Review: Canadian Club Apple Whisky   83/100
a review by Chip Dykstra (Aka Arctic Wolf)
Published April 12, 2020

Canadian Club has once again expanded their flavoured and Spiced whisky line-up as they recently introduced Canadian Club Apple Whisky. The new flavoured whisky is apparently produced by blending Canada Club’s flagship brand, 1858 Canadian Club Canadian Whisky with a hand-crafted apple liquor. According to the advertising:

Fresh, crisp apple aromas meet flavours of cinnamon and hints of caramel on the palate then roll to a smooth, sweet finish. Serve neat or on the rocks with Dutch apple pie.

Canadian Club Apple Whisky is bottled at 35 % alcohol by volume.

In the Bottle 3.5/5

Canadian Club Apple is sold in the medium tall long necked bottle shown to the left. The bottle and label seem to have been chosen for economy’s sake and not to elevate the brand. I suppose that the Canadian Club brand name will draw attention to the spirit on the retail shelf, but that is about all the presentation has going for it.

In the Glass 8.5/10

The spirit is amber in appearance. The initial nose is lightly sweet indicating some added sweetness (probably from the blended liqueur) and so it takes a little time before the apple scents can break free from the sweetness. Once they do though, it is a nice crisp green apple scent that greets the breezes above the glass.

I let the glass sit and after a few more minutes I began to notice some of the underlying scents of whisky with light oak spice and ginger and perhaps a little cinnamon as well.

In the Mouth 50/60

The initial entry brings bits of wood spice and alcohol heat forward. The heat surprises me as the spirit is bottled at 35 % abv and I wasn’t expecting to feel the alcohol. I taste sweet green apple melded with butterscotch with some ginger and spice coming though at the back end. I like the apple flavour which seems crisp and natural, and I like that the underlying flavours of Canadian whisky appear to be shining through as well.

When I tried a little with ice, I found I liked it even more and so I bumped the score just a little to account for this.

In the Throat 12.5/15

The spirit is medium to full bodied and lengthened in the exit by some added sweetness.  As we swallow the spirit we taste green apple vanilla, butterscotch, ginger and spice  with the spiciness lingering within the leftover sweetness.

The Afterburn  8.5/10

When I review flavoured spirits, there are two considerations which dominate my scoring process. The first is whether the flavour represented tastes natural and is the true focus of the spirit. The second is whether the underlying spirit also brings its flavour and character forward. In the case of Canadian Club Apple Whisky I can report that both the apple flavour and the underlying whisky do their part. Keeping the score down is that light alcohol bite in the entry.

My final score of 81.5/100 represents a flavoured whisky which can be sipped over ice comfortably, but which will more like be served in cocktails and mixed drinks.

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Suggested Recipe

Apple Ginger

2 oz J.P. Wiser’s Apple Whisky
4 oz Ginger ale
Ice Cubes
Slice Lemon/Lime

Add ice to a tumbler or rocks glass
Pour Apple Whisky over ice
Complete with Ginger Ale
Garnish with a slice of citrus

Enjoy Responsibly!

Note: If  you are interested in more of my original cocktail recipes, please click this link (Cocktails and Recipes) for more of my mixed drink recipes!

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As always you may interpret the scores I provide as follows.

0-25 A spirit with a rating this low would actually kill you.
26-49 Depending upon your fortitude you might actually survive this.
50 -59 You are safe to drink this…but you shouldn’t.
60-69 Substandard swill which you may offer to people you do not want to see again.
70-74 Now we have a fair mixing rum or whisky.  Accept this but make sure it is mixed into a cocktail.
75-79 You may begin to serve this to friends, again probably still cocktail territory.
80-84 We begin to enjoy this spirit neat or on the rocks. (I will still primarily mix cocktails)
85-89 Excellent for sipping or for mixing!
90-94 Definitely a primary sipping spirit, in fact you may want to hoard this for yourself.
95-97.5 The Cream of the Crop
98+ I haven’t met this bottle yet…but I want to.

Very loosely we may put my scores into terms that you may be more familiar with on a Gold, Silver, and  Bronze medal  scale as follows:

70 – 79.5    Bronze Medal (Recommended only as a mixer)
80 – 89.5     Silver Medal (Recommended for sipping and or a high quality mixer)
90 – 95         Gold Medal (Highly recommended for sipping and for sublime cocktails.)
95.5+            Platinum Award (Highest Recommendation)