> 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. ★★★★☆
> 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 21 year old (40% alc./vol.)
Rich in nuance and suggestion, though muted, this is about as complex as pure corn whisky gets, with bittersweet citric notes, lilacs, spices, fresh-cut wood, and hot pepper. Soft Corn/Rich & Oaky. ★★★★☆
> 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. ★★★★
> 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.★★★★☆
> 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 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.
> 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 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. ★★★★★
> 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. ★★★★☆
> 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.
> 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. ★★★★★
> 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. ★★★★☆
> 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. ★★★★
> 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. ★★★★☆
> 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.
> 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 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. ★★★★★
I wonder how this stacks up against Still Waters single malt vodka from Ontario. The vodka has a surprising amount of malt character, and indeed might taste almost as much like whisky as White Owl (which I haven’t tried).
Hi Mike,
I’ve tasted both, and after your comment tasted them heat to head. Actually each has a lot of flavour but they are quite different from each other. The Still Waters vodka is a so-called “vodka with character” and it’s fruity but not whisky like. White Owl, on the other hand, is more flavourful and has whisky characteristics (like wood, for instance) that are not present in the Still Waters. I found apple cider notes in the Still Waters, and a slight sourness, but not a whole lot of malt. Either one is enjoyable to sip on the deck, but I think both benefit from a splash of gingerale.
[...] Innovation of the Year: Highwood Distillery, White Owl Whisky White Owl Whisky has no peer in Canada or anywhere else in the world for that matter. The first ever fully oak-matured white whisky, White Owl retains the flavours of Canadian rye whisky, while adding the cocktail-mixability of white spirits. In so doing, it successfully introduces the flavours of Canadian whisky to a whole new demographic. [...]
Best whiskey available in manitoba. By far worth the extra 10 bucks a bottle. Wont be buying anything else when white owl is available
Just tried it and I love it. Amazing straight up on the rocks. very unique. might be nice to try it with a hint of coconut aroma..umm.
Hi Al,
A dash of Malibu perhaps?
I tried that. It doesn’t quite work for me. What the problem is IMO, White Owl has too much flavour, and the whisky tends to overpower the coconut flavour of
malibu.
I find Malibu has too much artificial flavours and sugars. What about a cocktail mix with rum cream or coconut milk. Worlds end has a great product that I have tried.
Just bought a bottle yesterday. First time I saw it at the local LCBO. I must say, I like it, but it’s almost difficult to categorize. I’m having a hard time with it just because I’m not expecting that much flavour and smoothness from a clear spirit. All I know is that White Owl will replace Vodka and white rum in my supply!
Hi Davin:
I just talked to the fellows at Highwood again yesterday. White Owl Whisky is as you say by far the most successful new product launch in their history, and you are right, they cannot keep up with the demand now that the product has reached Ontario. A great Canadian success story.
(PS: I’m stalking up on this one)
Hi Chip,
Yeah, this stuff just goes from strength to strength. What a great idea it was.
Davin
Hello and thank you for the recent updates on the White Owl. I am so looking forward to seeing this product in Atlantic Canada… I understand from the folks at Highwood that they currently have their product in front of the NBLCC board but they (NBLCC) have not yet approved their application for distribution in New Brunswick. Keeping my fingers crossed that someone will either send me a sample or pick one up for me in their travels in Ontario! Grrr..c’mon NBLCC — get it on the shelves!
I keep looking at this on the shelf but I can’t get myself to spend the forty bones when Century Reserve 1525 is $10 cheaper. I can’t get past the idea of paying more for less (less age, and presumably less flavour). It strikes me that they are marketing it in the same way as “ultra-premium” vodka: fancy bottle, relatively high price. On the other hand, if it tastes good and stands apart from other whiskies that alone might justify the cost.
Any comments?
Hello friend.
I’m sipping on a glass of White Owl as I type and would highly recommend spending the extra 10 dollars if not only for the experience. “fresh” was the word that sprung to mind when sipping on the whiskey and believe that the addition of this whiskey to either a dark or fruity drink would bring a new intensity to your drink.
Man, this is tough for me to take seriously. I’m with Mike here…let’s take several “well-aged” whiskies and run them through a filter so that the color (conveniently no mention of flavor here) is removed, then sell it as whisky.
I understand that the regulations prohibit you from calling white spirit “whisky,” but why go through all this trouble to remove whatever congeners were imparted by the barrel just to compete with vodka or rum, and need I point out that it’s being done at that most flavorsome (read: minimum) 40% alcohol?
This is EXACTLY why our microdistillers bottle new make as whiskey…we want to avoid the malarkey that’s involved here and get a good unaged spirit on the shelves, often at 45% or higher (gasp!). For crying out loud, Canada, please give us something that peeks above that 40% threshold. Really…we can handle it!
40% is actually quite a norm for any liquor, this is mainly for serving regulations. Also, it maybe be a point to mention that Canada is stereotypically know for drinking more aclohol dense drinks (albeit the generality is concerning beer)
It’s interesting, unusual stuff, and I’m also unsure what to think of it. It’s delicious, and it -is- whisky, but it’s the vodka in my cabinet that it’s replacing, and not the whisky. For that I’m also more likely to just buy my old amber and golden colored favorites.
As it should be, WC>
We had this at our monthly Whisky club meeting. Most didn’t like it but some like me enjoyed it enough to buy a bottle. I like it for sipping but then I appreciate new make as well. Don’t get me wrong, I have a cupboard always full of single malt, it’s just that I tend to enjoy all whiskys. If you like White Owl, try 40 Creek! It’s cheap at $25 here in BC and a great whisky. (Your mileage may vary)
Wonderful review! thanks Davin!
Sprite?
I have sampled some White Owl whisky tonight in the UK and would love to buy a couple of bottles for Christmas for my guests, could you kindly advise where I could order some please.
Many thanks
Colin
Hi Colin,
Unfortunately Canadian liquor stores are not allowed to ship whisky by mail or courier.
Whiskey for sure is my favorite, and the other month I saw White Owl in the LCBO and thought i’d give it a try finding how awesome it is considering its not like your usual whiskey. Since then I havn’t drank anything else the flavour is amazing and is now my favorite whiskey by far, I drink nothing else. “Cheers to you Canada”
The new spiced one, soooo good. Defiantly will be getting some of that. I don’t even like whiskey, and both the regular white owl and the new spiced one are very good.
Hi Julie, Yes, it is quite unique. They added spice to whisky like a good chef adds spice to food. It enhances the flavour without taking it over. Very nice stiff.
[...] White Owl Real rye whisky with the colour filtered out, White Owl is made for cocktail drinkers who want to raise their game. Funny thing though, once whisky drinkers started sipping it, White Owl became the most successful new whisky ever introduced by Highwood Distillers. It is still selling like hotcakes so don’t wait till the last minute to get yours. White Owl opens new possibilities for cocktails and mixed drinks. $39.75 at LCBO. [...]
Picked up a bottle to try (always supportive of the Canadian whisky industry) and I had high hopes. Have to say Im disappointed. I found it too sweet to really enjoy straight up. Hope they do well with it, but its not for me.
Picked this up last week and I must say, not a fan at all. Although going into buying it, I had a feeling it would not be my thing, so this came as no surprise. From nose to finish, this whisky just doesn’t have the kick I desire. It tastes lifeless, without body, processed, whatever you want to call it, but it was definitely not for me. Was worth one try to at least say that I’m not denouncing it without trying. But as someone else here said, why spend $40 on this when you could get Century Reserve 1525 for $10 less, or, if you want to spend a little more, Wiser’s Legacy at $45. Heck, any of the Canadian whiskies priced around $25-$30 are better than this. I did not know of the fact that some American micro-distillers were selling un-aged spirits though. Glad to know we uphold our standards in Canada.
The U.S. upholds standards too, just different ones. Bourbon, the dominant U.S. whiskey, has many regulations–you won’t be seeing any white bourbon. “Whiskey” is the catch-all category for everything else that doesn’t meet the more stringent bourbon, rye, corn, or tennessee whiskey requirements. It could be argued that the U.S. has stricter regulations than Canada for some products, such as the requirement in the U.S. that anything called rye whiskey must contain at least 51% rye.
Not stricter, just different.
Hi Davin,
interesting review. i’ve not seen this product on the shelf here on the rock but will have a look around.planning a trip out west later in the year i’ll deffinately give it a go then.
all the best
Paul
HI, I am was at the liquor store in Innisfail and am always interested in new whiskey products. I have tried your White Owl. My favourite has always been Crown Royal. Since trying White Owl I am not touch anything but. Thanks so much for introducing this to me. It will become my long time favourite.
Diane
I have been soley a whiskey drinker for for almost 30 years. The best I ever had was called Captain’s Table. White Owl, in my humble opinion, is by far the best. I don’t “mix” my drinks because to me that’s just an excuse to cover the flavour and the harshness of other whiskies for the sole intention of getting drunk. White Owl doesn’t need anything to make it “taste” better. i’m sold on this one.
Okay, this is something special. I am having a difficult time determining exactly what it is…but it is very nice. Strange, more like a very high quality vodka than Canadian Whiskey. Very cool. On ice it is a stand out! It is a first rate conversation piece to be sure…but it has the goods to stand up to it’s looks. I’m going to end with what I started…my gosh but this is something special!
Do you know if White Owl is gluten-free? Many whiskeys have all the gluten filtered out but then they put some of the mash or whatever it’s called back in to give it colour. I picked up a bottle of this today for a friend who loves whiskey but can’t consume gluten and am hoping that he will finally be able to enjoy life again.
Sorry, I honestly do not know. I think this is a question for a dietitian or doctor.
Tried it, love it, great straight up or over ice to get the full flavour, currently drink it with 7-up and a wedge of lime (around this house we call it a snowy owl )
Never heard of this whiskey until I took a trip up to Bon Echo. Upon in the local town I saw this bottle from afar and the look alone catch my attention. I’m a huge CC fan but since trying this… It’s the only whiskey I drink.
When did Highwood Distillers change its name from Century Distillers? Or are the names synonomous? Reason I ask is that I bought a bottle of Centennial 10 Year, which is produced by Highwood, that had a White Owl miniature as a Value-Added Promotion attached. Given that it was a PET mini, I shouldn’t let that totally taint my impression of the White Owl, but honestly, it was the worst whisky I have ever tasted. The issue is, the mini says Century Distillers, with http://www.centurydistillers.com as the website. This address now redirects to Highwood’s website. Is it possible that the minis they are now giving out for free at the LCBO have been kicking around for several years? If so, this is not the best way to promote a product that is, according to most reviewers, actually fairly decent.
Century Distillers is a division of Highwood Distillers. This has been the case for many years. I doubt those minis have been around for long. They probably were bottled specifically for this promo. White Owl is aimed at the cocktail market and not everyone who drinks their whisky straight is going to like it.
But it was just bad all around…the nose was like paint thinner, and the only other note I could coax out of it was flat cream-soda…the palate was like water (that bad, bottled mineral water taste) or flat-Sprite…and it had zero finish, just an unpleasant chemical-plastic taste…I know that reviews are somewhat subjective based on the sense memories of the reviewer, but I’ve agreed with you on everything else (the Danfield’s 21 is fantastic, and the Alberta Premium Dark Horse is great)…maybe its the plastic in the mini?
after drinking whiskey and rye for years and years and years,I have found white owl the smoothest and most refreshing of all the products out there.its crisp and clear and leaves no lingering after taste. You people have nailed it perfectly. and upon tasting your spiced version, i must say, i was leary at first as the original didnt need messing with what-so-ever.i broke down and tasted it and instantly found it was perfect over ice and a slaash of water.the taste was a perfect, non fattening christmas beverage.egg nog ,without the egg or the nog(what ever that is?)low cal and real easy sipping.you have to do a christmas blitz just for calorie wise folks.perfect job.(if you need help, lol, I have a beard the same colour as that owl. thanks for a great new beverage..BRAD.Y ou have all my support. pardon the spelling, im in the middle of a White Owl.
I must admit that I am first and foremost a single malt scotch man. Having said that and living in Canada, I also appreciate Canadian Whisky. White Owl Whisky is an appealing enjoyable dare I say “dram” that is well-balanced with a fragrant fruity nose and a bang for your buck palalte and finish. A high class whisky with a more reasonable price point. Way to go, high fives….
I’ve gotta say i’m surprised by our so called “whisky drinkers” out here supporting this. I was ultimately offended that this was being marketed as a whisky at all. All the colour, aroma, and a little more flavour than the bulk of premium vodkas out there for less money. Why sell it as whisky when you’re not creating a whisky product, but are destroying any competition in the vodka category. I don’t get it. Makes a pro caesar though.
New drink of choice – tasted it on Friday night with
friends. I am a whiskey drinker and White Owl certainly
is a lot nicer than the whiskey brands I have tried over
the years – I have become a fan.
I have to tell you that this is the best whiskey there Is I have bin a whiskey drinker for years and there is nothing that comes close to white owl I have let my friends try it now there hooked on it as well so if you don’t have lots don’t share it because you will be out.
Thanks for the good time that we all have on white owl
Tried this on the weekend, and as a Scotch and Rye lover I’ll certainly add this to my list of whiskeys I like and definitely would recommend, probably as a sipping whiskey since I cant figure out what I would mix it with, but very nice and smooth on its own.
where can I buy White Owl in CA thx