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Archive for the ‘Whisky Review’ Category

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Review: Forty Creek Heritage

Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 1, 2018

Forty Creek Whisky has a very nice annual tradition of producing a special limited release whisky which is built upon the foundation of the company’s flagship whisky, Forty Creek Barrel Select. These annual special releases each seek to bring new character to the Forty Creek family. This year Forty Creek sought to go back to their roots with the release of Heritage.

According to the press release issued this when Forty Creek Heritage was announced, this year’s special limited edition whisky was crafted selected barrels of Forty Creek corn, rye, and barley whiskies. The blended whiskies were then married (or finished) in toasted American Oak barrels to release elegant vanilla flavours and to highlight the bold wood spices of the toasted oak. The whisky was released in the fall of 2017 just in time for the Christmas buying season.

Here is a link to my review:

Review: Forty Creek Heritage

“… Oak and cedar with honeycomb maple and corn syrup. Vanilla and baking spices evolve as do impressions of canned apricots, hints of marmalade and walnut. Yumm! …”

Chimo!

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisky Review | Tagged: , , , | Comments Off on Review: Forty Creek Heritage

Review: Dillon’s Rye Whisky (Batch 1)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 20, 2018

Dillon’s Small Batch Distillers is a small craft producer of spirits located in Beamsville Ontario. They currently produce Vodka and gin (both distilled from Ontario grown Niagara Grapes), as well as both White Rye and Rye Whisky grown from 100% Ontario Rye Grain. The distillery also produces a number of specialty spirits such as Absinthe and Limoncello.

According to the producer’s website:

To be called Canadian Rye Whisky means something. To be called 100% Rye Whisky made in Canada means something more. It means pride. It means at least three full years of aging in oak casks. It means made from nothing but pure rye grain – no barley, no wheat, and no corn. It means distilled one batch at a time in pot stills – not continuously in columns. It means no flavourings and no colourings were ever added. It means what we put on the label is what is inside the bottle. It means liquid truth.

Here is a link to my complete review:

Review: Dillon’s Rye Whisky (Batch 1)

“… The small batch still used by Dillon’s is apparently capable of creating heavy esters and phenols which give the whisky a heavier consistency than we would normally find in a three-year old spirit. (This is one of the advantages of small craft distilleries.) …”

Please enjoy my review.

Chimo!

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisky Review | Tagged: , , | Comments Off on Review: Dillon’s Rye Whisky (Batch 1)

Review: Lohin McKinnon Craft Distilled Single Malt

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 13, 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 Lohin McKinnon Craft Distilled Single Malt  (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 my full review:

Review: Lohin McKinnon Craft Distilled Single Malt

“… my tasting notes indicate that the character which stems from barrel aging is just beginning to show itself. The flavours are pleasant, but the light astringency of the dram makes sipping a challenge unless ice is added to the dram. When that ice is added, pleasing milk chocolate flavours come forward …”

Please enjoy my review.

Chimo!

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

Review: North of 7 Canadian Whisky (95 % Rye)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 6, 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) in Ottawa, Ontario. They currently produce several styles of Canadian Whisky, two versions of dark rum, as well as both gin and vodka.

The subject of this review is the North of 7 Single Barrel Canadian Whisky from Barrel Number 10, which is produced from a 95 % Rye Mashbill. The whisky was aged in for a minimum of 3 years in a specially toasted 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 (95 % Rye)

“… The breezes above the glass brought me a nice mixture of maple, cedar, and rye grain the combination of which reminded me of graham wafers. As I let the glass breathe, baking spices (vanilla, cinnamon and hints of nutmeg) and tobacco seemed to unravel themselves from the oak and cedar spices. I notice some fruitiness in the air in the form of marmalade and canned apricots. Hints of marzipan rounds out the nose …”

Please enjoy my review which concludes with recipe suggestion which combines North of 7’s Single Barrel Whisky with their wonderful Leatherback Rum.

Chimo!

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisky Review | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: North of 7 Canadian Whisky (95 % Rye)

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

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