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 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 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 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 MoreThis Lychee liqueur barrel finished cask strength whisky is a premium product from Nantou Distillery. It sells for over two-thousand dollars a bottle. It’s a unique product to a region that's known for their lychees.
Read MoreJ.P. Wiser’s Rare Cask Seven Rebels is a terrific rye, with no (or very little) rye grain in it. Instead, burnt staves were used to impart a very spicy oaky note that’ll trick the senses that this is a high rye whisky. It’s a fascinating product, with an interesting history.
Read MoreWhile Pappy Van Winkle gets the credit for popularizing luxury Bourbon, I’d like to argue that it’s not the most influential style of bourbon. If you look at oaky high-proof bombs of today, that style of whisky started with George T. Stagg. It’s the bourbon that influenced a bunch of influencers to love oaky bourbons. Thus (potentially) dramatically changing the types of whiskies coming to market.
Read MoreSam Simmons, the head of Atom Brands (and former global ambassador to The Balvenie), ran a tasting at The Caledonian last month. He was, as per his usual style, forthcoming. He made clear that he doesn’t want bloggers to write about Darkness Sherry Cask 8 Year Old. “It’s not about that. It’s about enjoying a terrific scotch with friends,” he said.
Read MoreA while ago Maker’s Mark had a problem. They made the perfect clean smooth wheated bourbon. Meanwhile, a modern palate wanted more ‘rye’ spice, and more ‘oaky’ notes, and other elements that Maker’s Mark’s perfect formula was lacking. Their ingenious answer was to use oak staves in a brief extra-maturation process to add additional flavours to the whisky. Maker’s Mark 46 was born, and the results were terrific.
Read MoreThe Macallan Estate whisky is made from barley grown on the property. Where barely is grown, and the type of barley grown, matters.
Read MoreWe finish our complete review of the Spirits Advent Calendar, 5th edition! Did they save he best for last? I think they might just have!
Read MoreGrowing up in Canada, anCnoc Distillery wasn’t a distillery that got a lot of attention. It wasn’t available here. When it came to market, it was hard to quantify. It’s not a splashy distillery. It’s a traditional single malt whisky maker that takes pride in the little things that make a great whisky. You can read more about anCnoc distillery elsewhere. You can also listen to our podcast with the Gordons.
Read MoreLast Straw Distillery is located just north of Toronto, in the township on Vaughn. While they’re aging traditional whiskies, and they released their first rye late last year, they’ve also dug deep into the archives by fermenting and distilling in the ways of moonshiners.
Read MoreA whisky review of Little Book Chapter One The Easy, Little Book Chapter Two Noe Simple Task, and Little Book Chapter 3 “The Road Home” and a closer look into their stories, the bourbon category, and the general American whisky category.
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