Review: Black Fox Canadian Whisky (100% Triticale)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on February 9, 2020

John Cote and Barb Stefanyshyn-Cote

This will be an unusual review for me. It is of a whisky, which hasn’t actually been finished yet. In fact the whisky is still aging in new American oak barrels under the Saskatchewan prairie sky allowing the climate of the Canadian prairies to influence the maturation process. The harsh conditions of the Canadian Prairies with the hot dry summer followed by a cold dry winter create a unique environment during the maturation process which further intensify the flavours.

The whisky is a 100% Triticale (Triticosecale) spirit produced at the Black Fox Distillery (located at 245 Valley Road Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) founded by John Cote and Barb Stefanyshyn-Cote, two third generation farmers who have farmed, studied, consulted and participated in agriculture on five different continents. The distillery comes by its name from a fortunate visitor to the Cote’s farmyard at Leask, a municipality about 80 kilometers southwest of the City of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan.

The triticale grain that they use comes from a breeding program at Swift Current Saskatchewan with genetic lines going back to the CIMMYT breeding program in Obregon MX, which was originally started by the famous Norm Borlaug. This line of triticale has a unique flavour profile, and when grown under prairie conditions with strict attention to specific agronomic factors, John and Barb believe they are able to intensify these flavours found naturally in this grain variety.

Here is a link to my review of Black Fox Triticale Whisky from Cask Six: