Rum Runner]

That SUCKS!

:mad:

[Saxman]

Gone........I loved the site, sorry to hear that :confused:

[Michael]

Very sorry to hear that Count. Here's hoping that your site comes back stronger than ever. glass.gif

[Arctic Wolf]

That is positively Tragic!

Its no secret that I loved your site and considered your views to be of the highest caliber.

I published my first whisky review on Refined Vices because i wanted to place it with the best. I sincerely hope that it comes back sooner rather than later.

[RonJames]

Count I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am about the server. Your site is awesome and I hope it comes back up. Frequently when my wife would ask me "what do you want the basement to look like?" I would show her your site and the painting of the man and woman at the bar. Im hoping for a swift return:(

[Count Silvio]

That is an awesome thought RonJames. No need to be sad anymore though as the site has been restored!

New review just in: http://www.refinedvices.com/maui-platinum-rum

[Count Silvio]

One new review Maui Gold (http://www.refinedvices.com/maui-gold-rum) and one article by pkazimir about Oliver & Oliver. (http://www.refinedvices.com/oliver-and-oliver-a-tour-and-tasting-of-cuban-tradition)

Remember to join the Refined Vices FaceBook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Refined-Vices/31809918786?ref=ts) for real time updates!

[RonJames]

yes!!!!!!!!!!!!! My lunchtime reading material is back! I've been actually having to read sports stuff lately which is horrible because my team is losing pretty frequently. This is the bright side of my week!you rock.gif

[Count Silvio]

"Refined Vices - Your Bright Side of the Week" :)

All the Maui rum reviews are available on the site as of yesterday: Click. (http://www.refinedvices.com/Rum-Reviews/)

In my opinion the Platinum and the Gold are the best of that range. I don't know what to think of the Dark and the Gold Reserve.

[Count Silvio]

By now everyone has probably heard of Ron de Jeremy, which is now available for preorder and they have also launched a new interactive website. A little known fact about Ron de Jeremy is that the creators are actually Finnish!

I wrote a little story about it on RV: http://www.refinedvices.com/ron-de-jeremy

I've also been participating in the Melbourne Rum Clubs for the past couple of months and have begun writing short recaps: http://www.refinedvices.com/melbourne-rum-club-2011

Next one will be about the Goslings Rum Club.

[Count Silvio]

Long time no rum reviews, a lot of rum clubs however. Latest review in is the MGXO (http://www.refinedvices.com/mount-gay-extra-old-rum), unfortunately I didn't have the old bottle with me to do a comparison.

A while ago I also had the pleasure to meet Lorena Vasquez from Zacapa (http://www.refinedvices.com/drinks-with-lorena-vasquez-at-the-black-pearl) at Melbournes Black Pearl.

Another one was an Appleton sponsored Tiki Exhibition. (http://www.refinedvices.com/tiki-n-toxica)

Stay tuned for more...

[Count Silvio]

This month we're giving away a signed bottle of Ron de Jeremy rum for our Australian readers!

Yes! That's right we are giving away a bottle of Ron de Jeremy rum signed by Ron Jeremy himself during his recent visit to OZ!


Refined Vices had the pleasure to cruise around Sydney in his stretch hummer partying it up with Ron and his crew and we even managed to acquire one of these signed bottles that Ron wanted to give away in our competition for Australian Ron lovers!

Check out the site for more details: http://www.refinedvices.com/win-a-signed-bottle-of-ron-de-jeremy-rum