Canadian Club was, as advertised, my father’s favourite whisky. He loved the brand, and whenever we had some sort of important occasion he insisted that the only whisky we could serve was Canadian Club. So when I began to review spirits, and began to earn my reputation, the one person I could never win over with my reviews was my Dad. He didn’t care what I wrote, or how popular my reviews were, if I didn’t say that Canadian Club was the best whisky in Canada, then I obviously didn’t know what I was talking about.
Don’t get me wrong, I like Canadian Club Whisky, In fact I like their entire range. But, I just didn’t share my Dad’s passion for the brand. Fortunately though, we did manage find some common ground. I brought him a bottle of the Canadian Club 20 Year Old. He loved it, and I loved it too. When we would have a glass together, he would mix his dram with ginger ale, and, just to make sure he didn’t think that I was trying to put on airs, I mixed my dram with ginger-ale too.
That summer, whenever I would pop over, we would share a glass together in the evening, mixed with ginger-ale of course. The memories I have of sharing that bottle with my Dad has placed the Canadian Club 20 Year Old well into my list of favourite Canadian Whiskies. And although Dad passed away several yeas ago, I still keep a bottle on hand. When the occasion suits me I have a small dram in the evening, sometimes neat, but usually mixed with ginger-ale to honour my Dad.
Here is a link to my review:
Review: Canadian Club 20 Year Old Whisky
Chimo!
Hiram Walker Special Old is one of those whiskies which I have enjoyed for decades. The first time I purchased a bottle was when my family and I had just bought a small rustic cabin at Alberta Beach on Lac St. Anne. The place had no running water or indoor plumbing, just fours with on old cook stove in the kitchen, a fire pit in the back.
Earlier this year, I was hosting a bit of a house warming party as my family and I had finally completed our move to our new home. The move was precipitated by my son’s need for a more wheelchair accessible home and although we hated to leave the original home we built 20 years ago, we were glad to be in our new digs.
Crown Royal Canadian Whisky is currently produced in Gimli, Manitoba, at the Crown Royal Distillery. The distillery and the brand are owned by Diageo, and I think it is fair to say that Crown Royal is Diageo’s flagship Canadian whisky brand.
The Rum Howler Blog 