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Posts Tagged ‘Whisky’

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Review: Wiser’s Legacy Canadian Whisky

Posted by Arctic Wolf on October 30, 2011

On November 11, 2009 I published my review of Wiser’s Red Letter Whisky. I was very pleasantly surprised to receive an email the very next day from  Corbys Distillers (Canadian Office). Apparently my review had been noticed, and they were interested if I maybe would like to receive a lab sample of a new whisky,  Wiser’s Legacy.

Of course the answer was yes. This is something that every reviewer wants, a chance to test his or her palate on a new spirit with very little information in the public realm to pollute the tasting notes. No other information was sought or obtained by myself. The review was as clean as a review could get and I posted it almost two years ago as a First Impression review (I lacked any information on the bottle presentation which is included in all my full reviews).

It took nearly two years for me to receive a picture of the final bottle (J-peg) so that I could properly move the review from the First Impressions area of my website to my Canadian Whisky reviews section of the website.

Here is an excerpt from my finalized review:

“…Thick oil coats the throat with an oak and spice explosion.  The exit leaves the mouth puckered somewhat from the dry woodiness, and the throat is assaulted by spices which grow hotter in the throat than they were in the mouth. At the end of the finish, typical Canadian rye flavours  finally appear en masse  to battle the youthful oak down the throat.  The overall impression is that something awesome just might have happened in my throat, but it is hard to describe exactly what it was…”

Here is a link to my full Review:

Review: Wiser’s Legacy Canadian Whisky

Please enjoy the review!

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , | Comments Off on Review: Wiser’s Legacy Canadian Whisky

Review: Proof Whisky

Posted by Arctic Wolf on October 27, 2011

Proof Whisky is a relatively new brand of Canadian Whisky produced by Proof Brands. The company currently produces whisky, rum and vodka all of which are bottled in unique stubby 500 ml bottles. The brand and the spirits are the creation of Michael Riley, at ten-year veteran of the alcohol beverage industry. Michael spent 5 years as the Director of Spirits for the LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario). He has also has worked with such brands as Crown Royal, Absolut, Captain Morgan, Chivas Regal and Molson Canadian.

According to the press information I was given, in Whisky Magazine’s 2011 World Whisky Awards, Proof Whisky was apparently on the short list for the best Canadian Whisky in the world.

Proof Whisky is a double grain whisky produced from wheat and rye bottled at 42% alcohol by volume in the signature stubby 500 ml bottle. And it is with this bottle that I shall begin my review. Here is an excerpt:

“…The aroma from the glass is very unusual. Balsam and saffron lead out with lemon quickly following. I sense fresh green bell-peppers, sandalwood, and some astringent citrus zest rising up into the breezes…”

You may read the full review here:

Review: Proof Whisky

I have included two recipes with the review, the signature cocktail for Proof Whisky, The Urban Cocktail, and my suggestion, The Hippodrome.

Please enjoy the review and the cocktails!

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Cocktails & Recipes, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Proof Whisky

Review: Jura Superstition Single Malt Whisky

Posted by Arctic Wolf on October 2, 2011

The Isle of Jura apparently has only one road and one hotel, and its population is about 200 persons strong. It has one Distillery which was built at an old smugglers’ cave near the hamlet of Craighouse in 1810. The distillery in those early days led a troubled life. It was never really a viable enterprise, and it soon fell into disrepair and was abandoned. However, 153 years later in 1963 the distillery was rebuilt by two local businessmen, Robin Fletcher and Tony Riley-Smith who turned it into a going concern. That is when they began to distill their Jura Single Malt Whisky.

When the folks at Authentic Wine and Spirits learned that I was reviewing a few Single Malts this fall they added a couple of the Jura expressions to the review line-up. Last week I reviewed the Isle of Jura 10 Year Old Single Malt, and today I am tackling the Jura Superstition.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“…I immediately noticed rich scents and aromas climbing out of the glass to greet my nose. If I closed my eyes and held the glencairn under my nose I could imagine I was in an evergreen forest with damp moss covering the ground. A boggy meadow must be nearby as I smell the damp peat under the meadow grass…”

You may read the full review here:

Review: Jura Superstition Single Malt Whisky

Please enjoy the review!

Posted in Scotch Whisky, Single Malt Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Review: Forty Creek Confederation Oak Reserve Whisky

Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 18, 2011

Forty Creek Whisky has for the last number of years produced a special limited release whisky and allowed the public to participate in the release by offering to let you choose your own numbered bottle. As well you can have your bottle signed by their own Master Distiller and Whisky Maker, John Hall, when you arrive to pick up your pre-ordered bottles. These special release whiskies are built upon the foundation of the company’s flagship whisky, Forty Creek Barrel Select, and are basically versions of this whisky which have spent additional time finishing in selected oak barrels.  Last year’s release was the Forty Creek Confederation Oak Reserve Whisky, I manged to buy three signed bottles, and although it is a year later, I have decided that it is time to provide a review of this unique limited release bottling (16,800 bottles) of Forty Creek Whisky.

What makes this whisky unique is that it has been finished in Canadian Oak Barrels. These oak barrels were made from oak trees (growing only 40 miles from the distillery) which began their growth in Canadian soil approximately 150 years ago at the time of Confederation (The birth of Canada as a nation), hence the name Confederation Oak.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“…The aroma from the glass begins with typical Canadian Whisky notes of light rye and oak.  Soon, however, I begin to notice caramel corn and light baking spices building, then a strong indication of the new oak barrels imparting their fresh tannin into the liquid as fresh scents of honeycomb, vanilla, cedar and toffee rise into the breezes above the glass…”

You may read the full review here:

Review: Forty Creek Confederation Oak Reserve Whisky

Please enjoy the review!!

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

Review: Forty Creek Double Barrel Reserve Whisky (Lot 240)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 11, 2011

Today I am continuing a series of Forty Creek Whisky reviews with the Forty Creek Double Barrel Reserve Whisky. This whisky was introduced in the fall of 2008. As a collector, I purchased and saved a few bottles from the first release, and now I have selected one of those first bottles to review.  This bottle is identified on the label as Bottle number 0043 from Lot 240.  Although this review is from my whisky collection,  I would like to thank Dave Gordon, the Regional Manager of Shiralli Agencies, who has provided me with a bottle from the current release (Lot 245) and I will be reviewing that bottle in the coming weeks.

Here is an excerpt from my review from Bottle number 0043 from Lot 240, of Forty Creek Double Barrel Reserve Whisky:

“…When I brought the glass to my nose I received a light indication of rye spices gently being lifted out of the glass. This was quickly followed by an updraft of caramel corn and honeycomb. The whisky also brings forward strong dry woody notes (oak and cedar) and a touch of sweet maple….”

Here is a link to the full review:

Review: Forty Creek Double Barrel Reserve Whisky (Lot 240)

Cheers!

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Cocktails & Recipes, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Forty Creek Double Barrel Reserve Whisky (Lot 240)

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