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Posts Tagged ‘Whisky’

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Review: Last Mountain Single Cask Single Malt Whisky

Posted by Arctic Wolf on August 18, 2022

Last Mountain Single Cask Single Malt Whisky is produced in small batches at the Last Mountain Distillery in Lumsden Saskatchewan. I have been following the progress of this distillery since it first came to my attention when they opened their doors as Saskatchewan’s first micro-distillery in August of 2010. Back then, the Last Mountain Distillery was run by its two principals, Colin and Meredith Schmidt, the husband wife team who co-founded the operation. They began by selling vodka and whisky, and I was fortunate enough to be able to taste and review some of their earliest offerings.

Since then the operation has grown by leaps and bounds, and when I checked the distillery’s website I found they now boast 14 full time employees (17 if you count the shop dog, Chloe, and the two Schmidt children, Griffen and Ryker.) The Distillery also boasts a full range of Vodka, Gin, Whisky and Rum as well as an assortment of what they call their unique creations.

Below is the link to the review for the distillery’s new Single Cask Single Malt Whisky, made from 100% Saskatchewan Barley.

Review: Last Mountain Single Cask Single Malt Whisky

“… Vanilla/butterscotch and almond melded nicely into fine oak spice. Hints of leather and milk chocolate appear as does a light fruity quality which reminds me of orange peel and apricot brandy. There is some development in the glass as I let the whisky breathe, the oak spices become more prominent and begin to throw out impressions of cinnamon …”

Please enjoy my latest whisky review.

Chimo!

 

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Posted in Canadian Whisky, Single Malt Whisky, Whisk(e)y Review, Whisky Review | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Last Mountain Single Cask Single Malt Whisky

Review: Laird of Fintry Single Malt (Okanagan Spirits)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on August 5, 2022

Laird of Fintry Single Malt is produced in small batches at the Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery. This whisky came to my attention when I was acting as a juror for the 2022 Canadian Whisky Awards. I ear marked my blind sample (No. 28 by the way) as one which stood out in its grouping and after the judging was complete and the whiskies were unblinded, I decided I should take the remainder of my sample and write up more detailed tasting notes. I was not surprised that Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery was named 2022 Canadian Whisky Awards Craft Distillery of the Year based on the strength of this and the other whiskies in their growing portfolio.

Laird of Fintry Single Malt  is a bit of a unicorn. The spirit is available only once per year via a lottery drawing at the Distillery. It is produced using 100% B.C. malted barley and aged in both French and American Oak casks.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Laird of Fintry Single Malt (Okanagan Spirits)

“… Heather, meadow grass and flowers, willow with a light sweetness riding the wind currents.  Mint, hints of vanilla and almond. The scents and smells are pleasant and engaging with a lightly herbal character accented by floral impressions. I like the nose which demonstrates nuance and finesse …”

Please enjoy my review which concludes with my serving suggestion, the Laird of the Fintry Cocktail.

Chimo!

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Single Malt Whisky, Whisk(e)y | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Laird of Fintry Single Malt (Okanagan Spirits)

Review: J.P. Wiser’s Triple Barrel Rye

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 3, 2022

John Philip (J.P.) Wiser, purchased a distillery in Prescott Ontario in 1857, and began to produce Wiser’s Whisky.  In fact, it may have been J.P. Wiser who first used the term “Canadian Whiskey” on a whisky label when he introduced his spirit to the World at the Chicago’s World Fair in 1893. From the beginning J.P. Wiser established his brand as a quality whisky with high standards of production. As a result, the distillery grew side by side with the popularity of Wiser’s style of whisky, and by the early 1900′s Wiser’s was the third largest distiller of whisky in Canada.

J.P. Wiser’s Triple Barrel Rye was recently released across Canada.

According to the J.P. Wiser’s website:

Our Triple Barrel Rye whisky is a unique blend of toasted grains, oak, and rich toffee.  It combines distillates from used whisky, first-fill bourbon, and virgin oak casks.

I reviewed the Triple Barrel Whisky from J.P. Wiser’s five years ago based on a small sample provided when I served as a juror for the 2017 Canadian Whisky Awards. Since so much time has passed, I thought I would revisit the whisky and provide fresh tasting notes and new scoring.

Here is a link to that my new review:

Review: J.P. Wiser’s Triple Barrel Rye

“… Backbone of oak with maple and vanilla providing support. Lots of rye and leather. Raisins, dark chocolate and baking spice (allspice and cinnamon). Tobacco and toasted walnuts come though as does a bourbon-like impression of fresh oak planks dripping with sap, glue and resin. …”

I hope you enjoy the fresh review as well as my serving suggestion including in the write-up.

Chimo!

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review, Whisky Review | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: J.P. Wiser’s Triple Barrel Rye

Review:  Lot No. 40 18 Year Old Cask Strength

Posted by Arctic Wolf on May 27, 2022

Last year Corby, owners of the J.P. Wiser’s Brand offered us a brand extension to their popular Lot No. 40 Rye Whisky line-up with the introduction of two new additions, Lot No. 40 Dark Oak and Lot No. 40 18 Year Old Cask Strength. Lot No. 40 was first released in the 1990’s as an upscale connoisseur’s whisky for the North American market.

According to the Corby Website information which I recorded in 2016:

Lot No. 40 is expertly distilled in small batches using only the finest locally sourced ingredients. By distilling in a single copper pot still, the result is a whisky that starts off earthy and woody tasting and then becomes full bodied and complex with a velvety vanilla oak finish.

Recently, Corby released a very exclusive brand addition to the Lot 40 Line-up, the limited edition Lot No. 40 18 Year Old Cask Strength. This is the oldest, and most exclusive expression of Lot No. 40 produced to date. It is a Single Barrel Whisky that was hand selected by Dr. Livermore which was limited to fewer than 150 bottles in total. The expression was bottled at cask strength (56.5 %) and limited to only 130 bottles produced.

I believe the expression has sold out. However, I provide this review such that if such a release were to be offered again, you might have some idea of what might be in store.

Here is a link to the full review:

Review: Lot No. 40 18 Year Old Cask Strength

“… Maple, cedar and oak spice and sap. Vanilla and baking spice (nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger and hints of clove) push through as does a dry dusty impression of burlap. Macintosh apples, orange marmalade, canned fruit, and apricot brandy seem to all appear and disappear as I sip. Pipe tobacco rich toffee as depth and finally burly, rye rye grain and spice come bursting through …”

I hope you enjoy the review, and let us also hope that more releases of this wonderful whisky are on the way.

Chimo!

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review, Whisky Review | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review:  Lot No. 40 18 Year Old Cask Strength

Review: Last Straw Distillery Stout Whisky (Lot No. SW001)  

Posted by Arctic Wolf on May 6, 2022

The Last Straw Distillery is Ontario’s smallest production micro-distillery located at 40 Pippin Rd. in Vaughan, Ontario (a wee bit north of Toronto) just off Highway 400 and around the corner from Vaughan Mills Shopping Centre. 

Last Straw Distillery Stout Whisky is the result of a collaboration between Vaughan’s Lake Wilcox Brewing Co. and the distillery, and it can be said to be the distilled essence of the Lake Wilcox Stout Beer. According to the distillery website the stout whisky  is produced in small batches, bottled at 45 % alcohol by volume, is non-chill filtered with no colour added and aged for 3 years in a #3 re-charred ex-wine cask.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Last Straw Distillery Stout Whisky (Lot No. SW001)

“… heated oak spices combined with maple and chocolate. There is also a light underlying bitterness which compliments rather than clashes with the implied sweetness of maple. The second sip brings more flavours and nuances forward, graham wafers dipped in maple syrup, vanilla and baking spices, nutty barley and again hints of treacle which remind me of dark rum …

Please enjoy my review of this remarkable whisky from the Last Straw Distillery.

Chimo!

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Last Straw Distillery Stout Whisky (Lot No. SW001)  

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