Bearface has a brand goal to flip the script on what we consider blending. The Wilderness Series is the start of their story, a clear direction in where they’re going, and an understanding of the market.
Read MoreLot 40 Cask Strength whisky enjoys a cult following among Canadian whisky drinkers, one that is spreading worldwide as it continues to win awards. Lot 40, in all varieties, is 100% rye whisky. It’s aged in new oak and is more similar to American ryes than traditional Canadian ryes.
Read MoreAt first glance, it seems crazy to call Knob Creek 9 an underrated Bourbon. It’s been a successful brand for decades. And yet, the newly released 9 Year Old is a more modern take on Bourbon, especially when compared to the one discontinued in 2016. That’s my take. It’s going to gather even more fans.
Read MoreThis limited $80 bottle released in 2011 has sold for as much as $1,000 on the secondary market. A blend of marketing and whisky making, it stands (almost) alone for its story.
Read MoreOn a recent post on social media, someone new to the whisky world asked for what a favorite Japanese whisky was of the group. They got a response of a bunch of single malt distilleries, and this caused a great deal of confusion. The truth is, the posters forgot to mention all the Canadian whisky that also goes into a bottle of Japanese whisky!
Read MoreOver the last decade, whisky tastings have changed dramatically. If the crowd is older, you’ll often find pipettes and distilled water as part of the tasting experience. Younger whisky drinkers, though, often prefer cask strength varieties and wouldn’t dream of watering down their lower proof (45% ABV) whiskies.
Read MoreThe winner of the 2021 Canadian Whisky Awards happens to be the oldest Canadian whisky (likely) ever sold. Aged for 43 years, Canadian Club is a twist on age statements and themes.
Read MoreAfter being part of a fourteen-person panel that judged hundreds of samples from artisan distilleries from across Canada, I have some thoughts on distilleries in Canada. Spoiler—they’re all positive.
Read MoreCompetitive drinking is tough. After college, anyway. And, no, I don't mean to drink as much as possible in a short period of time. I mean, when it comes to judging whisky competitions with the purpose of scoring them on a 100 point scale.
Read MoreHi! I’m really excited about this, and I wanted to share.
You’ve seen me from such places as Whisky Buzz (mostly whisky reviews), The Whisky Topic Podcast, a terribly neglected YouTube channel, or Instagram (or possibly a combination of the above!). I’ve made a few changes to how content is delivered, and I hope this will allow me to continue delivering content to all of you in a more consistent way
Read MoreGlencairn is the original whisky glass. To mark their 20th anniversary, they’ve released a limited number of colourful whisky glasses:
Read MoreDue to COVID times and its affect on premium whisky sales, we will not be seeing a 2020 release of the Northern Border Collection. As unfortunate as this is, I’m glad to see Dr. Don Livermore and team come in with a few new whisky releases for the year. Pike Creek 15 Year Old is one of these new limited releases.
Read MoreTempleton Rye is not (what most people would consider) a real rye. It is, though, legally a rye. It’s just not a straight rye which is what most people assume when they drink rye. It’s history is largely 💩. It’s not the first whisky with a questionable past, and won’t be the last, but Templeton has the distinct honour of being sued for their dishonesty. It stands along side with Tito’s Vodka claims to be hand made. Tito’s continues to be the best selling brand in North America, so I just 🤷♂️ at that, and whether it matters at all.
Read MoreFrom previous reviews, you can tell that I’m a big fan of Barrell Craft Spirits. It seems they can do no wrong when it comes to bourbon. Dovetail, though, isn’t a bourbon. It’s a whisky that has plenty of barrel finishes, and those barrel finishes aren't subtle. Not one bit. When we had Will Schragis from Barrell Craft Spirits on the podcast, he suggested this is a great place to start if you’re new to BCS. I agree.
Read MoreWee Beastie. The name is adorbs. The single malt scotch is aged for five years, two years longer than minimum. Non-chill filtered, no added coloring, and no cask finishes—matured in a mix of European (Oloroso) and American oak. And to quote Bry Simpson, the Canadian Brand Ambassador’s, favorite phrase: “It’s a banger!”
Read MoreThe source of this rye makes for an interesting story, but in the case of Barrel Rye Batch Three, it’s a footnote rather than a defining characteristic. One might hear that this batch is a blend of ryes from Tennessee, Indiana, Poland, and Canada and think it’ll taste otherworldly or weird or funky. It does none of those things. It tastes like a terrific American cask strength rye, with a floral (almost Lot 40 rye-like) nose to it. It’s a beautiful blend.
Read MoreBarrell Bourbon uses their large stock of procured barrels, and blends the best complimentary set of straight bourbons. Each batch is different, and each batch is uniquely created toward a specific flavour profile.
Read MoreLisa Wicker is taking Widow Jane Distillery in an interesting direction with the Vaults series. Like with other Widow Jane Bourbons, its a blend of multiple producers, but this series is finished in staves that have been seasoned for eight years. From the perspective of flavouring, there’s a lot going on, and it all fits in nicely.
Read MoreThis Brooklyn distillery has undergone a few changes since I last wrote about them. The distillery is under new ownership, and they’ve hired Kentucky’s Lisa Wicker as their head distillery (Lisa was more recently named the president as well). Under new management, gone are the criticisms of the past.
Read MoreGlassware matters. I’ve been drinking out of Glencairn glass since my first whisky festival. It changed the way I understood whisky. When we had Raymond Davidson on the podcast, I learned that it was Raymond’s love for tasting terrific whisky that drove this innovation.
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