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Archive for the ‘Canadian Whisky’ Category

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Review: Canadian Club Chronicles 41 Year Old

Posted by Arctic Wolf on January 12, 2020

A couple of years ago Canadian Club released what was possibly possibly the oldest bottling of Canadian whisky to date. After 40 years of resting in American oak barrels in Windsor, Ontario, Canadian Club released Canadian Club 40 Year Old

According to my sources, the whisky was produced from a selection of American Oak barrels which contained 100% corn whisky. These barrels had been consolidated many times over the course of 40 years to minimize the oxidation of the spirit during its lengthy maturation period. The whisky has been released in part to commemorate Canada’s 150 Anniversary, and was available with full distribution across Canada as of Mid November in limited quantities.

Fortunately for all of us not all of that wonderful whisky was bottled in 2017. Some of the whisky was allowed to continue to rest. In the fall of 2018, Canadian Club released more of this spirit as Canadian Club Chronicles 41 Year Old and this time it was blended with a small amount of cognac, rye and sherry.

This is the review for the 41 year old whisky which was bottled at 45 % alcohol by volume.

Review: Canadian Club Chronicles 41 Year Old

“… The aroma in the breezes above the glass offers seem to entice me. The whisky brings a waft oak sappy oak into the air followed by a combination of butterscotch toffee, almond syrup, oak and vanilla which were all melded wonderfully together. There are hints of mustiness and scents of fresh corn, light baking spices, and orange peel moving towards marmalade …”

Please enjoy my review and stay tuned for the upcoming review of the 42 Year Old Spirit which I will be sampling over the next few weeks.

Chimo!

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisky Review | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Canadian Club Chronicles 41 Year Old

Review: J.P. Wiser’s Old Fashioned Whisky Cocktail

Posted by Arctic Wolf on January 5, 2020

J.P. Wiser’s was established in 1857, and Hiram Walker & Sons Limited currently produces there whisky at their Windsor, Ontario, distillery. Since 1935, J.P. Wiser’s has been the majority shareholder of Corby Spirit and Wine.

J.P. Wiser’s Old Fashioned Whisky Cocktail is bottles as a ready-to-serve cocktail. According to the company website the spirit is made from quality whisky, orange essence and natural flavour and is meant to bring the experience of the classic Old Fashioned Whisky Cocktail to the consumer in a format where it can be enjoyed or in other convenient settings.

The serving is meant to be enjoyed over ice with perhaps a twist of citrus garnish.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: J.P. Wiser’s Old Fashioned Whisky Cocktail 

“… I thought I knew what to expect when I nosed the ready to drink spirit but was surprised with an unexpected aroma of candied fruit with menthol and light peppermint …”

Please enjoy my latest Canadian Whisky Review.

Chimo!

 

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Flavoured Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisky Review | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: J.P. Wiser’s Old Fashioned Whisky Cocktail

2019 Rum Howler Favourite 20 Canadian Whiskies: #1 – Ninety “Decades of Richness” 20 Year Old Canadian Rye Whisky

Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 22, 2019

I have a particular fondness for the Highwood Distillery. Part of the reason, is that it was the first major Canadian Distillery that visited, and when I was there, I was treated so well that I could not help but have good thoughts towards them. Another part of the reason is that Highwood is 100 % Canadian owned and operated and that means something to me. But the main reason I am fond of the the Highwood Distillery is that they make some of the best whisky in Canada if not the entire world.

Ninety “Decades of Richness” 20 Year Old Canadian Rye Whisky is one of their truly great whiskies. Made from 100 % corn it is a single grain whisky aged for a full 20 years and bottled at 45 % alcohol or 90 proof. And … I can usually find a bottle for about $40.00.  This makes the 20 year old whisky from Highwood perhaps the best whisky bargain in the entire country.

All of these factors, make the Ninety “Decades of Richness” 20 Year Old my favourite whisky to recommend to friends and family. And for that reason, it tops my list as my favourite Canadian Whisky of 2019.

Here is a link to my review:

Review: Ninety “Decades of Richness” 20 Year Old

“… Tasting notes do not adequately reflect how good this whisky actually is. The words which I wrote down a year ago to describe the flavour are correct: oak, cedar, corn, butterscotch, vanilla, orange peel, marmalade, almond and tobacco, but they do not adequately convey how rich and flavourful this whisky is …”

Chimo!

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisky Review | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on 2019 Rum Howler Favourite 20 Canadian Whiskies: #1 – Ninety “Decades of Richness” 20 Year Old Canadian Rye Whisky

2019 Rum Howler Favourite 20 Canadian Whiskies: #2- Forty Creek Special Release Limited Edition Whiskies 

Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 21, 2019

Forty Creek Founder John Hall

When I began to review spirits in general, and Rum and Canada Whisky in particular, some of the most exciting spirits to taste and review were the whiskies from the Forty Creek Distillery. This was because prior to 2007 the major distilleries which produced almost all the whisky bottled in Canada had very little real competition, and innovation was not a high priority (or at least from my point of view it did not appear so).

John Hall was the genesis of change.  He opened the Kittling Ridge Winery & Distillery in 1992.  The distillery portion (which would become the Forty Creek Distillery) was the first major distillery to be built in Canada since 1974. and once it was producing whisky, John Hall’s impact on the landscape of Canadian Whisky was profound. And, the release in 2007 of Forty Creek’s first Special Release Limited Edition Whisky made this clear.

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These Limited Edition whiskies became an annual affair. Each one gave the Whisky consumer in Canada a new twist on the Canadian spirit, and, since 2008, I have bought a few bottles of each annual release. My growing collection is a source of great enjoyment, and I look forward with anticipation to each year’s Special Release.

Here are some links to a few of my reviews for some of my favourite Forty Creek Limited Edition Special Releases:

 

 

Chimo!

 

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisky Review | Tagged: , , , | 1 Comment »

2019 Rum Howler Favourite 20 Canadian Whiskies: #3 – Canadian Rockies 21 Year Old

Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 20, 2019

Seven years ago, I encountered Canadian Rockies 21 Year Old Whisky as a random sample which I was assessing as part of my duties when I served on the jury for the 2012 Canadian Whisky Awards. At the time the small sample bottle which contained the Canadian Rockies 21 Year Old Whisky was one which I earmarked as a superior whisky. So, when the Awards Competition was complete, it was to my dismay that I learned this particular whisky (Random Sample number 7 by the way) was a brand destined not for Canada; but instead for Taiwan.

The Fountana Group Canada is the brand owner, and it turns out the whisky was produced by Highwood Distillers right here in my home Province of Alberta. The Fountana Group contracted Highwood to produce a well aged whisky for export to Asia where it has by all accounts been well received. It was, I should add, also well received by the other jurors on that panel for the Canadian Whisky Awards as this brand won the prestigious Connoisseur Whisky of the Year for the Export Market at those same 2012 Canadian Whisky Awards.

When I wrote a brief review for this whisky in 2013, I lamented that this great whisky was available only in Asia, and I hoped that the brand owner (and the folks at Highwood Distillery) might read the review, and decide that maybe Canada deserved this Whisky too. The Fountana Group must have agreed with me as the whisky has for a few years now been available across Canada.

Here is a link to a more recent review written in 2017:

Review: Canadian Rockies 21 Year Old Whisky

“… The initial breezes above the glass brought me impressions of dusty grain fields and firm oak spices. Soon I began to notice orange peel and butterscotch scents moving together over time creating impressions of marmalade and caramel toffee. There were also lovely hints of cinnamon and vanilla weaving within the breezes …”

Please enjoy the review!

Chimo!

 

 

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisky Review | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on 2019 Rum Howler Favourite 20 Canadian Whiskies: #3 – Canadian Rockies 21 Year Old

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