> Alberta Premium 30 Year Old Limited Edition®
Crisp clean oak and fresh red cedar, ripe fruit, butterscotch, vanilla, grapefruit pith, simmering spices, and dusty rye. A quick explosion of flavour followed by a slow, complex reveal. Rich & Oaky. ★★★★★
> Alberta Premium aged 25 years (40% alc./vol.)
Sweet vanilla pods and fresh-cut lumber. A complex mosaic of flavours from cedar to tropical fruit set on a creamy base with hot pepper and a delicate underlying citric zest. Rich & Oaky. ★★★★★
> Alberta Premium Dark Horse 45% alc/vol
Whisky drinkers seeking richer, more robust, and more sophisticated flavours will find that Alberta Premium Dark Horse delivers exactly that – an extraordinary symphony of rye. ★★★★★
> Alberta Springs aged 10 years (40% alc./vol.)
Luscious and weighty with beautifully integrated aromatic spices and waves of white pepper. Sweet, like Mackintosh’s® toffee, vanilla and dried fruit. Citric zest, linen, some dustiness, and hints of oak. Spicy Rye. ★★★★☆
> Amherst Gate 40%
Sweet, peppery and hot with dusty old wood, citrus zest, and burnt toffee that ends with a refreshing grapefruit pithiness. It’s a bit spirity which is why it works so well in cocktails and highballs. ★★★
> Bison Ridge Special Reserve 8 Year Old (40% alc/vol)
Buttery caramels with refreshing bitters in an oaky, peppery, and weighty dram. Mouth warming, spicy and smooth as the proverbial silk. Simple, straight forward, and richly flavourful. ★★★★
> Black Velvet aged 3 years (40% alc./vol. (80 proof))
Candy, sweet, dark fruit, cream sherry, pepper and hot spices, dusty, floral rye, spirit, slight zestiness, and hints of fresh wood. Fruity and Spicy. ★★★
> Black Velvet Deluxe (40% alc./vol.)
Creamy caramel and hot pepper. Ripe dark fruit, citric zest, fresh-cut wood and hints of spirit. Mild rye spices – cloves, cinnamon, ginger. A bit under-stated. Spicy Rye. ★★★☆
> Black Velvet Reserve 8 years old (40% abv (80 proof))
Caramel and pepper dominate well-defined fruits, fresh oak, vanilla, rye spices and zesty undertones. Both dusty and oily. Rich and Round. ★★★★
> Black Velvet Toasted Caramel 35% alc/vol
Succulent buttery caramel cream, canned cream-style corn and Mackintosh’s toffee waft gently into softly glowing peppery rye spices.
> Bush Pilot’s Private Reserve (43% alc./vol.)
Crisp, clean, Canadian oak. Musty corn, cardboard, gentle caramels and vanilla. Herbal, slightly spicy and quite peppery with a cleansing citric pith. Malty & Dry. ★★★★☆
> Canadian Club 30 year old (40% alc./vol.)
Fragrant and flavourful with sweet dark fruit, loads of fresh-cut wood, hot pepper, and recurring rich tobacco notes. Deceptively complex and surprisingly lively. Rich & Round. ★★★★★
> Canadian Club aged 15 years (40% alc./vol.)
Creamy smooth and full-bodied. Peppery with subtle, understated fresh cedar, black fruits, caramel, musty corn, citric zest, and pith. Soft Corn. ★★★★☆
> Canadian Club aged 20 years (40% alc./vol.)
A weighty, highly integrated, and fruity synthesis of wood, toffee, vanilla, dusty rye, and baking spices, with developing hot pepper, dark fruits, prune juice, and citric zest. Rich & Oaky. ★★★★★
> Canadian Club Classic 12 year old (40% alc./vol.)
Sweet oak caramels and burnt sugar, raisins, prunes, and Christmas cake. Peppery with a slippery creaminess and underlying notes of clean oak. Fruity & Spicy. ★★★☆
> Canadian Club Dock No. 57 (40% alc/vol)
A typical fruity, rye-forward Canadian Club nose becomes sweet, hot, and spicy on the tongue. The most whisky like of the spiced whiskies with added notes of black licorice, Mom’s baking vanilla and a touch of clean oak.
> Canadian Club Reserve 10 years old (40% alc./vol.)
Sweet, peppery, and fruity, with a pleasing bitter zest. Hard, flinty, earthy rye tinged with cinnamon and ginger. Nice weight and creamy mouthfeel. Spicy Rye. ★★★★
> Canadian Club Sherry Cask (41.3% alc./vol.) Batch SC-018
Rich and very fruity– from raisins to peaches to berries. Sweet hot tobacco, black tea, pencil shavings, pepper and baking spices. Fruity & Spicy. ★★★★☆
> Canadian Hunter 40% alc./vol. (80 proof)
Faint spirit evolves into robust rye spices with rich butterscotch, hints of dry grain, and ripe dark fruits. Very flavourful and mouth-filling with sizzling pepper, fleshy dark fruits and lime peel. Spicy Rye. ★★★☆
> Canadian Mist (40% alc./vol. (80 proof))
Toffee sweet, vanilla, grassy with citric fruits, and a cleansing bitter lemon zest. Some earthiness, sour mash, rye grain and rye spices, with a youthful spirit. Malty & Dry. ★★★☆
> Canadian Mist Black Diamond (43% alc./vol. (86 proof))
Brio, cola, white pepper, ginger, sultanas, prunes, coconut, grapefruit zest and juice, dry grain, mash, and hints of fresh-cut lumber. Fruity & Spicy. ★★★☆
> Canadian Rockies 10 Year Old 40% alc/vol
An excellent example of a well-aged Canadian whisky with a bold display of gingery spice, pepper, exotic fruit – kumquats, passion fruit – and oak. Finishes with a slight pleasing pithiness. ★★★★☆
> Canadian Rockies 21 Year Old 40% alc/vol
Robust, yet elegant and fine. Continues to develop in the mouth and in the glass. Sip slowly for maximum pleasure. Red cedar, lilacs, kumquats, and spicy-hot pepper in a rich butterscotch. ★★★★★
> Caribou Crossing Single Barrel (40% alc./vol. (80 proof))
Creamy vanilla, a dusting of rye spices, bursts of citrus and a veritable tsunami of fresh-cut wood. Soft Corn. ★★★★★
> Century Reserve Lot 15/25 40% alc/vol
Charred oak, pencil shavings and silky tannins melt into sweet citrus fruit, marzipan, hints of flowers and a certain meatiness. Peppery baking spices. Finishes long and hot with woody undertones. A carpenter’s nirvana. ★★★★★
> Chinook 5 year old Canadian Whisky (40% alc./vol.)
Ripe fruit and stewed prunes with vanilla coconut custard, blistering hot spices and a nutty cereal side accented with rose water, dusty roads and hints of oak. Fruity & Spicy. ★★★☆
> Collingwood (40% alc/vol.) Canadian Whisky Review
Dark fruits, Concord grapes, roses and spring flowers with a rich and creamy mouthfeel. Split cherry firewood with earthy rye and tingling hot pepper. Floral & Fragrant. ★★★★
> Collingwood 21-Year-Old Canadian Rye
Mellow, smooth and oh so robust with dark and sour rye bread, floral tones, something like licorice, and loads of herbal notes. The smoothest of the smooth. ★★★★☆
> Coyote Ugly Canadian Whisky (40% alc/vol)
Scotch snobs who rely on age statements to tell them if they like what they are drinking take note: Coyote Ugly is one three-year-old shooting whisky that is simply loaded with flavour. Loaded! Recommended. ★★★☆
> Crown Royal Black 45% alc./vol. (90 proof)
Rum-soaked Christmas cake. Creamy, with vanilla, hot pepper, ginger, dark fruit, orange bitters, Bourbon, charcoal, oak, and floral notes. Rich and Round. ★★★★
> Crown Royal Cask No. 16 (40% alc./vol.)
Peaches, apricots, Concord grapes and Port wine with rye spices, hot white pepper, peach pits and bitter lemon. Fresh-cut lumber. Fruity & Spicy. Last Call – 2013. ★★★★☆
> Crown Royal Fine De Luxe from 1963 (40% alc./vol.)
A complex synthesis of ginger, clove oil, hot white pepper, cedar lumber, and prunes, with fresh spring lilacs and pansies and wilted tobacco. Caramel, vanilla and cooling citric pith. Rich & Oaky. ★★★★★
> Crown Royal Limited Edition (40% abv)
Controlled, elegant, creamy, and balanced with nutmeg, cloves and ginger, hot pepper and peppermint, green and ripe apples, floral bourbon-like vanilla and oak, cereal, and orange bitters. Spicy Rye. ★★★★☆
> Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye 45%
Sweetness and apple pie with hints of roses that develop tingly spices, crispy wood and typical rye fruitiness. Smooth vanilla pudding with a buttery finish. ★★★★★
> Crown Royal X.O.
The smoothest Crown Royal ever, except for the 1939 original. Rich and creamy in the mouth with clean wood, leather, tobacco and ripe black fruits Some berry notes and sizzling gingery pepper. ★★★★★
> Crown Royal XR – Extra Rare (40% alc./vol.)
A rich, weighty, hugely complex and skillfully structured whisky displaying ripe red fruit, fresh-cut oak, hot spices, dry grain, and violets. Rich & Oaky. ★★★★☆
> Crown Royal XR LaSalle Canadian Whisky
★★★★☆ Prune juice, sweet sherry and black fruit with spicy heat, clean oak and a delectable mix of clean farm smells and coniferous forest. Rich and creamy with a dash of black licorice.
> Danfield’s Limited Edition 21 years old (40% alc./vol.)
Classic rye spices—cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and pepper—all brought together in a lumber yard. Sweet, fragrant wood with a tangy citric zest and lots of weight. Rich & Oaky. ★★★★☆
> Dillon’s – The White Rye 40%
Dillon’s unaged Canadian rye grain spirit is handcrafted in a copper pot still, from 100% Ontario-grown rye, without being aged in wood, thus showcasing the pristine flavours of the rye grain itself.
> Dillon’s Rye Whisky 59%
Hot, and sweet with dark fruits, creamy cereals, hints of pansies. Burley tobacco takes it into the lower registers as do hints of oak. A bright, lively, potent, but not overly complex whisky, with a sweet and fruity finish.★★★★☆
> Dock 57 Blackberry 40% alc/vol
Blueberries, grape popsicle, sweet simple syrup and maybe just a hint of clean oak in a whisky liqueur-cum-ice-cream-topping designed for summer patio or winter hot spot bliss.
> Forty Creek Barrel Select (40% alc./vol.)
Creamy, sweet corn whisky with dusty, earthy rye, ripe red fruits, sherry, sweet-and-sour sauce, floral perfume, ginger, cinnamon, hot pepper, and hints of citric peels. Fruity & Spicy. ★★★★
> Forty Creek Confederation Oak Reserve (40% alc./vol.)
Butterscotch, fresh-cut wood, toasted oak and wood smoke. Sweet vanilla, berries, barbeque sauce, mash, granola. Restrained, but full-flavoured. Rich & Round. ★★★★☆
> Forty Creek Copper Pot Reserve 43% alc/vol
Rich toffee and searing chili peppers with bursting rye spices, rye grain and bitter orange. A delicate floral touch with oaky maple syrup. Rich and hearty. ★★★★
> Forty Creek Cream Liquor 17% alc/vol
John K. Hall looked to Ireland for inspiration when crafting one of his latest creations, a cream liquor, made with fresh Ontario dairy cream in a base of Forty Creek whisky.
> Forty Creek Double Barrel Reserve (40% alc./vol.)
Toasted oak sugars, vanilla, hot pepper, mustard, and ginger. Lemon cream, sweet- and-sour rye, dry grain, new sawdust, fresh fruit, and a citric zestiness. Almost chewy. Soft Corn. ★★★★☆
> Forty Creek Heart of Gold 43% – Preview
Oh my, what wonderful whisky! On-line reservations from Monday, May 27th to Friday, June 21st, 2013. After that you take your chances.
> Forty Creek John’s Private Cask No. 1 Review
Bursting gingery spice bombs, dark fruits, clean sweet wood, and crème caramel. A spice
“Monster.” Sultry fruits and dusky rye spices like fireworks in an ancient muggy rainforest. Spicy Rye. ★★★★★
> Forty Creek Port Wood Reserve 2012 45% alc/vol
Full-bodied with floral rye, black fruit, herbs, butterscotch, licorice root, celery, gunpowder, & old Madeira. Spiced fruit berries, apple cider, sweet pipe tobacco, clean oak, peppery cloves and cinnamon hearts. ★★★★★
> Forty Creek Three Grain Harmony
Mountains of dark fruit, toffee, and crispy oak burst to life amidst searing peppers. The initial boldness is then tempered with a delicate range of fruits, spices and floral notes. Complex. ★★★★★
> Gibson’s Bold 8 year old 46%
Redolent of rum, kola beans, vanilla, and sweet rye on the nose and the ever-so-robust palate. Sizzling spices spiciness and the classic Gibson’s grapefruit pith finish. ★★★★
> Gibson’s Finest aged 12 years (40% alc./vol.)
Crème brûlée, oak, cedar, spicy pepper, cloves, citric zest, black fruits, strawberries and cream. Masterfully balanced and seamlessly integrated. Rich & Oaky. ★★★★
> Gibson’s Finest Rare Bourbon Cask (40% alc./vol.)
Creamy, soft, round and smooth. Fresh-cut wood, caramel, and vanilla. Hot peppery spices, a slight saltiness, and gentle citric zest. Mildly floral and fruity. Soft Corn. ★★★★
> Gibson’s Finest Sterling (40% alc/vol)
Rich and creamy mouthfeel with a plethora of sweet fruits and berries, citric zest and pith, a nuttiness, black pepper, and hints of spirit. Soft Corn. ★★★★
> Gibson’s Finest 100th Grey Cup Limited Edition
Spicy rye, butterscotch, and vanilla fudge, with glowing with heat. Hot pepper is softened by vanilla ice cream and fresh dairy butter. Real maple sugar and real maple syrup accentuate clean wood.
> Gibson’s Finest Rare 18 years old (40% alc./vol.)
Sweet, spicy oak and pine sawdust, rich in toffee, vanilla, and hot spicy pepper. Biscuits, with typical rye dustiness, spice, fruit, and just a drop of pickle juice. Rich & Oaky. ★★★★★
> Glen Breton Battle of the Glen (43% alc./vol.)
A complex interplay of fresh fruit, spring flowers, nutty grain, and hot white pepper all kept in place by the pith of white grapefruit. Floral & Fragrant. ★★★★☆
> Golden Wedding 40% abv
Hot, peppery and slightly spirity. Rich in toffee, with hints of burnt caramel and nutty dry grain. Dusty rye with earthy and flinty overtones and hints of pickle juice. Cooked fruit and hints of flowers. ★★★☆
> Gooderham & Worts (44.4%)
Pansies, clean, crisp oak, dry grain, dark fruits and pithy citrus notes. Tightly integrated and very complex. Great Canadian whisky. ★★★★★
> Grand Grizzly (40% Alc/Vol)
Black pepper and an earthiness reminiscent of agave spirit give way to hard and gingery rye while citrus zest, with dark fruits, real black pepper, and dashes of pickle juice meld into cold wet slate. ★★★★
> Highwood 25 Year Old Calgary Stampede Whisky
Vanilla ice cream with butterscotch pudding and real maple syrup. Fresh, sweet red cedar and weathered wood, dried cloves, sweet grapefruit juice. ★★★★★
> Highwood Canadian Maple Whisky 22% alc/vol
What’s a visitor to bring home from a visit to Canada? The easy answer is maple syrup. The whisky lover’s answer is Highwood’s maple whisky.
> Highwood Ninety 20 Year Old (45% alc/vol)
Rich, luxurious and creamy sweet with dark fruit, maple cream, cooked corncobs, hot peppermint candy and both sweet and savoury spices. Huge, complex and simply gorgeous. ★★★★★
> JP Wiser’s Hopped Whisky (40%)
Canvas and burlap with heavy fall flowers and dry brown hay. The palate begins with burnt caramel, searing spices and ripe orchard fruits and ends in a long juicy finish with a slight bitterness that integrates IPA hops and citrus pith. ★★★★☆
> JP Wisers Last Barrels 45%
Floral fruity esters, sweet butterscotch, balsam, crisp clean wood, tobacco, vanilla, dark fruits, silky corn and lively peppers The glories of great spirit matured slowly. ★★★★★
> JP Wiser’s Double Still Rye (43.4%)
Big whisky with butterscotch, bracing hot peppers, sweet baking spices, dried grain, roasted chestnuts, dried fruit, and coffee beans. ★★★★☆
> Lord Calvert Canadian (Seagram’s 1970-80s) 40% alc./vol.
Maple butter, vanilla, and butterscotch. Dry wood, shellac, cedar, apricots and lilacs. Fresh-churned butter. Balanced, simple, and very flavourful. Soft Corn. ★★★☆
> Lot 40 (43% alc./vol.)
Rye, rye bread, sour rye, floral rye, hard rye, earthy rye, dusty rye grain, and then sweet citric notes, oranges, hot peppery spices, and tannic wood. Spicy Rye. ★★★★★
> Lot No. 40 – 2012 Release 43% alc/vol
Hard Christmas candy, sour rye and sweet fruitiness with hot pepper, hotter spices and heavy rye bread. A pleasing farminess accents sweet floral esters. ★★★★★
> Masterson’s Straight Rye Whiskey (45% alc./vol.)
A carefully crafted panorama of grassy dry grain, moist earth and burlap sacks, along with zingy pepper, blossoming floral vanilla, fragrant leather and tobacco leaves. Spicy Rye. ★★★★★
> Mastersons 12 Year Old Straight Wheat Whiskey (50% alc/vol)
Grand Marnier, luscious sweet buckwheat honey, creamy, rich and mouth filling, bran buds with chocolate milk, hot and peppery. Dried, dark fruits, barrel notes. Creamy and weighty in the mouth. Highly recommended. ★★★★☆
> Masterson’s Straight Barley Whiskey (46% alc/vol)
Unusual 100% unmalted barley whisky with a huge herbal nose and dusty herbal palate. Earth, corn cobs, fennel, green apples, sweet spices and crème brulée. ★★★★★
> My Very Own Crown Royal
Dark ripe fruit, lively spices, clean crisp oak, simmering white pepper and citrus zest all wrapped in luscious butterscotch. Big, big whisky.
> Pendleton 1910 Canadian Rye Whisky 40% alc./vol
Butterscotch and maple fudge with cleansing zesty limes. Gingery hot pepper and fresh cooling mint. Crisp charred oak. Rich, weighty, balanced, and ever so complex. Fruity & Spicy. ★★★★☆
> Pendleton Midnight (45%)
Full bodied with hefty toffee notes and searing peppers over flinty rye, citrus notes and soft fruit. ★★★★☆ (Four and one half stars)
> Pike Creek – Export Edition (40% alc/vol)
Red wine and ripe red fruit with candied ginger, caramel and blistering pepper. Minty and herbal notes complement the softest oak tannins. A big, slippery, smooth, voluptuous whisky. ★★★★☆
> Pike Creek 10 year old 40% alc/vol
Spicy dark fruit, poached pears, gingery spice, and clean oak. Like a nutty fruit bar with cleansing bitter grapefruit pith on the finish. Treads softly into single malt territory. ★★★★★
> Proof Whisky (42% alc./vol) – Canadian Whisky Preview
Introducing Proof Whisky, a new Canadian whisky from Toronto’s Proof Brands, that has been showing up quietly on LCBO shelves for the past couple of weeks.
> Revel Stoke Spiced Whisky (45% alc/vol (90 proof))
Rich and creamy; smooth as the proverbial baby’s bottom. Vanilla, camphor, cherry cough drops, spicy pepper, and pleasing citric pith. Tasty Spice.
> Rich & Rare 40% alc./vol. (80 proof)
A vibrant young whisky with a lush and creamy richness. Caramel and sweet fruits swim in peppery rye spices, musty rye and sweet fruit. A tightly balanced mixer. ★★★☆
> Rich & Rare Reserve (40% alc./vol. (80 proof))
Full-flavoured and peppery with creamy maple syrup, clean oak, hints of rose petals, dark fruit, and tangy oranges. Fruity and Spicy. ★★★★
> Royal Canadian Small Batch (40% alc/vol (80 proof))
A very sweet fruit smoothie with earthy rye, hints of fresh oak, hot pepper, baking spices, pickle juice, spirit, and refreshing bitter notes. Fruity & Spicy. ★★★☆
> Royal Reserve Canadian Rye Whisky (40% alc./vol.)
Prototypical light and smooth 1970s cocktail whisky. Starts small, gradually becoming complex but subtle, with brittle rye, hot pepper, creamy toffee and lemon zing. Spicy Rye. ★★★☆
> Royal Velvet (40% alc./vol.)
Pine pitch, Canada balsam, butterscotch, clove oil, dusty rye, pickle juice, hot pepper, flowers, and assorted fruits all neatly stitched into one. ★★★★☆
> Seagram’s VO (40% alc./vol.)
Much nuance, many hints. Pepper, ginger and other rye spices, ripe dark fruit, earth, dry grain, floral notes, vanilla, cedar, Fruity & Spicy. ★★★
> Shelter Point 5 Year Old Single Grain Rye 46% alc/vol
A complex synthesis of maple sugar, licorice cough drops, ripe black fruits, sweet flowers, and sizzling pepper painted in oils on an artist’s canvas. ★★★★
> Snake River Stampede 8 year old 40% abv (80 proof)
Butterscotch, dusty rye, hot white pepper, dark fruits and ginger. Refreshing citric pith and zest. Creamy smooth, then slightly grippy. Spicy Rye. ★★★★
> Stalk & Barrel Cask 1 (62.3% alc/vol)
Sweet, poached pears, marzipan, and apple pie with juicy fruit gum, cinnamon, nutmeg, wet hay, and earthy rye. Grain dust and cream of wheat mellow hot white pepper. Youthful but mature beyond its years. ★★★☆
> Still Waters 1+11 Canadian Whisky (40% alc/vol)
A tingling effervescence turns initially buttery, mouth-filling, toffee indulgences into clear, clean refreshment. Ever-present hot pepper is restrained by a richness of body and crisp cleansing pith. ★★★★☆
> Twelve Barrels 40%
Hits all the right notes with sweet intro, peppery, spicy, citrus middle and a longish peppery, pithy finish. ★★★★
> WhistlePig 10 year old Straight 100% Rye Whiskey
Dave Pickerell is a true icon of the American whisky industry so when he declares Canada as the source of the world’s very best rye whisky, that’s news to be shouted from the rooftops.
> White Owl Spiced Whisky (40% alc/vol)
Subtle vanilla, crisp oak, rich butterscotch and subtle rye spices, then hot pepper, lots of citrus pith in the finish with tingling ginger and cloves – a most whisky-like spiced whisky.
> White Owl Whisky 40% alc./vol.
Sprite™, citrus fruit cooler, anise, soft baking spices, butterscotch, hot cayenne, hints of oak tannins. Probably the tastiest white whisky anywhere in the world.
> Wiser’s Legacy: Canadian Whisky Review
Sweet, rich and very spicy with overt rye notes. Cinnamon and cloves, dark fruits, hot peppermint and citric zest. Spectacular. Very highly recommended. ★★★★★
> Wiser’s Red Letter 2013 Release 45% alc/vol
Dusty rye, baking spices, crisp oak and fresh-cut firewood, with vanilla-caramel sweetness dissolve in a long, hot, gingery finish that fades to citrus pith. ★★★★★
> Wiser’s Small Batch (43.4% alc./vol.)
Big whisky. Cinnamon, cloves, and other rye spices. Dark fruits, vanilla, butterscotch, cedar oil, some earthy tones, and a slight flintiness. Weighty. Spicy Rye. ★★★★☆
> Wiser’s 18 years old, aka Wiser’s Very Old (40% alc./vol.)
Wood, wood, wood, but ever so complex with hot pepper, baking spices, butterscotch, vanilla, rye grain, tobacco, cigar box, sour-dough, and dried baking fruits ending in a citric zestiness. Rich & Oaky. ★★★★★
> Wiser’s Red Letter, 150th Anniversary (45% alc./vol.)
Complex, ever-changing flavours of dry grain, tobacco, Christmas spices, wood smoke, new tires, sour German rye bread, black fruits, cedar and fresh-sawn oak, toffee, vanilla, hot pepper, and bitter grapefruit. Rich & Oaky. ★★★★★
Love this stuff! I had no idea it was pure corn whisky, though. I figured it was wheat-based rye, like Centennial. Is the 15+ blend also corn?
Hi Mike, Yes the 15 is also 100% corn. I gather you know there is some very old whisky blended into it (up to 29 years old).
I have a 50ml bottle sampler at home, should taste/rate it tonite and put my review on the wab site. Reading your review, seems to be a very nice dram. More to come.
Hi André,
I’ll be curious to see what of think of it. I like it a lot. By the way, thank you for the link on quebecwhisky.net . You are sending me lots of visitors.
I just picked up a bottle of CR 21 – Kelowna distillery. I understand this is now a silent distillery. Can anyone shed light on how this bottling compares to the newer one from Highwood?
Tim, In all likelihood it is exactly the same bottle. The label on Century Reserve 21 still says Kelowna Distillery, which is where the barrels aged for a while, not where the whisky was distilled.
This is an example of one of tangled strands of Canadian whisky identity. There never was a whisky distillery in Kelowna, even though it is now world famous. Ernie Potter started his distillery in Vancouver and later it was moved to Kelowna, but he never made whisky in either location. It was strictly eau-de-vie. They may have run off a little bit of base whisky every now and then to use for blending, but basically they were a brokerage. They bought barrels of corn whisky from other distillers and aged them for sale in the barrel or in bottle.
A few years ago Highwood bought all the Potter’s brands and the ageing whisky. By that time, even the eau-de-vie still was gone. Is the label on your bottle the same as the one in the picture? If so I’d guess it’s the very same whisky.
actually there was a distillery in Kelowna (Winfield) to be exact, It was quite a large distillery and dismantled in the late 80′s or early 90′s. It had a park like setting amongst huge Ponderosa trees next to Duck Lake. They make Yukon Jack Liquor and many others.
Yes, Canadian Club built a distillery in Winfield to supply the west but it only operated for a decade or so. I had the good luck to visit it. There is a LOT of misinformation out there about this distillery. It was decommissioned some time ago and finally demolished just last year. It was NOT the source of Bush Pilot’s, it was NOT the source of Century Reserve, and it did not ever release a single malt. Potter’s did have a whisky distillery in Vancouver for a while but once they moved to Kelowna they stopped distilling whisky and just acted as a brokerage. I had the good fortune to visit there as well.
You’re welcome. I’m happy to hear it brings u lots of visitors. Thank you also for the correction on your side. Much appreciated.
More to come tomorrow on the tasting-rating.
Btw where did u get the LOT 40 bottle as we are looking to get one since a long long time to rate it on our web site. We can’t find it anywhere !
André, I haven’t seen Lot 40 in the east for years, but I found it in two different liquors stores in Alberta. Not big stores either, just little mom and pops – the kind favoured by the dusty hunters.
I purchased a bottle, and expected a lot more complexity.
Whereas I tend to keep bottlings that I like for a long period of time, this one was quickly deemed reserved for guests, and was mixed with coke.
It’s sounding like I’m not a big fan of corn whisky.
Hi Bill, What are some of the ones you like best?
Looks as though Mr. Jackson and Mr. Broom were fooled.
http://www.whiskymag.com/whisky/brand/century_reserve/whisky863.html
Hi again Bill, I could taste some typical rye spices too, but they have to come from the oak, or from an extra long fermentation which tends to introduce hints of cinnamon.
Hi Davin.
As far as mainstream Canadian whiskys go, I like the Canadian Club Reserve 10, Wiser’s Small Batch, and Gibson’s Finest 12.
That said, I’m also a huge fan of the 40 Creek offerings.
Their Barrel Select, Three Grain, and limited release bottlings have all been great.
Unfortunately, I missed out on the Port Wood this year.
Sigh.
CC Reserve, Wiser’s Small Batch and Gibson’s 12 are all very respectable whiskies. Forty Creek whiskies also rock and the Port Wood was quite special. I understand the Double Barrel is now part of their regular line.
Not to digress this thread any further than what I have already, but….
I met John Hall at the local LCBO, and had him personalize, and sign a Double Barrel.
Now, the bottle looks so damn nice that I don’t want to drink it, but I do, but I don’t, but I do…..
I could always polish it off, and fill it back up with ice tea I suppose
.
distillery topic-
the front label looks the same except the curiously missing “number” they say is on each bottle.?.? On the back it says Century Distilling Co. Kelowna B.C. I was on the thought of this possibly being an older bottling because of its source _ a downsized liquor store selling off a large and quite dated whisky/scotch selection…
Thanks for the interesting info on their whole whisky process aka brokerage position. $32
Hi Tim,
I think what happened is that someone forgot to write the number on the label. It is a very small operation at Highwood, and for the Century Reserve line everything is done by hand except for cleaning and filling the bottles. They number the labels one by one and they apply them to the bottle by hand, so somebody probably just missed putting a number on that one.
Incidentally, they are phasing out the 700 ml bottle and replacing it with a 750.
Just tasted it… Wow very surprising and the hard candies-citrus notes mix is magnificient. Quite round a very textured. The 21 years in the barrels can be tastedas it is well balanced and deliver a surprisingly long finale.
Well, as english is not my first language, it’s quite hard to translate my tasting notes, but on our website, i gave a 89% to this one.
Yeah, I really like it. It is subtle and subdued, and you are right about the hard citrus candies and the benefits of long aging. I’m glad to see you have so many Canadian whiskies listed on quebecwhisky.net .
Opened my bottle a few nights ago – wasn’t sure at first, but each subsequent drink offered definite rye-like spice both on the nose and the mouth…
A section on the back label reads: “We invite you to savour the oldest aged RYE in Canada, barreled long ago, artfully blended and bottled by hand in celebration of the 21st Century.”
Hi Tim,
Yes, that’s what it says. In Canada, rye is synonymous with whisky, and as you can see, a lot of the spiciness often attributed to rye grain can come from the wood. Those flavours can be overwhelmed by the vanilla when the whisky is aged in new barrels. As well, a long fermentation time can increase the aroma and flavour of cinnamon and the likes in the whisky, (including base whisky).
I am assured that Century Reserve 21 year old is 100% corn.
You are right to give this several tastes. As noted, this whisky can be a bit muted on first tasting, but given time it becomes quite complex.
Davin,
I’ve always known in lay terms that whisky (Cndn) equals rye but I didn’t know this -misleading- terminology extended to bottling companies and distilleries. Hmmmmmm… interesting, but not really in a good way.
Does anyone foresee standards being introduced into Canadian production? I would think that consistency would likely increase the reputation and standing of Cndn whisky around the globe. But, how this could be introduced is beyond my current knowledge.
On an aside I found two more “numberless” bottles of CR 21 (700ml).
Cheers,
Tim
Hi Tim,
Excellent, excellent comment, but first: The only way to explain those numberless bottles is that someone stepped away from the line for a few minutes. Packaging the Century Reserve line really is very much a hand process so there will be differences. The bottles are all filled by machine, so what’s inside will remain the same.
As far as misleading terminology, I think we have to remember how vocabulary evolves. For more than a century we have called our whisky “rye”. Some whisky marketers make a big deal about how there are no regulations in Canada about the grain content of whisky. They do this to imply that somehow their whisky is better because their government is telling them how to make it.
However, you never hear them talking, for example, about how there are no regulations in the USA about how long whisky must be aged (Bourbon & straight whisky excluded). In the USA, after 10 minutes in oak, it’s whisky. Canada introduced ageing regulations long before any other nation, but the purpose was not to improve our whisky, it was to drive the small producers out of business.
Whisky marketers are notorious for taking what they have and telling us why it is the best. For example, in Scotland they brag about their soft, acidic water while in America they brag about their (hard, alkaline) limestone water. They don’t tell us the reason they use sour mash is to get rid of some of the effects of the limestone.
Bourbon is matured in charred, new oak barrels. This was not a whisky maker’s decision and it has nothing to do with making good whisky, although it does define the flavour of Bourbon. This was passed into law because a politician wanted to ensure steady work for lumbermen and woodworkers who supposedly would then vote for him.
We hear people who make whisky from 100% rye grain tell us how great the “pure” rye flavour is, while others who use a mixed mash bill talk about the way the different grains complement each other. For the record, to my palate, the best rye whisky IS improved with the addition of other grain. Take Lot 40 for example. It is the best rye whisky I have ever tasted and it is made from mixed grains (though very high in rye and malted rye). But a lot more went into making this whisky than just the mash bill.
Most people don’t know that whisky batches are made to taste, so the “formula” may change between batches. So there may be more rye spirit in one batch than another, although the flavour is indistinguishable. Most of the flavour comes from the wood, although marketers will tell us it comes from whatever element makes their whisky unique.
Americans have been taught that rye means rye grain. Canadians know, almost from birth, that rye means whisky. But when marketers start making the individual components of a whisky seem much more important than they are, I can certainly see why people are confused and would like everyone to follow the same standards. But when we know that whatever standards exist do so for political reasons, rather than quality, isn’t it kind of a good thing that some distillers are given latitude to do things differently?
And you are right, I think, about the effect of vocabulary on our reputation as whisky makers. The marketers have done a brilliant job in convincing the whisky world that rye means rye grain. Canadian distillers just sit back quietly, minding their own business and making their whisky, while others talk so much about theirs, that we come to think what they say applies everywhere. This, for example, is why so many people believe the pot still is superior to the column still for making flavourful whisky. It can be, in the right hands, but it isn’t necessarily.
Well, with luck, as more people come to taste good Canadian whisky, more people will realize it’s what’s in the bottle that counts, and not how it is made or sold.
Thanks a lot Tim, I feel much better now
.
Davin
Hi Davin,
Great comments! You seem to know so much about our Canadian whisky, may I ask, what do you think about how our Canadian whisky industry is doing in terms of international marketing these days? Apparently the Canadian whisky isn’t exporting well to the other countries these days, and I’m still trying to figure out why.
Chiao
That’s news to me. As far as I know more than 70% of the whisky we make is exported to over 160 countries.
Davin, I do agree – what you find in the bottle is what counts. And what I feel is equally important to remember is that everyone has individual preferences and tastes – one persons favorite rye whisky migtht be looked at as bottom of the barrel to another!
And of course all the other info and background on a whisky makes for great conversation and can increase the enjoyment of a drink.
Exactly! Everyone has different preferences and tastes, and everyone tastes thing differently. And this whisky, Century Reserve 21 really does appeal to some folks a lot more than others.
Davin, I found it refreshing to read your opinions, seems to me like you may be an unbiased whiskey expert
I don’t know much about canadian whiskey, except for a couple of unfortunate experiences with cheap CC, but seeing these fancy bottlings available at LCBO, I am tempted. I drink mostly scotch and i completely agree with you that regulation is not meant to ensure qualiy. Take single malts for example. Do they represent the best scotch whisky can offer? As one who loves above all the unafordable vatted malts, like Blue Label or Royal Salute, I think producers of such blends are at a disadvantage because of regulation. Sure, if you have Johnie W or Chivas on your label you can sell an expensive blend, but most producers could not. And even big names may be held back by the practice of having to put age statement on the label. Cognac producers don’t have to do it and there may be a good reason why. Sometimes blending very old and younger whiskies can yield really good results at affordable prices. That’s I I took on the task of blending my own scotch with some spectacular results I would say. The downside is that I have to keep more stock around the house than my wife would agree with 
Thank you for your comments. There are some really great Canadian whiskies available at LCBO. If you want a different experience with CC, try the ten year old. It’s loaded with real slaty rye. You make a really good point about blending old and young whiskies. While it is true this will help to keep the price down, there is also a real vibrancy about some very young whiskies that can make a big contribution to a good blend.
I’m still uncertain about this. The bottle I had a couple of years ago was 700ml, as pictured above. But the bottle I saw today was 750ml and said on it “Canadian Rye Whisky”, whereas the bottle above simply specifies “Canadian Whisky”. Is it possible the whisky is different this time around?
Hi Mike,
The new packaging for Century Reserve 21 year old is in 750 ml bottles. The label is pretty much the same but without the numbers if I remember correctly. I had a chat with the guys at the plant and they told me this packaging change was coming, but the juice was still the same.
For over 200 years English Canada has called our Canadian whisky “rye” regardless of what it was actually made from. More recently, in the US, they decided that “rye whisky” had to be made from at least 51% rye. Now suddenly Canadian rye, with a 200+ year heritage is being held up to the relatively new US regulation by some whisky lovers.
In Canada, to be called “rye” a whisky need have the characteristics of Canadian whisky, but need not be made from rye grain. Century Reserve is still made from 100% corn distillate, but is called Canadian Rye Whisky because it has the characteristics of Canadian whisky. Ironically, it would not qualify as corn whisky by US regulations, while other whiskies with less corn content might.
To me, rye means whisky. I have known that since I was a kid. I was in university before I made the rye grain/rye bread connection. Rye grain/rye whisky came even later. I am not sure why we should change our nomenclature to meet recent US definitions.
I was quite disappointed with this whiskey. I drink mostly scotch, single malt or blended malts. My taste leans towards smokier malts. At this price or a little more there’s a plethora of better stuff. For $20 more, Talisker at only 10 years of age is a few classes above. I am not a Canadian whiskey expert by any means, but for my taste, the Crown Royal Special Reserve (similarly priced), is much better, and I’m not a fan of that one either. When I don’t like a particular whiskey, I try to create my own blend by adding some better whiskeys from the 8-10 bottles that I usually have open. I should be able to add no more than one quarter to balance it and get something that’s palatable. It worked really well with the Crown Royal, since it is so smooth and has a rich mouthfeel and little of the overpowering vanilla. The Century 21, try as I may, yielded very disappointing results, as the harshness comes through no matter what. I can drink it on ice, but that I can do with stuff that costs half the price.
Hi Tudval,
Like you I am a really big fan of single malt whisky, and Talisker 10 is a favourite. One sip, and you know you’re alive! At the same time, for me there are also times when the gentle complexity of a Century Reserve 21 year old is just unparalleled. It’s 100% corn whisky. That’s where that luxurious mouthfeel comes from, yet it has so many subtle rye-like notes that it has pulled out of the barrels during those 21 years (or more) of ageing. Century Reserve certainly is not the “in-you-face” whisky Taliker 10 is. It’s much more for sipping on while sitting by the fire with a friend and putting the world to right.
Your experiments creating your own blends sound fascinating. I know others who have done this with great success. Do you stick with all whiskies from the same country or do you mix them? I had heard talk once of an idea for a Canadian Club aged to be aged in ex-Laphroaig casks and thought with all that CC fruit it would be marvelous. I hope they actually do it.
After 6 months and many ruminative tastings I’ve finally come to appreciate this rye’s persistent yet subtle characteristics. The strong point of CR21 for me is holding the whisky in my mouth for a good long while getting to know it – swallow – and then wait for the after flash of flavour.
How beautiful is this whisky? Love it…would buy more if price came down a bit. Goes down too quick
[...] mid- to low-end of the market, this is one of their more premium bottlings, and it’s gotten a fair bit of acclaim from critics and aficionados of Canadian whisky. And after tasting it myself, I’d [...]
Davin
Read all your postings. Presently drinking Century 21 Reserve AF790 and everybody loves it ,even diehard Scotch drinkers. Where exactly can I find more ? Willing to drive or have shipped.
Hi Ron, Sorry I do not keep track of the shops. There is probably still quite a bit of that particular batch still in the stores, but you’d have to look. I can tell you that the bottling that came after that one had no serial number on it and it was even more spectacular than the one you have. Not different, just a little more expressive. Good luck.
Hi Davin,
Last week I got lucky to find a bottle of Century 21 Reserve on the shelf selling for $59.90. Without a doubt, I brought the whisky. The question I have is how come the Canadian whiskies do not appreciate in value on the limited productions of excellent whiskies. For example, Alberta Pre 25 and 30 years old etc. Whereas, the British limited edition whiskies can sky rocket and appreciate so much in value. Last week, my friend offered me to try his Johnny Walker Blue label whisky. After I tasted it, I found the Alberta Premium is better than the blue label. Not that I am complaining, I feel we are lucky to be able to purchase excellent local whiskies with low prices.
Yes, it never fails to amaze me just what incredibly good value Canadian whisky can be.And Century Reserve is one of the really great ones.
I have a bottle of Century Reserve 21 year Old Canadian Whiskey Marked T.570 It has been in the back of my liquor cabinet for a few years. Never been cracked What year would batch T.570 have been produced??
I have a bottle of Century Reserve 21 year Old Canadian Whiskey Marked T.570 It has been in the back of my liquor cabinet for a few years. Never been cracked.
What year would batch T.570 have been produced??
Reason being the new CR have a metal top on the glass topper.
Mine has like a crystal decanter T top on it.
Hi John,
I’m not sure anyone keeps track of old batch numbers and I am not sure when that whisky was produced.
[...] on http://www.canadianwhisky.org Partager:PlusWordPress:J’aime [...]
[...] Century Reserve 21 Year Old is reviewed here. [...]
I have never tried Century reserve 21 year old yet. I had a bottle given to me in 2003 and just left it in the box on my shelf. I am fond of a good whiskey and this one is resrved for some as yet unknowen special occasion in the distant future. Like if an asteriod is hurteling towards earth some day. I will pull up my lawn chair and finally crack the seal as I watch the unfoldin event.
Revisiting this old thread as CR21 was recently re-released in ON through LCBO’s Whiskey Shop. I was squarely in the “I don’t get it camp” and regarded it as a “session” whiskey until one evening I happened to have a dram not long after a hot cup of tea. For some reason, unbeknownst to me, I found that dram to be truly remarkable. I have since recreated that experience on a number of occasions so it was no fluke. Maybe the heat or the tanins in the tea? I recall seeing a blog at one time dedicated to tea and whiskey pairings so maybe there is something to it. Has anyone else ever had a similar experience with this or any other whiskey?
Back to the topic at hand, CR21 represents fantastic value at less than $50 and it has the finest of packaging/presentation in the price bracket (if you are into that side of things of course). Whilst the CR21 was in my “session” rotation I found it did make a rather good prelude to Bourbon. The commonality of the corn grain and rye-esque spice perhaps? I would be quite interested to see how CR21 would fair against the various vintages of the much acclaimed Greenore single grains. I’m thinking the delicate rye-esque spice would see CR21 come up trumps in a blind tasting.
How curious. I have noticed that the tiniest trace of bitterness in my mouth tends to make my taste buds work better. i wonder if there is a connection.
I had this a couple of years ago. I didn’t feel compelled to buy again, even though I found it pleasurable, even more so after the bottle has sat half-empty for a couple of months. Overall, I expected more from a 21 year old whiskey, but it is fair value for the price. A 21 yo malt would cost 3 times as much, but would provide more enjoyment as well imho.
Wondering if there’s any info about this whisky’s return to Ontario. I missed my chance to pick it up at the LCBO. Currently their store inventory for Ontario is 0 and they can’t tell me when they’re expecting more.
Any suggestions on an alternative Canadian offering with mostly corn in the mash bill.
Thx
LCBO decides what whiskies it will sell. It’s not a supply problem.
Meanwhile, try Highwood Ninety 20 year old.
Thanks for the info. I’ll definitely check out the Ninety 20YO and probably the 15/25 too.
15/25 is one of my all-time favourites. I LOVE the clean woody notes.
Century 21 has returned to LCBO/Nov 2 2015, getting a few today for gifting. For the same $$$, NINETY 45% is a better buy, but i will collect a few. Cheers !