Posts Tagged ‘Whisky’
Posted by Arctic Wolf on August 18, 2015
Forty Creek Spike Honey Spiced Whisky is produced by the Forty Creek Distillery (now owned by Campari). Former owner of the distillery and brand, John Hall is the Whisky Maker (as he likes to refer to himself) at Forty Creek, and this spirit was produced under his direction.
According to the label on the bottle the ingredients are, Canadian Whisky (presumable John Hall’s flagship whisky Forty Creek Barrel Select), sugar, and natural flavors (presumable honey and spices). It is bottled at 40 % alcohol by volume.
Here is a link to my full review:
“… The spirit caries a deep golden colour with reddish hues visible in the glass. The breezes are mild, and along with the notes of honey are additional notes of butterscotch, vanilla, banana, ginger and cinnamon …”
Please enjoy my review which concludes with a nice tall summertime back deck drink, the Spiced Mammy.
Chimo!
Posted in Canadian Whisky, Spiced Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: Canadian Whisky, Coctails, Forty Creek, Honey, Spiced, Spiced Mammy, Spike, Spike Honey Spiced, Whisky | Comments Off on Review: Forty Creek Spike Honey Spiced Whisky
Posted by Arctic Wolf on August 8, 2015
Spicebox Whisky
is based in Montreal, Quebec where they blend and bottle their Spicebox Cinnamon Canadian Spiced Whisky. The product is currently bottled at 66 proof or 33 % alcohol by volume and has been brought into the Alberta Marketplace by Mondia Alliance Wine and Spirits who are also based out of Montreal.
Buzz Saw Highball
According to the information which Mondia supplied to Vancouver’s Hopscotch Festival, their cinnamon blended whisky “combines the tastes of smooth, rich rye whisky with a kick to the kisser of cinnamon heat” which to me sounds rather intriguing.
Here is a link to my full review:
“… The aroma which jumps out of the glass is of course laced with cinnamon although I also detect a strong sweetness running alongside, with hints of woodspice. The overall effect reminds me both of cinnamon heart candies, and those cinnamon toothpicks I used to buy at the candy store as a kid. If you love cinnamon this will delight you, if cinnamon heat is not your thing, the aroma will warn you away …”
Please enjoy my latest review which includes a nice cocktail suggestion which I have found works very well with cinnamon whiskies, the Buzz Saw Highball.
Chimo!
Posted in Canadian Whisky, Flavoured Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: Buzz Saw Highball, Canadian Whisky, Cinnamon Whisky, Cocktails, Mondia Alliance, Review, Spicebox, Whisky | Comments Off on Review: Spicebox Cinnamon Canadian Spiced Whisky
Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 20, 2015
The resurgence of interest in Canadian Whisky continues unabated as it seems that every time I venture into a local liquor store I see new brands that I have never tried before. One of these new brands, Legacy Small Batch caught my eye and I decided to request a bottle for review. The new brand is owned by Sazerac, and to produce this new Canadian spirit they import mature whisky from Canada and bottle it at the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky.
There is not much information about this particular whisky on the Sazerac website except for a statement that, Master Blender Drew Mayville (Buffalo Trace), oversees the distillation of this particular whisky. Unfortunately I find this claim hard to reconcile based upon his own statements in a 2013 interview in The Spirits Business (see interview here) regarding the anonymity of Canadian Whisky distillers and his happiness at being a blender and not a distiller. (Note that Canadian Whisky by law must be at least 3 years old and therefore would have been distilled prior to those statements.) Perhaps the marketing people at Sazerac meant that Drew Mayville oversees the blending of the Legacy Small Batch, which of course would be right up his alley.
Canadian Caribou
Here is a link to my full Review:
“… I taste a very nice melding of rye-like spices with butterscotch toffee. There is a corn-like smoothness which permeates the whisky along with just enough peppery heat to pucker and dry the palate making it receptive to the next sip. There are also light bits of cinnamon, some gentle vanillans, and a touch of milk chocolate in the flavour profile and all of these flavours seem to be pulling in the same pleasant direction …”
Please enjoy my review which includes a nice recipe I created called the Canadian Caribou.
Chimo
Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisky Liqueur, Whisky Review | Tagged: Canadian Whisky, Legacy Small BatchSazerac, Review, Whisky | Comments Off on Review: Legacy Small Batch Canadian Whisky
Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 5, 2015
Canadian Club Whisky (owned by BeamSuntory) is the oldest (and probably the most influential) Canadian Whisky brand in the world. The company has been granted numerous Royal Warrants from Queen Victoria to Queen Elizabeth II and it has been reported that Canadian Club was the whisky of choice when Al Capone smuggled thousands of Cases of Canadian Whisky into the USA during prohibition. Today Canadian Club Premium is the flagship brand for the company. In Canada, it is aged for a minimum of 6 years in white oak barrels and bottled at 40 per cent alcohol by volume.
Recently Canadian Club added to their flavoured and spiced portfolio by releasing a new maple flavoured whisky , Canadian Club Chairman’s Select Maple. According to the Canadian Club website:
Our master distillers have brought together the world’s finest Canadian whisky with the perfect hint of maple flavour.
Chairman’s Maple Mammy
Here is a link to my full review:
“… When I steal a sip from the glass, again it is the flavour of maple which one notices immediately (as we should). However, I was pleased to taste a firm whisky presence within the spirit as well. Despite the obvious maple taint, the flavoured whisky still retains its character as a whisky …”
Included in my review is a nice cocktail suggestion which combine the Canadian Club Chairman’s Select Maple with lime juice and ginger-ale, the Chairman’s Maple Mammy.
Chimo!
Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: Canadian Club, Canadian Whisky, Chairman's Maple Mammy, Chairman's Select, Cocktail, Flavoured Whisky, Maple Whisky, Whisky, Whisky Review | Comments Off on Review: Canadian Club Chairman’s Select Maple
Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 21, 2015
Dictador Insolent
Today I thought I would give everyone who is scrambling at the last-minute a few suggestions for Father’s Day with the same list of ten spirits which I posted on my refrigerator for my wife and kids. Every item on my list is considered by myself to be a top-notch spirit, however each is available in my local market for less than 100 bucks. That may seem a high watermark for some, but I have three kids and they can chip in together.
Any gift from his list would make any reasonable Dad happy:
1) Dictador XO Insolent Rum
2) Ron Millonario XO Reserva Especial Rum
3) El Dorado 21 Year Old Special Reserve Rum
4) Booker’s True Barrel Bourbon
5) Highland Park 12 Year Old Single Malt
6) Gibson’s Finest Rare 18 Year Old
7) Wyborowa Exquisite (Wodka)
8) Botanist Islay Dry Gin
9) Corzo Reposado Tequila
10) H by Hine Fine Champagne Cognac (VSOP)
Graham’s Six Grapes
I realize that not everyone can or would want to spend 100 bucks. If you are more budget conscious, then here is a list of ten great budget priced spirits which would still make any Dad happy (including me):
1) Bacardi 8 Yr Old Rum
2) Appleton Estate Extra Old 12 Year
3) Diplomático Añejo
4) Ninety “Decades of Richness” 20 Year Old Canadian Rye Whisky
5) Bulleit Bourbon Frontier Whiskey
6) Alberta Springs Canadian Whisky
7) Highwood Premium Vodka
8) Broker’s Premium London Dry Gin (40 %ABV)
9) Herencia de Plata (Reposado)
10) W & J Graham’s “Six Grapes” Reserve Port
The two lists are in no particular order, but I have tried to include a good range of spirit types with the emphasis on Rum of course. Hopefully this helps someone, if not for Father’s Day, then maybe for your own personal shopping.
Chimo!
Posted in Extras | Tagged: Bourbon, Cognac, Father's Day, Gin, Port Wine, Rum, Tequila, Vodka, Whisky | 1 Comment »
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