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Archive for the ‘Canadian Whisky’ Category

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Review: Wayne Gretzky No. 99 Red Cask

Posted by Arctic Wolf on May 27, 2018

The Wayne Gretzky Distillery had its grand opening this past June (on the weekend of the 9th, 10th and 11th). The new 23,000 square foot facility (a cooperative effort between Andrew Peller (Wines) LTD. and the Great One himself, Wayne Gretzky) was constructed over two years and includes both a winery and a distillery as well as tasting areas and barrel aging cellar.

Prior to the grand opening, the distillery released its first Canadian Whisky, Wayne Gretzky No. 99 Red Cask Canadian Whisky.

According to the Wayne Gretzky Estates website information:

”  Wayne Gretzky No. 99 ‘Red Cask’ Canadian Whisky is made in small batches from grain (rye, malted rye and corn) that has been individually mashed, fermented and distilled. After aging, the whisky is finished with red wine casks from the Wayne Gretzky winery. “

Here is a link to my recent Review:

Review: Wayne Gretzky No. 99 Red Cask

“… I noticed touches of butterscotch with dusty rye and oodles of clean wood spice. There is a hint of cinnamon in the air as well as just a trace of red cherry licorice and a few wisps of vanilla …”

Please enjoy my review which concludes with my recipe suggestion, High Level Streetcar No. 99.

Chimo!

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisky Review | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Wayne Gretzky No. 99 Red Cask

Review: North of 7 Single Barrel Canadian Whisky (Bourbon Style)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on May 23, 2018

Greg Lipin and Jody Miall are both avid rock climbers who regularly travel to Kentucky on climbing trips. It was there that the two friends developed a passion for ‘brown spirits’ which led them to opening their own Micro-distillery ( North of 7 Distillery) in Ottawa, Ontario. They currently produce several styles of Canadian Whisky, their Leatherback Dark Rum (57 % abv.) Triple Beam Gin and Illuminati Vodka.

The subject of this review is the North of 7 Single Barrel Canadian Whisky from Barrel Number 3, which is produced in a boubon style  Corn, wheat, rye and barley grains. The whisky was aged in for about 3 and a half years in 53 gallon oak barrels from Independent Stave Company. This is a true locally produced whisky as all of the grain used by the distillery is sourced locally from the  Moulin St.-Georges Mill (corn from the Alexandria area) and the Against the Grain farm in Winchester.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: North of 7 Canadian Whisky  Barrel #3 (Bourbon Style)

“… As indicated, the North of 7 Single Barrel Whisky (Bourbon Style) might be a rather polarizing spirit. There is an overt woody quality (a result of maturation in new oak) which some will find disconcerting, while others will relish the fresh oak and cedar flavour. However, once we bring the whisky into the realm of mixology, there is a place for both camps to find enjoyment …”

Please enjoy my review which includes two recipe suggestions, the Ottawa Continuum, and the Ottawa Old Fashioned.

Chimo!

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisky Review | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: North of 7 Single Barrel Canadian Whisky (Bourbon Style)

Review: Twelve Barrels Canadian Whisky

Posted by Arctic Wolf on May 20, 2018

Twelve Barrels Canadian Whisky is the creation of Cole Miller of Napanee, Ontario. Although the whisky is produced by a third-party distillery, Cole apparently based his recipe upon the whisky produced by a local whisky making legend, John Meagher who began making wheat whisky on the shores of the Napanee River in 1853. Soon thereafter he began he learned of the robust flavour of Canadian rye and added that grain to the mix. (The recipe also contains corn.)

The moniker for the whisky (Twelve Barrels) is apparently derived from another Napanee legend, George ‘the Jumper’ Meagher, (Son of Whisky Maker John Meagher) who was a locally renowned hockey player and the 1896 World Figure Skating Champion. Besides being a World Champion, George’s other great claim to fame was that he, while skating, was able to leap over an amazing twelve whisky barrels.

Here is a link to my recent review of this new Canadian Whisky Brand:

Review: Twelve Barrels Canadian Whisky

“… The initial nose brings a combination butterscotch and almond with vanilla and hints of burlap. As I let the glass sit dusty rye and wood spice notes develop with hints of orange peel zest. The whisky is not too complicated; but there is a nice balance between the different impressions …”

Please enjoy my review which includes my suggested mixed drink, the Canadian Mammy.

Chimo!

 

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Review: Pike Creek 21 Year Old

Posted by Arctic Wolf on May 9, 2018

Pike Creek 21 Year Old is part of Corby’s Northern Border Collection Rare Release which features hand-picked selections from their rarest casks. How rare are these whiskies? Corby’s doesn’t actually tell us much; however, it is significant that this particular 21-year-old whisky doesn’t even rate a mention on the Corby’s Brands website.

This particular whisky was first matured in oak casks (probably refill bourbon barrels) and then finished in refill bourbon casks which had been used to age an unspecified Speyside (Scotch) malt whisky. The final spirit was bottled at 45 % alcohol by volume.

My experience with this particular whisky is quite limited. As part of my juror duties for the 2018 Canadian Whisky Awards, I was given about 75 blind samples and as I judged each whisky (over the course of 30 days), I tasted them each three times, writing down tasting notes and scores as I did so. It was only after the judging was complete, and the awards were presented, that the contents of each of the blind samples became know to me. I still has a small amount of each whisky remaining after judging, and so with that small amount remaining and from the tasting notes I already had produced I penned my review.

Here is a link to the full review:

Review: Pike Creek 21 Year Old (Finished in Speyside Single Malt Casks)

“… The notes indicate a well-balanced Canadian Whisky which shows us some development in the glass as it breathes. I will admit, that when I discovered that this was a 21-year-old whisky I was surprised that the spirit had not shown me more …”

Please enjoy my review, Chimo!

 

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review, Whisky Review | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Pike Creek 21 Year Old

Review: Lohin McKinnon Wine Barreled Single Malt

Posted by Arctic Wolf on April 29, 2018

Central City Brewers + Distillers is a small craft producer of beer and Spirits. They began business as a brewpub in downtown Surrey (British Columbia), where they created their Red Racer craft beer. After this initial  success they turned their attention to spirits using Canadian barley to produce their whisky and Rocky Mountain Berries to produce their gin.

According to the company’s website:

We craft our premium spirits on 3 state-of-the-art Holstein Stills, manufactured in Germany on 3 different sizes: 2500 litre, 1250 Litre and 500 litre, to allow greater versatility. All fitted with reflux columns and one with up to 20 plates, this Stills are capable of producing up to 90% ABV and can produce almost any spirit our distiller can imagine.

I sampled their Lohin Mckinnon Wine Barreled Single Malt Whisky (a collaborative effort between Central City Brewery’s Master Brewer Gary Lohin, and Master Distiller Stuart McKinnon as part of my judging duties for the 2018 Canadian Whisky Awards. I kept brief notes for each of the spirits which I tasted, and after the reveal, I decided to pen a brief review based upon those tasting notes, as well as from a small tasting sample I was able to obtain afterwards.

Here is a link to that review:

Review: Lohin McKinnon Wine Barreled Single Malt

” … there was a very obvious sweetness in the air initially. More typical whisky scents gathered and settled into the breezes. After the tasting session when I sniffed my empty glass, the sweetness from the wine combined with the herbal tones in the whisky …”

Please enjoy my review of this new Canadian Single Malt, Chimo!

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Single Malt Whisky, Whisk(e)y | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Lohin McKinnon Wine Barreled Single Malt

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