A Few Notes on the 2012's Rankings.......

There are some neat things in the scores and different ways to look at them. It is a “preference” scoring and not a qualitative scoring. It is a reflection of time, place, journet, spirit, soul, loch, stock and barrel.

So Legendario and Black Strap tied for #1. While Legendario has a higher average score per person scoring, more people voted for Black Strap. Maybe people were talking about Blackstrap more. The preference scale is strange the Cruzan Single Barrel is a good example. It scored 35th with only 7 people sampling while in 2010 It was 22nd out of 43. It’s a great rum. Another example of Chaos are the Brugals… Uncle Ron’s first night in 2003 Brugal was #1. Sometimes they finish high and sometimes low. I think a lot depends on people talking and things like how it is lined up, easy to reach, what they just sampled, ate, had a bad hair day or whatever.

First timer Brugal 1888 finished very well (top 10) in between Goslings, Family Reserve and Ron Zacapa 23. When looking at the measurement of how empty the bottles were 1888 was 9th (see Uncle Ron's Academy' Facebook Page). There are some inconsistencies in this measure as well. The Cuban white rum Galeon was in the empty “flight” of rum but only 7 people sampled it. It’s empty because people were using it for Mojito mix (proper thing). It did score high (13th out of 37). It is a good rum but I would guess the high average score is partly due to biased as a few people knew what it was and they love Cuba (rightfully so) Another example of how "empty the bottle was" as being a good indicator (but with flaws) is Negrita Rhum’s empty bottle placing of 11th. It is only 2 spots from 1888 and ahead of wonderful rums like PYRAT and R.L. Seales. But it scored 25th. I would guess that the reason for it’s emptiness is people taking “hey try that one”. They do this for shock ( both rum they loved or did not). Negrita is not what one would call a sipping rhum…. So they don’t even score it they just pour it. Uncle Ron want's to have some again.

It is a fun and funny night. For instance some people scored the same rum twice and always with a different score. "What if" questions could be asked as well if more people had of voted for Millonario 3 or Zafra (say the same number of votes as sampled the Black Strap) who knows how the placings would have turned out.  I have no doubt some people were sampling the Black Strap repeatedly and not scoring… proper thing! The fun of the night is people talking it up and suggesting rums and having fun.

This could be said for any Rum specially one like Zafra or Sailor Jerry and Cruzan 9. When I sampled Zafra I had no doubt Uncle Ron needed it for the “Night” and I thought it would have done better.

What about Pyrat? Why did it finish so low? It was only sampled by 8 people? Why was that? It has been top 5 a few times.

Bottom of the keg: It is a great night of laughing, sipping, sampling… nothing is ever the same .. it changes like Rum in the Barrel and we’ll do it again and again and again….

Heads up on Uncle Ron’s Night 2013. We are going to have a champion of champion’s night. We will only feature the top rums (we’ll go to a 2nd place rum from a year where a rum repeated for #1 ) from the last 9 years. It will be a great night. We’ll have other rums but they won’t be part of the tasting, maybe we’ll get a “mixoligist” in to do some creations. I think the Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto, Tawwassen, Wallace, St. Andrew's, Santo Domingo, Dusseldorf campus' should have a night as well....


We’ll also do it as a fund raiser for Cuban Hurricane Relief efforts. For information on how to contribute to the rebuilding efforts in Cuba go to the Nova Scotia Cuba Association's Blog.

(The rums that will be featured in Uncle Ron’s Night 2013 are:

2003: Anejo Ron Superior Brugal

2004: El Dorado 12

2005: We have lost this year’s scores but I think it was Ron Zacapa Centenario 23 anos production

2006: Gosling’s Black Seal

2007: Cruzan Black Strap

2008: Goslings Family Reserve (Cruzan Black Strap was #1 so we will default to #2)

2009: ZAYA 12 year old Gran Reserva

2010: Legendario Elixir de Cuba 7

2011 Punta Cana Ron Muy Veijo (from the DR and will be difficult to source.)

2012: Millonario Solera 15 YO Peru (Cruzan Black and Legendario tied for #1 but are previous winners)

BREAKING NEWS: LEGENDARIO IS IN NOVA SCOTIA

HUGE BREAKING NEWS.... Just discovered at Premier Wine and Spirits 1535 Dresden Row, Halifax  Our Favorite from Cuba is here......LEGENDARIO... It  tied for #1 with Cruzan black Strap at Uncle Ron's Night 2012. It wsa 4th in 2009 and #1 in 2012.........

THE MOMENT UNCLE RON HAS BEEN WAITING FOR

And the top Rums of 2012 according to Uncle Ron's Night are:
Click on the link to go to Uncle Ron Scores page:
Uncle Ron Scores................. You have to click onto the score Sheet to "get the whole picture"

N.S. wineries benefit from unique soil, climate conditions | The Chronicle Herald

Brendan and Karen Enright examine a bottle of their Nouveau at Annapolis HIghland Vineyards in Bear River East. (GORDAN DELANEY / Valley Bureau / File)

N.S. wineries benefit from unique soil, climate conditions | The Chronicle Herald

“Wine is really about terroir, and terroir can be very specific,” notes Sean Sears, managing partner of Lunenburg County’s Petite Riviere Vineyards.


Terroir refers to a limited area of wine-producing land and the unique qualities that area’s soil and microclimate bring to the grapes grown there. For the story go to the Chronicle Herald story on N.S. Wineries benifit form Unique Soil, climate conditions .

Part of Uncle Ron’s Academy Newcastle St. Dartmouth gathered to celebrate 100 years of the Grey Cup. There were no fouls, flags nor time stoppages…… 5 rums were highlighted, touched and downed:

The Kraken, A few words by The Examiner.
Ron Santigo de Cuba Review by The Rum Howler Blog.
Captain Morgan Private Stock, A new reviewer to us: Matt Cottom from Rum and Reviews Magazine
Royal Jamaican Gold Rum, An exploration by Liquorature: Whiskey, words and Wit
And finally one of Uncle Ron’s favorite regular guests Cruzan Black Strap, Top Shelf Reviews like it as well.

Don’t forget the plan is to sample and review the Royal Jamaican Gold Rum sooooon….

At an Uncle Ron's Faculty Meeting last night  Fall Flavours were Feasted. Nova Scotia Products included:  Boats Maritime Red Wine Vinaigre and Apple Cider Vinegar; Terra Beata Dried Cranberries,  Murray's Apiary Nova Scotia Wildflower Honey, St. Mary's River Smokehouses Artic Char, produce from Noggin's Corner Farm Market (Alderney Landing Location), Mallett's Chipotle Maple Pepper Deer Sasuages custom made by Drysdale Meats in Wallace by the Sea. From New Brunswick: Culinay Wines Hot Chile Peppers & Herbs Liquid Seasoning and all the way from Louisana Cajun Karl's Cooking Adventures Breaux's Bayou Shakedown.  For the recipes enjoyed join Uncle Ron's Academy on facebook.

WOOD: Wine sales will aid Feed Nova Scotia | The Chronicle Herald

WOOD: Wine sales will aid Feed Nova Scotia | The Chronicle Herald