Whisky Reviews
Here are quick links to all of my Whisky Reviews and Ratings:
Canadian Whisky Reviews
Traditional Canadian Whisky
- 8 Seconds Blended Canadian Whisky (80.5)
- Adams Private Stock Canadian Whisky (80)
- Alberta Premium Canadian Whisky (85.5)
- Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye Whisky (90)
- Alberta Premium Dark Horse (83)
- Alberta Premium 20 Year Old (89.5)
- Alberta Premium Limited Edition 25 Year Old (95.5)
- Alberta Premium Limited Edition 30 Year Old (94.5)
- Alberta Springs Canadian Whisky (89.5)
- Bearface Triple Oak Canadian Whisky (89)
- Bison Ridge Special Reserve (8 Year Old) (83)
- Black Fox Canadian Whisky (100% Triticale) (85)
- Black Velvet Deluxe Canadian Whisky (78)
- Black Velvet Reserve Canadian Whisky (81.5)
- Caldera Hurricane 5 (82.5)
- Calgary Stampede (Commemorative) 25 Year Old Whisky (94)
- Canada Gold Whisky (80.5)
- Canadian Club Barley Batch Limited Edition Whisky (86)
- Canadian Club Chairman’s Select – 100% Rye (88)
- Canadian Club Reserve (9 Year Old) (85.5)
- Canadian Club Small Batch Classic (12 Year Old) (88)
- Canadian Club Small Batch Sherry Cask (85.5)
- Canadian Club 40 Year Canadian Whisky (94)
- Canadian Club Chronicles 41 Year Old (89.5)
- Canadian Club Chronicles 42 Year Old (94)
- Canadian Club Chronicles 43 Year Old (95)
- Canadian Club Chronicles 44 Year Old (87)
- Canadian Rockies 21 Year Old (Batch 001) (95.5)
- Canadian Rockies 21 Year Old (2017) (95)
- Caribou Crossing Single Barrel Canadian Whisky (93)
- Centennial Limited Edition Canadian Whisky (86)
- Century Reserve Rare Cask Series – Beer Barrel Whisky (84.5)
- Century Reserve 21 Year Old (91.5)
- Chinook Signature Rye Whisky (80)
- Chinook Signature White Whisky (77)
- Collingwood Toasted Maplewood Finish Canadian Whisky (85)
- Collingwood 21 Year Old Canadian Whisky (92.5)
- Compass Distillers 100% Nova Scotian Rye (85.5)
- Crown Royal Hand Selected Barrel (2015) (94)
- Crown Royal Hand Selected Barrel (2017) (92.5)
- Crown Royal Limited Edition (86.5)
- Crown Royal Monarch 75th Anniversary Blend (87.5)
- Crown Royal Northern Rye Canadian Whisky (90)
- Crown Royal Black (86)
- Crown Royal Blender’s Mash (74)
- Crown Royal Bourbon Mash (74)
- Crown Royal XO (87)
- Crown Royal Noble Collection – Cornerstone (89.5)
- Crown Royal Noble Collection – 16 Year Rye (92.5)
- Crown Royal Noble Collection – Wine Barrel Finished (89.5)
- Crown Royal Noble Collection – Winter Wheat (92.5)
- Crown Royal XR (LaSalle) (86)
- Danfield’s Private Reserve (10 Years Old) (80)
- Danfield’s Limited Edition 21 Year Old Canadian Whisky (90.5)
- Devine Spirits Quarter Cask Ancient Grains Whisky (84)
- Dillon’s Rye Whisky (82)
- Ethan Koll Rare 8 Year Old Canadian Whisky (88.5)
- Fils du Roy – L’Eau d’Août (82.5)
- Forty Creek Confederation Oak Reserve Whisky (Lot 1867F) (87)
- Forty Creek Copper Pot Reserve Whisky (88.5)
- Forty Creek Double Barrel Reserve Canadian Whisky (Lot 263) (92.5)
- Forty Creek Double Barrel Reserve Canadian Whisky (Lot 271) (85)
- Forty Creek Evolution (2014 Release) (80.5)
- Forty Creek Founder’s Reserve (90.5)
- Forty Creek Heart of Gold (2013 Special Release) (85.5)
- Forty Creek Heritage (93)
- Forty Creek Portwood Reserve 2012 Whisky (89.5)
- Forty Creek Resolve (86)
- Forty Creek Three Grain Harmony (83.5)
- Forty Creek Unity (2018 Special Release) (91.5)
- Gibson’s Finest Bold (83.5)
- Gibson’s Finest Rare 18 Year Old (93)
- Gibson’s Finest Venerable 18 Years Old Canadian Whisky (88)
- Golden Stag Blended Rye Whisky (79)
- Gooderham and Worts 4 Grain Whisky (87.5)
- Gooderham and Worts Eleven Souls (93.5)
- Gooderham and Worts Little Trinity (94.5)
- Great Plains Brandy Cask 18 Year Old (94)
- High River Canadian Whisky (88.5)
- Hundred Volt Canadian Whisky (83)
- J.P Wiser’s Double Still Rye (82)
- J.P. Wiser’s Deluxe Canadian Rye Whisky (84)
- J.P. Wiser’s Dave Keon Alumni Whisky (89.5)
- J.P. Wiser’s Guy Lafleur Alumni Whisky (87)
- J.P. Wiser’s Lanny MacDonald Alumni Whisky (88.5)
- J.P. Wiser’s Mark Messier Alumni Whisky (92)
- J.P. Wiser’s Yvan Cournoyer Alumni Whisky (91)
- J.P. Wiser’s Wendel Clark Alumni Whisky (91)
- J.P. Wiser’s Legacy (92)
- J.P. Wiser’s 15 Year Old (89.5)
- J.P. Wiser’s 18 Year Old (90)
- J.P. Wiser’s Red Letter (94)
- J.P. Wiser’s Dissertation (95)
- J.P. Wiser’s Last Barrels (94.5)
- J.P. Wiser’s Union 52 (89)
- J.P Wiser’s 35 Year Old Whisky (84)
- Last Mountain Canadian Rye Whisky (83.5)
- Last Mountain Private Reserve Whisky (88)
- Last Mountain Single Cask 100 % Wheat Whisky (91.5)
- Last Mountain Single Cask Rye Whisky (79.5)
- Last Straw Distillery Stout Whisky (Lot No. SW001) (85)
- Legacy Small Batch Canadian Whisky (Sazerac) (85)
- Liberator Rye Whisky (87)
- Liquormen’s Ol’ Dirty Canadian Whisky (68)
- Lohin McKinnon Barley & Rye (Lightly Peated) (77)
- Lot No. 40 Single Copper Pot Still Canadian Whisky (2012 Edition) (93)
- Lot No. 40 Rye Whisky (91)
- Lot No. 40 Dark Oak 100 % Rye Whisky (85)
- Lot No. 40 Cask Strength (91.5)
- Lot No. 40 18 Year Old Cask Strength (92)
- Macaloney’s Caledonian Oaken Poitin Whisky (82/100)
- Masterson’s Straight Barley Whiskey (81)
- Masterson’s 10-Year-Old Straight Rye Whiskey (84)
- Masterson’s 12-Year-Old Straight Wheat Whiskey (89)
- Mister Sam Tribute Whiskey (96.5)
- Mt. Logan 5 Year Old Canadian Rye Whisky (86)
- Mt. Logan 15 Year Old Canadian Rye Whisky (91.5)
- Mt. Logan 20 Year Old Canadian Rye Whisky (93)
- Ninety (Premium cask Aged) 5 Year Old Canadian Rye Whisky (87.5)
- Ninety “Decades of Richness” 20 Year Old Canadian Rye Whisky (93)
- North of 7 Canadian Whisky (Bourbon Style Mash) (84.5)
- North of 7 Canadian Whisky (95 % Rye) (89)
- Pendleton Midnight (83.5)
- Pendleton Let ‘er Buck (84.5)
- Pendleton 1910 (87)
- Perth Canadian Whisky (85)
- Pike Creek 10 Year Old Canadian Whisky (84)
- Pike Creek Double Barrel (Rum Finished) (84.5)
- Pike Creek 21 Year Old (Finished in Speyside Single Malt Casks) (84.5)
- Rangeland Canadian Rye Whisky (79)
- Revel Stoke Deluxe Canadian Whisky (82.5)
- Rich & Rare Reserve Canadian Whisky (84.5)
- Royal Canadian Small Batch Canadian Whisky (85.5)
- Royal Reserve Canadian Rye Whisky (79.5)
- Rupert’s Exceptional Canadian Whisky (69)
- Schenley Golden Wedding Canadian Whisky (76.5)
- Seagram’s Canadian Five Star Whisky (70)
- Seagram’s 83 Canadian Whisky (77.5)
- Seagram’s VO Canadian Whisky (77)
- Silk Tassel Canadian Whisky (78)
- Stalk & Barrel Blue Blend (76)
- Stalk & Barrel Red Blend (85)
- Stalk & Barrel Rye (83.5)
- Still Waters 1+11 Canadian Whisky (83)
- Tangle Ridge (Bourbon Casked) Canadian Whisky (85.5)
- TAP 8 Rye (Sherry Finished) (84.5)
- Templeton 6 Year Old Rye (86)
- Throttle 2 Bottle (87)
- True North Canadian Rye Whisky (78.5)
- Twelve Barrels (80)
- Wayne Gretzky No. 99 Ice Cask Whisky (84)
- Wayne Gretzky No. 99 Red Cask Canadian Whisky (75.5)
- Whistle Pig 10 Year Old Straight Rye Whisky (87.5)
- Windsor Canadian (85.5)
- Wiser’s Red Letter (150th Anniversary Edition) (93)
Canadian Single Malt Whisky
- Devine Spirits Quarter Cask Ancient Grains Whisky (84)
- Glen Saanich Single Malt (83)
- Lohin McKinnon Wine Barreled Single Malt Whisky (74)
- Lohin McKinnon Craft Distilled Single Malt (80)
- Macaloney Caledonian Glenoy Island Single Malt Whisky (84/100)
- Macaloney Invermallie (Ex- Bourbon Cask) (87)
- Macaloney Invermallie – Portuguese Re-charred Red Wine Barrique (82)
- Macaloney’s Caledonian Peated Darach Braiche Whisky (84/100)
- Pemberton Valley Organic Single Malt Whisky (89)
- Shelter Point Artisanal Single Malt Whisky (78)
- Shelter Point Artisanal Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky (83)
- Stalk & Barrel Single Malt (77)
- Two Brewers Yukon Single Malt – Peated Release No. 12 (84)
- Two Brewers Yukon Single Malt – Classic Releases No. 13 (79.5)
- Two Brewers Yukon Single Malt – Classic Releases No. 16 (79.5)
- Two Brewers Yukon Single Malt – Peated (82)
- Two Brewers Yukon Single Malt – Special Finishes (87.5)
Scotch Whisky Reviews
Scottish Blends
- Adelphi Blended Scotch Whisky (Private Stock) (83.5)
- Ballantine’s Finest Blended Scotch Whisky (72.5)
- Black Grouse (86)
- Catto’s Rare Old Scottish Blended (81.5)
- Chivas Regal 12 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky (87.5)
- Johnnie Walker A Song of Fire (85.5)
- Johnnie Walker A Song of Ice (85)
- Johnnie Walker Red Label (81.5)
- Johnnie Walker Double Black (85.5)
- Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve (90)
- Johnnie Walker Aged 18 Years (92)
- Johnnie Walker Blue Label (91.5)
- Old Parr Superior Scotch (92)
- Pure Scot Blended Scotch Whisky (84)
- Ron Burgundy “Great Odin’s Raven” Special Reserve (83)
- Wilson and Morgan – Home Blend 35 Year Old “Sherry Wood” Butt #26 (89)
Scottish Single Malts
- anCnoc 12 Year old Single Malt Whisky (92)
- The Arran 18 Year Old (91)
- Auchentoshan Classic Single Malt Whisky (85.5)
- Auchentoshan 1999 Bordeaux Cask Single Malt Whisky (85)
- Auchentoshan 18 Year Old Single Malt Whisky (90)
- Balblair 2001 Vintage Single Malt (1rst Release) (86.5)
- The Balvenie 12 Year Old Single Barrel (91.5)
- Bowmore Legend Single Malt Whisky (86)
- Bowmore Tempest Batch No. 3 (89.5)
- BOWMORE 1957 – 54 YEARS OLD (not rated)
- Glen Garioch 1797 Founder’s Reserve (81.5)
- Glen Garioch 1994 Vintage (84.5)
- Glenfarclas 15 Year Old Highland Single Malt Whisky (91.5)
- Glenfarclas 17 Year Old Highland Single Malt Whisky (88.5)
- Glenfarclas 25 Year Old Highland Single Malt Whisky (88)
- Glenfiddich 12 Year Old Single Malt (81)
- Glenfiddich 15 Year Old – The Solera Vat (2013) (91.5)
- Glenfiddich 30 Years Old – XXX (83)
- Glenglassaugh 26 Year Old (92)
- The Glenlivet 12 Year Old (87)
- The Glenlivet 15 Year Old (French Oak Reserve) (87.5)
- Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban (12 Year Old) Single Malt Whisky (2013) (91.5)
- Glenmorangie the Sherry Cask Finish Lasanta (88.5)
- Glenmorangie Milsean (88.5)
- Glenmorangie Tùsail (95)
- The Glenrothes Bourbon Cask Reserve (86)
- The Glenrothes Peated Cask Reserve (83.5)
- Gordon and MacPhail Caol Ila 2003 (Connoisseurs Choice) (85.5)
- Gordon and MacPhail Inchgower 2005 (Connoisseurs Choice) (85.5)
- Gordon and MacPhail – Tomatin 2002 (Connoisseurs Choice) (89)
- Highland Park Dark Origins (82.5)
- Highland Park 10 Year Old (Viking Scars) (86.5)
- Highland Park 12 Years Old (Viking Honour) (89)
- Ledaig 18 Year Old (91)
- The Macallan Sherry Oak (12 Year) Single Malt (86)
- The Macallan Sherry Oak (18) Year Single Malt (86)
- The Macallan Ruby (Single Malt Whisky) (91.5)
- Old Pulteney 12 Year Old Single Malt (86.5)
- Scapa Glasna (79)
- Singleton of Glendullan (86.5)
- Talisker Distiller’s Edition 2015 (87)
- Tobermory 10 Year Old (82)
- Tomatin Legacy (88)
- Tomatin 12 Year Old (Single Malt) (85.5)
- Tomatin 15 Year Old (Single Malt) (88.5)
- Tomatin 18 Year Old (89)
- Wilson and Morgan – Glen Elgin 1988 – 30 Year Old (94.5)
Scottish Vatted Malts
- Johnnie Walker Green Label (89)
- Sheep Dip Vatted Malt (84.5)
Scottish Single Grain
American Whiskey Reviews
Bourbon
- Baker’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (94)
- Blanton’s Gold Edition Bourbon (84)
- Booker’s True Barrel Bourbon (95.5)
- Broken Bell Bourbon (81)
- Buck 8 Year Old Bourbon (83.5)
- Bulleit Bourbon Frontier Whiskey (88)
- Bulleit 10 Year Old Frontier Whiskey (84.5)
- Duke* Kentucky Straight Bourbon (77.5)
- Elijah Craig 12 Year Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey (91)
- Evan Williams Kentucky Straight Bourbon (82.5)
- Flatboat Kentucky Straight Bourbon (77.5)
- Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon (80)
- Gentleman Jack (82.5)
- George Dickel No. 12 Tennessee Sour Mash Whisky (84)
- Jefferson’s Reserve Bourbon (Very Old) (90.5)
- Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 (76)
- Jack Daniels Single Barrel Select (79)
- Jim Beam Devil’s Cut Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (88)
- Knob Creek Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (95)
- Maker’s Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky (86)
- Marshall’s Bourbon Whiskey (69)
- Michter’s US *1 Bourbon (84)
- New Holland Beer Barrel Bourbon (73.5)
- Russell’s Reserve 10 Year Old Bourbon (84.5)
- Wild Turkey Kentucky Straight Bourbon (86)
- Wild Turkey 101 Kentucky Straight Bourbon (89.5)
- Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit (87.5)
- Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select Bourbon (Batch 3 – 2013) (78)
- Woodford Reserve Double Barrel (89.5)
American Rye Whiskey
- Angel’s Envy Rum Finished Rye Whiskey (94.5)
- Bulleit Rye Frontier Whiskey (78.5)
- Bulleit Small Batch 95 Rye Whiskey (80)
- George Dickel Rye Whisky (89.5)
- High West Whiskey – Rendezvous Straight Rye Whiskey (89.5)
- Knob Creek Straight Rye Whiskey (88.5)
- Sonoma County Rye Whiskey (86)
- Woodford Reserve Rye Whiskey (90.5)
American Wheat Whiskey
- Bernheim Original (Kentucky Straight) Wheat Whiskey (83.5)
- Sonoma County 2nd Chance Wheat Whiskey (80.5)
Other American Whiskey
Irish Whisky Reviews
- Bushmills Black Bush (84.5)
- Dunville’s VR Old Irish Whiskey PX Cask Finish (89.5)
- Hell-Cat Maggie Irish Whisky (82)
- Jameson Irish Whiskey (79.5)
- Jameson Select Reserve (90.5)
- Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey (78.5)
- Knappogue Castle 12 Year Old Irish Whiskey (90.5)
- Paddy Irish Whiskey (83.5)
- Powers Gold Label Irish Whiskey (81.5)
- Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask Strength Cask – Batch B1/16 (97.5)
- Teeling Irish Whisky (Small Batch) (77.5)
- The Irishman Founder’s Reserve (85)
- The Irishman Caribbean Cask Finish (81.5)
- The Irishman Vintage Cask 2018 (90.5)
- Tullamore Dew Finest 12 Year Old Whisky (78.5)
- Writer’s Tears Cask Strength (96.5)
- Writer’s Tears Deau XO Cognac Cask Finish (91)
- Writers Tears Copper Pot Irish Whiskey (90)
- Writers Tears Pot Still Irish Whiskey (83.5)
- Writers Tears Red Head Single Malt (88.5)
Indian Whisky Reviews
- AC Black Whisky (78.5)
- Amrut Fusion Single Malt Whisky (93)
- McDowell’s No. 1 Reserve (80)
- Royal Pride Exquisite Whisky (76)
- Solan No. 1 Full Bodied Malt Whisky (84)
Japanese and Taiwan Whisky Reviews
New Zealand Whisky Reviews
- 1987 Single Malt Whisky (91)
- Dunedin Distillery – DoubleWood 10 Year Old (82)
- South Island 18 Year Old Single Malt (87.5)
Emerging World Whisky Reviews
- Diamond Club Black Label Malt Whisky (79.5 – Guyana)
Whisky – Spiced and Flavoured Reviews
Canadian Based Flavoured Whisky
- Black Velvet Toasted Caramel (75.5)
- Canadian Club Apple Whisky (83)
- Canadian Club Chairman’s Select Maple (82.5)
- Canadian Club Dock No. 57 Blackberry (74)
- Canadian Club Dock No. 57 Spiced (83)
- Centennial Canadian Rye Whisky Dark Chocolate (85)
- Centennial Honey Canadian Rye Whisky (85)
- Centennial Spiced Canadian Rye Whisky (89.5)
- Crown Royal Maple Finished™ Canadian Whisky (77)
- Crown Royal Regal Apple Flavored Whisky (78)
- Crown Royal Vanilla (76.5)
- Crown Royal Salted Caramel (82.5)
- Crown Royal Texas Mesquite (72)
- Forty Creek Spike Honey Spiced Whisky (78)
- J.P. Wiser’s Apple Whisky (82)
- J.P. Wiser’s Hopped Whisky (88.5)
- J.P. Wiser’s Old Fashioned Whisky Cocktail (70.5)
- J.P. Wiser’s Spiced Whisky No. 5 (Vanilla) (77.5)
- JP Wiser’s Spiced Whisky No. 9 (Torched Toffee) (77)
- Last Mountain Prairie Cherry Whisky (74)
- Revel Stoke Spiced Whisky (80.5)
- Saddleback Maple Bacon Whisky (82.5)
- SinFire Cinnamon Whisky (82)
- Sortilège Caramel (73)
- Sortilège Prestige 82
- Spicebox Cinnamon Canadian Spiced Whisky (78.5)
- Spicebox Pumpkin Spiced Whisky (82)
- Tap 357 Canadian Maple Rye Whisky (79.5)
- The Forager Botanical Whisky (86.5)
- White Owl Spiced Whisky (89)
- White Owl Ginger Lime Whisky 87.5
- Wild Cinnamon Whisky Liqueur (83)
- Wiser’s Spiced Whisky (Vanilla) (75.5)
Scottish Based Flavoured Whisky
American Based Flavoured Whisky
- Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey (69)
- Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire (78.5)
- Wild Turkey American Honey (82.5)
Whisky Based Cremes
- Ceili’s Cream (78)
- Ceili’s Cream Cappuccino ( 81)
- Forty Creek Cream Liquor (82)
- Sortilège Maple Cream (85)
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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)
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My reviews attempt to quantify the enjoyment which I receive from a particular whisky. The methodology I use is detailed here:
My Methodology
I want to caution the reader not to place too much emphasis on the actual scores that I assign. The scores reflect my enjoyment and not necessarily yours. Instead try to focus your attention on what factors that I identify which lead me to that score. The elements that I identify which provide enjoyment or distraction are more important than the scores. Particular flavours which appeal to me may not to you. In a manner of speaking, I am asking you to read between the lines of my reviews to ascertain their usefulness for yourself.
Enjoy the reviews, but more importantly, enjoy the spirits that inspired them! My aim is to enable you to drink better spirits, not to drink more spirits!