Pike Creek 15 Year Old Cabernet Sauvignon Finish - A Foreign Affair (that’s not foreign at all, or very affair-ish), but it is delicious!

Pike Creek 15 Year Old Cabernet Sauvignon Finish - A Foreign Affair (that’s not foreign at all, or very affair-ish), but it is delicious!

Due 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.

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J.P. Wiser’s Rare Cask Seven Rebels Review - On the Rye Side, Without the Rye

J.P. Wiser’s Rare Cask Seven Rebels Review - On the Rye Side, Without the Rye

J.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.

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Gooderham & Worts 49 Wellington - This is the most interesting whisky coming out of Hiram-Walker thus far

Gooderham & Worts 49 Wellington - This is the most interesting whisky coming out of Hiram-Walker thus far

Gooderham & Worts 49 Wellington demonstrates two rarely used components from Hiram-Walker Distillery that hint at where future product development is going. First, the whisky is partially matured with red oak inserts. Second, the four grain blend includes whisky matured in barrels made from 100% red winter wheat. Both these elements are a look into the exciting products that’ll be coming out from the distillery in the future.

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J.P. Wiser’s 23 Review - The Ultimate Cask Strength Blend!

J.P. Wiser’s 23 Review - The Ultimate Cask Strength Blend!

If it’s only going to do a few things, it needs to do them well. That’s what J.P. Wiser’s 23 Year Old brings to the table. This is a clean beautiful whisky with a ton of intense flavours, and I think it’s going to be a favorite of many.

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Pike Creek 21 Year Old 2019 Edition Review - Finished in Oloroso Sherry Casks

Pike Creek 21 Year Old 2019 Edition Review - Finished in Oloroso Sherry Casks

In this year’s vintage release of the Northern Border Collection (Canada’s version of BTAC), Pike Creek 21 Year Old is finished in Oloroso Sherry Casks. Aged Canadian whisky comes with a heavy fortitude of flavours, and this rich sweet Oloroso casks compliment those rich char and caramel notes perfectly.

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Gooderham & Worts Eleven Souls - The Blender's Wheelhouse

Gooderham & Worts Eleven Souls - The Blender's Wheelhouse

The Gooderham & Worts brand is the most exciting brand owned by Corby’s, the company behind J.P. Wiser’s, Lot No. 40, and many other brands coming out of Hiram-Walker Distillery in Windsor. It’s getting the reputation of being a blender’s playhouse, and the blender with all the great barrels is Dr. Don Livermore. Winner of the 2019 Master Blender of the year, Dr. Don Livermore was tasked with choosing eleven barrels to blend for this year’s special release.

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Canadian Club 41 Year Old - The Most Celebrated Canadian Whisky of 2018 (and it's still available!)

Canadian Club 41 Year Old - The Most Celebrated Canadian Whisky of 2018 (and it's still available!)

Canadian Club 41 Year Old is undoubtably the most celebrated whisky of the 2018 season. It’s also readily (as of this posting) available at the LCBO. This is, at least in part, a controversial whisky in price-point, the way it’s made, and value. Where you fall on this will largely depend on your philosophy as a consumer. Either way, this is a terrific compliment to last year’s 40 year old release.

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Lot No. 40 Cask Strength 11 Year Old (2018) Review (and comparison with 2017)

Lot No. 40 Cask Strength 11 Year Old (2018) Review (and comparison with 2017)

In the summer of 2017, Master Blender Dr. Don Livermore called the Hiram-Walker warehouse manager to ask that the six barrels intended for the that afternoon’s tasting be brought outdoors. This was unusual. Typically, when doing a tour through Hiram-Walker distillery, the much anticipated barrel tasting happens within the warehouse. That summer of August, though, was the day of the eclipse.

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Canadian Club Aged 40 Years - Not your everyday CC Rye

Canadian Club Aged 40 Years - Not your everyday CC Rye

Canadian Club joined the 2017 party of great Canadian whisky releases. This was an LCBO-only release at $250 a bottle, and it sold out within minutes. It’s apparently a hot-commodity in after-market trading. There are a few things not commonly spoken of when making Canadian Club 40, and it reflects in the flavour.

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J.P. Wiser's Seasoned Oak - A continued celebration of Canadian blends

J.P. Wiser's Seasoned Oak - A continued celebration of Canadian blends

J.P. Wiser’s Seasoned Oak is part of the rare cask series, an annual unique release that comes out in time for father’s day. Last year’s release featured Dissertation, a play on Dr. Don Livermore’s PhD. With Seasoned Oak, this is a further celebration of the flavours barrels bring to the whisky we enjoy.

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J.P. Wiser’s Aged 35 Years Review - A spry youthful 35 year old whisky!

J.P. Wiser’s Aged 35 Years Review - A spry youthful 35 year old whisky!

Many are surprised to know that J.P. Wiser’s 18 contains no prominent rye, and yet there’s a wonderful spice component to the whisky. All of that spice comes from barrel maturation. The base product here is a double-distilled corn whisky aged in reused American bourbon barrels. The 18 doesn’t get enough attention, primarily because it’s a little too one-note for some, but it makes a rich and dry whisky that competes wonderfully with many Scotches at and above its price-point of $60.

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Pike Creek 21 Year Old Finished in Speyside Single Malt Casks Review

Pike Creek 21 Year Old Finished in Speyside Single Malt Casks Review

Pike Creek is the ‘finishing’ brand for Corby Spirit & Wines, the company behind Lot No 40 and J.P. Wiser’s. Cask finishings is a process in which whisky is primarily aged in one type of barrel, and then finished (for anywhere between 3 months to many years) in another type of barrel. This second barrel is intended to impart more complex notes to the original whisky. It’s a process most common in Scotland, but it’s not limited to Scotland.

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Gooderham & Worts Little Trinity 3 Grain Blend Review - Not So Little on Flavour

Gooderham & Worts Little Trinity 3 Grain Blend Review - Not So Little on Flavour

When speaking with Dr. Don Livermore, Master Blender for Hiram-Walker, you can tell his next obsession is going to be wheat. It’s right there, aging in barrels. I’ve had a few samples, and believe me, you’ve not tasted wheat like this before. Dr. Don is going to perfect the grain. While I’m not predicting an all-wheat whisky, I do expect wheat to be a more predominant grain used in future releases. Gooderham & Worts Little Trinity 3 Grain Blend is a hint of this future.

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Northern Border Collection Rare Whiskies to trigger the “Global reappraisal of our Canadian spirit”

Northern Border Collection Rare Whiskies to trigger the “Global reappraisal of our Canadian spirit”

Ross Hendry, Pernod-Richard’s director from premium Canadian Whisky, is bullish on his company’s next move: “Mark this moment in your memories. Years from now we will look back at it as pivotal in the journey we are on to drive the reappraisal of our national spirit.” After the success of J.P. Wiser’s Rare Cask releases (including Union 52, Dissertation, and Last Barrels), the Canadian division of Pernod-Richard (Corby’s Spirits and Wines) is ready to make the big move.

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J.P. Wiser’s One Fifty - Undisputed Winner in Canada's Celebration

J.P. Wiser’s One Fifty - Undisputed Winner in Canada's Celebration

J.P. Wiser’s (or more generally, Corby’s) is the only big Canadian whisky company truly embracing today’s whisky drinker. Other whisky brands will argue the point, certainly, but J.P. Wiser’s deserves the credit. A decade ago, we had Forty Creek leading the Canadian whisky category. Five or so years ago, this category has grown with Canadian Club 100% Rye, Dark Horse, and Corby’s own Lot No 40. Barrels of whisky purchased from Alberta Distillers made big inroads, but were all sold under the US flag (Masterson’s & WhistlePig as an example). Last year we were left asking the question, who would take the next big leap?

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J.P. Wiser’s Dissertation - Dr. Don Approved

J.P. Wiser’s Dissertation - Dr. Don Approved

The term “rare cask” gets tossed around in Scotland. It’s code for expensive, not necessarily rare, but J.P. Wiser’s has made true on their promise to produce rare whiskies that are also quite affordable (often around $60 Canadian). The first in the series, Last Barrels, sold exclusively in Ontario through the LCBO. Not long after, the BC Liquor Board wanted their own special release. They received Union 52. That was 2016. With the success of those two releases, J.P. Wiser’s has gone all in with the Rare Cask series. Dissertation is a continuation of this whisky conversation of new types of Canadian whisky releases.

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Gooderham & Worts 4 Grain - Canadian Tradition & Innovation In One Bottle

Gooderham & Worts 4 Grain - Canadian Tradition & Innovation In One Bottle

In 1900, Gooderham & Worts was the largest distillery in the world. It was located in what is now Toronto’s historic Distillery District. The company was started by James Worts, a Englishman that opened up a prominent windmill in Canada. He went into business with his brother-in-law, William Gooderham.

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