Category: Canadian Whiskey

Whiskey produced in the nation of Canada.

Review: Little Book Chapter 2: Noe Simple Task

On By MajorHopIn 80-84, American Whiskey, Canadian Whiskey, Jim Beam, Other American WhiskeyLeave a comment

Paid: $80 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: Jim Beam & Undisclosed Canadian Distiller(s) / Beam Suntory

Region: Kentucky & Canada

55.9% ABV

Aged For: NAS (Blend of 8, 13, and 40 Year whisky)

Mashbill: Undisclosed (Blend of Kentucky rye, Canadian rye, and Canadian Corn whisky)

Cask Type: Mix of new charred oak, re-charred barrels, and ex-bourbon casks

Chill Filtered: No

Color Added: No

Color: Golden

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Cinnamon rye spice, butterscotch, eucalyptus, vanilla syrup, lavender, caraway seeds, cracked corn, and caramel, the scent of alcohol lingers moderately in the background

Feel: Medium body

Taste: Cloves, tobacco, black pepper, rye, oak, cinnamon, toffee, butterscotch, herbal notes with perhaps cumin? Apple and VSOP brandy if I really focus on the fruit aspects. Bounces back and forth between sweet and spicy herbal.

Finish: Medium length and warmth. If the palate fought over spicy and sweet, sweet is winning now. Oak, vanilla, caramel, honey, butterscotch, and cream soda, with rye spice having a nice linger in the background.

Thoughts: I actually think Freddie made a decent blend here. The rye spices and sweet buttery flavors of old Canadian corn whisky pair nicely. The palate could have used a bit more body, and with most releases these days its priced $25 to $35 dollars over what it should be, but overall its something I think most fans of rye or bourbon would enjoy.

Score: 82 out of 100

Crown Royal Hand Selected Barrel Duex

On By MajorHopIn 75-79, Canadian Whiskey, Crown Royal, World WhiskeyLeave a comment

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Paid: $60 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: Crown Royal / Diageo

Region: Canada

51.5% ABV

Aged For: NAS

Mashbill: 64% corn, 31.5% rye, and 4.5% malted barley

Cask Type: New oak, and maybe reused casks

Chill Filtered: No

Color Added: No

Color: Gold

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Sharp grain, sweet oak, vanilla, honey, earth, flowers, and light bubblegum

Feel: Medium body

Taste: Sweet, simple syrup, honey, artificial vanilla, corn, and oak

Finish: Medium warmth and length, sweet oak and bubblegum, touches of fruit and oak

Thoughts: Much harsher than the last barrel I tried and I’m hoping some air will do this one good over time.

Score: 75 out of 100

Crown Royal Hand Selected Barrel

On By MajorHopIn 85-89, Canadian Whiskey, Crown Royal, World WhiskeyLeave a comment

Crown Royal Hand Selected Barrel

Price: $50 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: Crown Royal / Diageo

Region: Canada

51.5% ABV

Aged For: NAS

Mashbill: 64% corn, 31.5% rye, 4.5% malted barley

Cask Type: New oak

Chill Filtered: No

Color Added: No

 

 

Color: Amber

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Vanilla, honey, confectionary sugar, oak, sweet corn

Feel: Medium body

Taste: Vanilla, oak, sugar, honey, cinnamon, maple

Finish: Maple, butterscotch, cream, honey, pepper, and vanilla

Thoughts: There you go Crown, you can make a good whiskey! It’s on the sweet end, but the much-improved mouthfeel and robustness of higher proof address my beef with a lot of Canadian whiskey. Also the lack of filtration and additives help the flavor immensely.

Score: 85 out of 100

 

Orphan Barrel Entrapment

On By MajorHopIn 80-84, Canadian Whiskey, Gimli, World WhiskeyLeave a comment

Entrapment

Price: $125 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: Gimli / Diageo

Region: Canada

41% ABV

Aged For: 25 Years (Distilled 1992)

Mashbill: 97% corn, 3% barley

Cask Type: Ex-bourbon, possibly others

Chill Filtered: No

Color Added: No

 

 

Color: Light Amber

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Caramel, sugar, vanilla, oak, bubblegum, butterscotch

Feel: Light bodied

Taste: Vanilla, oak, caramel, brown sugar, rum like, coconut

Finish: Light warmth and shorter finish, sweet caramel and vanilla, with coconut, rum, and confectionary sugar

Thoughts: There’s nothing offensive about this, its sweet, straightforward and an easy sipper. But this in no way warrants it’s limited release status and the price it is selling for. It’s an alright whiskey that was put in a sexy bottle and selling given the current state of the whiskey market.

Score: 80 out of 100

Whistlepig 10 Single Barrel Exit 9 W&L

On By MajorHopIn 85-89, Alberta Distillers, Canadian Whiskey, Rye WhiskeyLeave a comment

Maker:0x4c,Date:2018-1-12,Ver:4,Lens:Kan03,Act:Lar01,E-Y

Paid: $70 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: Alberta Distillers / Whistlepig

Region: Canada / Vermont

60.4% ABV

Aged For: 10 Years

Mashbill: 100% rye

Cask Type: New charred oak

Chill Filtered: No

 

 

Color: Dark copper

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Vanilla, mint, oak, rye, herbs, pepper, cinnamon, caramel

Feel: Full bodied

Taste: Rye, cinnamon, leather, oak, caramel, vanilla, mint, and earth

Finish: Warm, and lasting, with oak, spices, sweet tobacco, coffee, cream and cinnamon

Thoughts: Not as good as the last single barrel WP I had but still a good buy in the current market, and a nice alternative to the MGP and Kentucky ryes.

Score: 87 out of 100

 

Lot 40 Cask Strength

On By MajorHopIn 75-79, Canadian Whiskey, Hiram Walker & Sons, World WhiskeyLeave a comment

Lot 40 CS

Price: $70 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: Hiram-Walker & Sons / Corby Spirit

Region: Canada

55% ABV

Mashbill: 100% rye

Aged For: 12 years

Cask Type: New white oak barrels

Chill Filtered: No

Color Added: Unknown

 

 

Color: Tawny

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn.

Nose: Rye spice, heavily floral, nutmeg, oak, fennel, dill, anise

Mouthfeel: Full bodied and dry

Palate/Taste: Rye, dill, mint, sage, bay leaves, chili peppers, mint, and a sour note

Finish: Warm and lasting, with the sour note again appearing for me, dry spices, tannins, and herbs

Thoughts: This is well made rye, and everyone else who has it loves it, so I’ll be the odd man out and say that even though I can appreciate it, I didn’t enjoy it that much. The flavors are just not tuned to my palate. So when you see my score, you can view it as one of my enjoyment, not the quality of the dram.

Score: 75 out of 100

J.P. Wiser’s 18

On By MajorHopIn 70-74, Canadian Whiskey, Hiram Walker & Sons, World WhiskeyLeave a comment

Wiser's 18

Price: $60 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: Hiram-Walker & Sons / Corby Spirit

Region: Canada

40% ABV

Aged For: 18 Years

Mashbill: Undisclosed, but no rye, high corn.

Cask Type: Ex-bourbon

Chill Filtered: Unknown, but likley

Color Added: Unknown

 

 

Color: Golden Hay

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Vanilla, vodka like grains, acetone, confectionary sugar

Feel: Watery

Taste: Vanilla, oak, toasted crackers. And white chocolate

Finish: Short with little warmth, vanilla and wood notes.

Thoughts: Pretty disappointing for an 18 year expression, its clearly been filtered and watered down too much and lost most of it’s character.

Score: 74 out of 100