A Dark and Stromy Night (Gosling Black Seal)

[Arctic Wolf]

It really is a dark and stormy night. I am in Alberta (Edmonton now to be exact), and one heck of a storm just ripped through south of here. It will probably hit the news as the 'Big Valley Jamboree' in Camrose was hit by the storm which collapsed the stage and sent everyone home. Hopefully no one is trapped under the wreckage any more although news reports are still sketchy. So first a prayer for those who may be in trouble.

Now on to more positive thoughts. It was suggested to me that Goslings Black Seal would be perfect on a dark and stormy night like this so I have retired to my room with a unopened bottle and decided to impart my first impressions to the forum.

First off I will say that the bottle looks a little foreboding. I thought the bottle was darkly colored, but when I tipped the bottle I saw that instead it is the rum which is dark. Inky dark with red tones. Almost wicked looking.....

I pour a little into my glencairn glass and instantly I am hit with a most unusual and I must admit enticingly unpleasant aroma (that doesn't make sense but then this rum is very different from the norm). I smell burnt caramel apples, intense hyacinth, and wisps of cinnamon and nutmeg. Maybe even a little allspice. At the same time the smell is earthy. It makes no sense to my nostrils to get this earthy smell but it is there in spades. (I hate to admit this; but in my imaginings I actually think of an old graveyard with freshly upturned earth, hyacinth and hibiscus on nearby graves and pungent burnt smells coming from the glass.)

My first sip is tentative and the tip of my tongue has gone all tingly and then numb, and then tingly again. The smell in the glass has changed and become more intense with sugary spiciness. Wisps of dark licorice, anise and more cinnamon waft upward. I take another sip.. larger this time and taste the burnt caramel. I also taste Jagermeifter! I taste the hyacinth, the upturned earth, the spices and the burnt caramel, and a herbal bomb in the background that I want to describe as Buckley's cough medicine minus the menthol. The flavour is intense but very interesting.

A bitter but clean wash is left in my mouth after I swallow.
A dash of coke does nothing to the flavour, but eases the bitter backwash in the throat. At fifty percent coke a marvelous change occurs in the glass. The Caramel is tamed and the herbal bombshell is smoothed out to a rhapsody of complex flavours. It tastes sweet and spicy at this point with no particular flavour dominating. I probably could not pinpoint a single flavour in the profile anymore, although when I was younger my mother made a dutch desert called sinsebrie (have no idea of the spelling). This is kind of like that. A soup of brown sugar, raisons, nutmeg, cinnamon and barley all rolled into one. I guess that earthiness has turned to maltiness.

At 75% coke the beast is almost fully tamed. The flavour profile is still deep with burnt caramel, but this is very drinkable for me. I am surprised that the bitterness is for the most part far more gentle than I thought. I find Mount Gay XO to be far more bitter. I feel that others who comment on the bitterness of this drink have mistaken the deep burnt caramel for bitterness, but in my mind the two are very different.

The finish though does leave a certain dryness and slight bitterness in the throat and mouth. The herbal spiciness is felt strongly at the back of the palate long after the glass is consumed.

The verdict. I am glad I tried this. It will indeed be my dark stormy night drink, but it may also be my 'bitterly cold afternoon in the dead of winter' drink. That dryness, I believe will have a certain appeal on cold afternoons.

Cheers all

(And may all those at the Jamboree make it home safely tonight!)

[stockdoct]

It is indeed a VERY strange rum. But one i like very much.

My favorite drink is Goslings Black Seal with tonic, over ice with generous lime splash. or.... GBS with a splash of coconut water over a single ice cube.

I'll have to try the 50/50 coke mix, it sounds worthy!

Mike

[Jason]

Welcome to Edmonton!

The storm last night was a gooder, but two weeks ago was far worse. Power was out all over the city for 24 hours, trees down everywhere, and even a highrise downtown lost some of it's second floor.

However, Big Valley wasn't as lucky as here. One dead, many more in the hospital... Not a good situation.

And as for the Black Seal, I glad you taste the Jagermeister! People I've given samples to don't agree with me on that but it's totally all I taste in there. Jager, just a rum version. I do quite enjoy a Dark 'n Stormy though.

[Arctic Wolf]

I am glad to know I am not crazy either. To me the Jager flavour really revs up with a splash of coke added, but it is definitely there.

So what is your favourite Rum store in Edmonton. I have had good luck at Vines, The Keg and Cork, and the Chateau Louis. Vines does seem to be drifting away from the Rum which is disappointing. Of Course up the road in ST. Albert, Lacombe Spirits is good because the Proprietor Karim loves Rum.

[Jason]

I assume by Vines you mean deVine on 104th? If so then yup, that's 5 blocks from my condo and I frequent there. Chateau Louis is great as well. I haven't been to the Keg and Cork... Have to swing by soon. I don't get out to St. Albert much... But I might have to make a trip out there.

Two others of note are City Centre Liquor in Edmonton City Centre . They have a great selection, and they share inventory with Aligra in West Edmonton Mall. Aligra is where I've recently discovered English Harbour 5yr... Holy crap is that a good rum!

[rumdog007]

Arctic Wolf and Jason, thank you both for the tips. The Coast Terrace Inn on Gateway is my Edomonton home-away-from-home at least 3 times a year while on business. I love your city. In the early days, I would catch an Oiler game on a winter trip. Now, I'm just too old. I never venture out on a winter night! But, knowing where to get a good rum is essential. BTW, I almost hit a moose on an early jaunt to Boyle!

[Arctic Wolf]

Actually no I meant Vines on 23rd Avenue near Terwilliger Town. I haven't heard of DeVine, or Aligra. I'll have to check them out. Vines on 23rd has a great staff and an excellent Single Malt selection, Keg and Cork is on 99th street just south of the Whitemud, and as I said Lacombe Spirits is in St. Albert.

[Jason]

Originally Posted by Arctic Wolf

Actually no I meant Vines on 23rd Avenue near Terwilliger Town.

Ahh, gotcha. Nope I've never been there.

[Arctic Wolf]

Okay here is my completed review with the final score:

http://www.ministryofrum.com/rumdeta...hp?r=88&u=3568

Hope you enjoy it!