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It turns out I got lucky and was able to try a glass of Crown Royal Bourbon Mash at a place I happened to visit last night after work. Turns out it's been renamed for obvious reasons. I was actually surprised how not bad it was. I mean, a good deal of actual bourbons I've had were way better, but for an $8 glass and not being able to find it at the LCBO, I enjoyed this more than the Maker's 46 that cost me $12 after. Not nearly as syrupy as most of the other Crown Royal I've had (Northern Harvest Rye is still the top of their brand IMO) and a pleasant richness to it. Wouldn't go out of my way to pick it up, but if it became ubiquitous enough to keep the price as low as I think it should be (this site lists it as US$30/750mL, which would be around what I'd expect here given the regular stuff is C$30), I'd consider a bottle every so often. edit: pricing mojo1701a fucked around with this message at 18:08 on Nov 13, 2019 |
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Nov 13, 2019 17:59
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DoctaFun posted:They did a noble collection release of this that carries a 13 year age statement that I think is really really good. Very classic bourbon profile but pretty deep flavors. Crown Royal? I can only find a few non-flavoured types on the LCBO's website. I'm always up for expanding my Canadian whisky selection (again, mostly due to cost), so I'll have to keep an eye out for them if I find them. Again, I generally don't consider Crown Royal to be anything special, so I'd love to know if their other products carry the same quality as the Northern Harvest does, for example.
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Nov 18, 2019 19:25
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mentalcontempt posted:Rittenhouse Rye BiB is excellent and cheap. Yeah, I finally bought a bottle months ago, and I'm impressed by how good it is. Really nice spicy rye flavour. I just wish the LCBO would sell it for less than $50.
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Feb 7, 2020 18:50
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Hauki posted:christ, what? it’s like $22 here I know. The exchange rate isn't even that bad. They're just overpricing American whiskey for some reason. Friend of mine who lived in Virginia used to buy Laphroaig QC, and it was around the same price there as it is here.
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Feb 11, 2020 17:20
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For St. Patrick's Day last night, I decided to open one of the two bottles of Teeling I picked up at Dublin airport almost two years ago: Decided go to with the Collinstown this time. It is a very light, fruity whiskey.  Needs a bit of water, since I tasted some spiciness, but I did end up tasting light citrus, melon, apricot, light non-berry fruit like that. You can really taste the sweet white Loupiac wine finish it lists on the label. Such a 180 from any Islay malt I've had lately that I feel like my whisky-appreciating tastebuds have whiplash. Definitely a palate-cleanser, in a good way.
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Mar 18, 2020 16:20
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Oh, man, I forgot about this thread. So I moved back in with my parents to save some money because of this pandemic. This has had the fortunate side bonus of extra spending money, which I've decided to put into whisky. I also decided to spend some of that effort into exploring home-grown Canadian whisky. Unfortunately, due to health issues, I haven't been able to drink as much as I'd like to, but I have had a few bottles and would like to share my opinion, plus the price in Canadian dollars per 750mL bottle: Canadian Club 100% Rye - $30.45 - a surprisingly rye whisky from otherwise-OK Canadian Club. It has a nice richness that balances out the spiciness well, and even if you're not a fan, that spiciness mixes well with either cola or ginger ale. Lot No. 40 Single Copper Pot Still Rye Whisky - $39.95 - Pretty much what I expected from rye whisky, but honestly, I like a rich flavour and this left me somewhat empty. Very similar to the Canadian Club above, but I think the CC edges it out in terms of body and flavour. Which is a shame since it's almost $10 cheaper. Wayne Gretzky Maple Cask Finish Canadian Whisky - $34.95 - I got this one for free at work somehow, and I'm glad I didn't pay because it's just way too sweet. Partially aged in barrels that once held maple syrup really push it over the edge into syrupy territory for me. Not quite as bad as all of those flavoured whiskies they sell these days, but if you know someone who likes it sweet, this is the bottle for you. Otherwise, I'd skip it. Even for the price, it doesn't mix well. Forty Creek Double Barrel Reserve Whisky - $39.95 - If I had to define what a standard "Canadian whisky" tastes like, this is it. It's not a bad drink, necessarily, but it lacks the character that a better whisky has, and just tastes OK. It's drinkable, but generic is the best way I can describe it. Good thing about Canadian whisky is that even if it's awful, it usually works well as a mixer with either Coke or ginger ale (maple cask notwithstanding). I have a few more I'm working on right now, including the basic Wayne Gretzky Red Cask and Forty Creek Three Grain, but I've been letting those sit before I reach a proper conclusion. I should say that I consider Crown Royal Northern Harvest the gold standard when it comes to Canadian whisky, because it has the perfect balance between richness, spiciness from rye, and costing only $37.95 per bottle. There may be better Canadian whisky than it, but a lot of the better bottles cost more than that. For example, I've mentioned Wayne Gretzky whisky at least twice, and his whisky doesn't really rely on a mash bill, but I think it really would've helped balance out the maple cask. On the other hand, I've tried his Ice Wine Cask a couple of years ago, and I enjoyed it because it's a rare gimmick. Not necessarily worth it for $59.95 per bottle, but I can think of worse bottles to sample if you want something different. I'm also happy to take suggestions and recommendations if you have any. There are a number of others I've had, but not all that recently so I'd have to search my memory for how I liked them.
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Jun 18, 2021 19:44
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Memnaelar posted:I think the Pendleton 1910 is a fantastic Canadian whiskey. Lots of cherry on the palate and holds up equally well as an affordable sipper or mixer in a Manhattan. Sounds good, but seems to be missing from the LCBO. Closest I can find is a Welsh whisky called Penderyn. coiol posted:On Canadian whisky, I recently finished off a bottle of Gooderham & Worts that I'd had sitting around for a while, and it was perfectly drinkable neat. I thought it was a decent mix of spicy and sweet with the four grains, and a bit higher proof than a lot of Canadians that are right at 80 proof. This, meanwhile, is available. I'll have to try to track it down. Also, it's only $39.95. Two new reviews: Forty Creek Three Grain Whisky - $59.95 - Definitely a step up to the Double Barrel I mentioned earlier. For an extra $20, you get a perfectly serviceable sipping whisky. Rich, mildly sweet and slightly spicy, but it did have an odd taste I couldn't quite pin down. Not bad, just odd. Might've been the batch I had, because it's a whisky supposedly made from their original recipe. At least, that's how I understood it. Still doesn't beat their Copper Pot in my eyes for best low/mid-range Forty Creek. Wayne Gretzky Red Cask Whisky - $34.95 - Gimmicky in the sense that he also owns a vineyard, so I just assume they use those same barrels to make his base-level whisky. Still, not a bad way to smoothen out the edges on what's otherwise a standard whisky. Not nearly as oaky as any base single malt scotch, but there is at least some there. Don't recommend it for that price, though. Feels sacrilegious to say since I'm living in his hometown again, but: you can do better.
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Jun 21, 2021 21:21
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Stultus Maximus posted:Also missed a big opportunity to make it 99 proof. Oh, he has one of those, too: https://www.lcbo.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/en/lcbo/wayne-gretzky-ninety-nine-proof-whisky-570101 Incidentally not only is it 99 proof, it also costs $99. I'll give it a shot some day if I feel like putting in the effort of having it shipped to one of the LCBO's near me. Ironically, it is not available in the town that has his name almost everywhere.
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Jun 22, 2021 00:24
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Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye - $69.95 - I, uh, I'm going to need some time with this one. I had a glass or two over the weekend, and I'm not really all that experienced with cask strength whisky, because hoo boy is this ever a punch in the face. Usually I'll add somewhere between a few drops to a splash of bottled water, but seeing as it's 66% abv. I had to keep pouring until I hit a sweet spot. Going to save this for the upcoming Canada Day weekend, and I figure a week after opening might mellow it out a little, because it definitely leans into its rye bill. I wasn't even really looking for this the last time I was at the LCBO. I just happened to see a few bottles in the corner somewhere and counted myself very lucky.
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Jun 29, 2021 16:20
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After celebrating Canada Day last weekend with part of that bottle of Alberta Premium, I'm of the opinion that it's definitely a must-try for anyone even remotely curious. It has a very strong rye profile and incredibly full-bodied, so it's certainly not an entry-level whisky. Like I also said before, it tolerates additional water quite well, which is good because for me the initial flavour is very strong. I can only describe it as concentrated rye whisky flavour. Because of the cost and intensity, it won't be in my regular rotation, but it's definitely above most of the other Canadian whiskies I've tried.
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Jul 6, 2021 19:35
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spankmeister posted:It's interesting that most Canadian whisky is light and unremarkable, but their rye whisky is spicy and flavorful. I don't know if it's unremarkable because we use it for mixing or we use it for mixing because it's unremarkable. That reminds me, I need to find a bottle of Wiser's that isn't Deluxe or Special Blend and see if my opinion of them being somewhat decent has changed. Even Small Batch was certainly drinkable.
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Jul 6, 2021 21:01
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Just found out that the LCBO has a "Spend $250 and get free shipping deal" going on until today, so I'm going to try to track down some whisky that's harder to find near me and have it shipped. If anyone has any suggestions or requests, now's the time. Already got Gooderham & Worts on the list, as was suggested earlier.
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Aug 27, 2021 18:44
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Finally got a few more: Gooderham & Worts Canadian Whisky - $39.95 - Thanks to coiol for the recommendation. Absolutely right, definitely drinkable neat, nice and rich. Not quite spicy, but slightly more sweet thanks to the four grain mix. That is to say, not as sweet as a sherried whisky, but a very nice glass nonetheless. Canadian Rockies 17-year-old - $96.50 - I went out on a limb on this one, as I've never spent this much on domestic whisky at all, but I figured if it's aged 17 years, then I'm at least getting something. This is definitely unlike any aged whisky I've ever head. Very light, very clean. I didn't find out until after I opened this on election day (OK, a day or two before the last election to let it breathe), but it's made from corn. I'm going to assume that unlike bourbon barrels, these were not fresh-charred ones, but don't quote me on that as I'm pulling that one out of my rear end. Still, not nearly as sweet as bourbon but just as light as certain Speyside scotches, minus a a level of fruitiness. If I've ever said that a nice rye whisky or Islay malt is unlike anything anyone produces, then this is similar, but from the opposite spectrum. At 100 proof, it tolerates slightly more water than the G&W, which was only about 90, but I don't think it needs really that much. Like I said, it's very light. I have three more, not to mention the few different duty-free bottles I forgot I had in the basement, but I'll keep working through the Canadian Rockies for now. I should go to bed, but ah to hell with it, one more on my 35th birthday.
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Oct 5, 2021 03:06
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GD_American posted:Reviews seem pretty complimentary, but it's still 350 bucks for a bottle of Canadian Club. Yeah, I wouldn't pay $350 for Canadian Club, but it's not like it's all bad. I'd love to get my hands on a nice bottle of CC Sherry Cask, but I'm poo poo out of luck with that. Also, update: I'm about 3 glasses in right now of Canadian Rockies 17 for the evening, and can confirm that even towards the end of the bottle, it might be one of the most unique whiskies I've ever had. I just finished assignment set #2 (out of 8) for my CPA taxation module, so hopefully I can crack open one of my remaining three bottles of rare Canadian whisky once the exam is done in almost exactly 1 1/2 months. Again, if anyone has any requests, I'll see what I can do to track them down.
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Oct 30, 2021 05:37
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Got a couple of more mini-reviews of the Canadian whisky I got my hands on last year: Stalk & Barrel 100% Rye Whisky - $36.10 - a nice surprise, at least for that price. Not really all that interesting, but it's more mellow for a 100% rye whisky than I was expecting. Best way I can describe it is if you made a Speyside whisky out of rye: light oakiness, crisp apple, with a hint of overall spiciness. Glynnevan Double Barrelled Canadian Rye Whisky - $48.80 - Nah. Not for this price. I mean, it was drinkable, but it's a touch too sweet for my palate. I don't recall the specific notes, but I remember a decent amount of berry and maple and caramel. Which is nice, but I like it more subtle. What's weirder is that it's probably one of the few Canadian whiskies that didn't mix nicely into coke (not all mix with ginger ale, but they should at least with cola). Decided to take a break from the home-grown stuff for now, so I'm going through a bottle of Bushmills Black Bush. Not bad for a $40 import. Nothing special about it, but it's a nice palate cleanser.
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Feb 25, 2022 20:48
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I finished the bottle of Bushmills I opened a while back and opened The Balvenie 16 Triple Cask I bought a few years ago while travelling. Light, oaky, with a hint of berries from the partial-aging in sherry cask. It's pretty good, but as a duty-free exclusive, I think there's a certain amount of diminishing returns for the price. If I was travelling, I'd rather find the Golden Cask 14 I had a few years before that, or at least save my money and get Doublewood at the LCBO. Professor Shark posted:How is Lot 40 as far as Canadian Ryes go? coiol posted:Perfectly drinkable neat but nothing special, from what I remember. Pretty much. I think I wrote a number of pages back that it's almost as good as Canadian Club 100% Rye but not cheaper.
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Mar 18, 2022 20:04
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Dugal's Five Rivers Canadian Whisky - $39.95 - Wonderful happenstance. I was walking around the LCBO a couple of months ago and picked this one up on a whim, thinking the worst that could happen is it ends up as a mixer. Has the same caramel, vanilla, and fruity notes you'd expect from non-rye Canadian whisky, but it has a smooth finish and light hints of oak. There was also something else in it, and it took me a while to realize that I get hints of juniper or pine or something, because it's unlike any other whisky I've tasted. I'm not saying it's all that great, but it's definitely worth finding for $40 if you ever find it. I didn't know it at the time, but they advertise Punjabi spices, which are present but definitely subtle.
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Oct 11, 2022 17:21
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I decided to switch it up and bought a bottle of Bushmills 10 and Writers Tears Double Oak. Bushmills 10 cost $48.95, and honestly I found it bland. Too light of a flavour and not much going on. Bushmills' Black Bush is about $10 cheaper and more interesting. Writers Tears Double Oak was $64.95. Better than the Bushmills, but I have the same problem: it's too mellow. Honestly, the basic Writers Tears is better. If I get my hands on some more Canadian whisky, I'll go back, but I can't drink as much as I used to because it aggravates my GERD and causes some reflux. On the plus side, a friend of mine who barely drinks just came back from overseas and picked up a bottle of Talisker Surge for me at Heathrow. Can't wait!
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Nov 18, 2022 22:16
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Flash Gordon Ramsay posted:Whenever I open a new bottle, I always force myself to wait a few minutes after I make the first pour before I sip. Doesn't seem as necessary on subsequent pours, but just letting some of those volatile flavors come off it seems to help me better appreciate a new bottle than I if I pour and sip immediately. A few pages back, but: I've started opening bottles at least a few days (if not a week) before I actually intend to start drinking them. I opened a bottle of Writers Tears Ice Wine Cask about a week before St. Patrick's Day (because why not?), and I found that I got a much more nuanced glass after letting it sit for a week than I did when it was originally open. Also: I recommend the Ice Wine cask. It's the same clean and mellow copper pot flavour that Writers Tears has, but a slight sweet and fuller body. Not a bad novelty at all... even if it is $102 for a 750mL bottle.
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Apr 3, 2023 21:58
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Jehde posted:I would have no qualms with buying store-brand Crown Royal. As a Canadian, Crown Royal is a standard, but it's like soda, store-brand soda is fine. Damnit, I don't check this thread often enough to answer on time, but: yes. Crown Royal is probably best mixed with Coke (exception: Northern Harvest. That's actually decent, and also works better with ginger ale). Better than the Hiram Walker's Special Old I bought. My curiosity finally got the better of me because I like the design of the bottle.
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May 3, 2023 22:08
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S.W.O.R.D. Agent posted:Is there a legit reason why this would be the case other than someone just made a bad decision? There isn't nearly as much of a "whisky culture" in Canada. Most of the people I know who drink whisky do it because it's cheap and a good mixer. Those who appreciate it are limited and would rather stick with other whisky because those at least have a market -- like, if I'm spending at least $50 on a bottle of scotch, it should at least have something going for it. It's growing somewhat, but since it takes a lot of start-up capital to make a good distillery, there isn't much effort. Hell, if I ever see advertising for whisky here, it's usually because it's a party and you can mix it. Or it's the "it's what your dad drank" and they show low-level Wiser's over some ice. That's it. My other guess as to why there's little effort into what's made here is that historically, the established Canadian distillers never had to put in effort. Unlike Irish whiskey, Canadian whisky skyrocketed during Prohibition because of bootlegging and distillers saw that they had a massive demand without needing to distinguish themselves, and that cultural foothold stuck. Why demand stricter standards if business is solid? Also maybe the climate has something to do with aging? I don't know. spankmeister posted:I just don't bother with Canadian whisky in general, because as a category it has some hosed up laws that dilutes (both figuratively and literally) the reputation of the whole category. The issue being that Canadian whisky can have unaged neutral grain alcohol blended in. And that's just sad. I'm not surprised and don't blame you, for all the reasons said above. You're right for that reason, but that's also why I'm trying to put in effort to find some decent stuff. There's a lot of hidden gems that end up being pretty good for its price point. Not like they're ever the greatest, but in terms of price you can find something that's unique. Like, I can't think of anything that's similar to Forty Creek Copper Pot. It just has this feel of chocolate that I don't get from anything else. I don't mean "notes of chocolate", but an actual separate feel and texture.
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May 4, 2023 15:11
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Jehde posted:Yeah the strength of Canadian whiskies are the ryes. Lot 40 makes a great 100% rye that's my go to for that. Yep, the ones that lean into the rye mash are much better. Without it, they're usually bland and don't do much. I like Lot No. 40 Dark Oak, but honestly (and I know I'm repeating myself here) Crown Royal Northern Harvest did what it did but cheaper. I was going to say that if the LCBO does another round of free-shipping-if-over-$250, but then I remembered you can just get an order shipped to your local store, so once I finish my 3-day exam at the end of the month I'll try to delve into other less-known local whiskies. If anyone has any recommendations or requests, let me know. Tax season is over and my regular profit sharing still might not be going to a vacation, so I'm game.
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May 4, 2023 16:59
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Opened the Talisker Surge a (now ex-)friend bought for me the last time she travelled overseas. Overall: it's like any Talisker, in that there is definite smoke and peat, but the trademark saltiness is gone. Like, if you asked me whether or not that's a Talisker, I wouldn't be able to tell. It's not bad, mind you. After a bunch of mediocre bottles, this is a solid reminder of what a good single malt can be. The initial sniff and flavour lean more towards smoke and peat, but as it coats your mouth and goes down your throat, the deep fruit and caramel comes out. Best way I can describe it is like a slide, with peat and smoke at one end, and fruit/berry and caramel at the other. It starts at the first end and gets to about 75% of the way to the other end. The smoke doesn't disappear, but becomes less noticeable as the other flavours come out. Hell of a price, though. I think I paid her back about $135 or so for it a year ago, and that's when the pound was significantly weaker. If you can find it in a duty-free store, it's not a bad choice. I'd still rather find that The Balvenie Golden Cask, but it's something different. Doesn't beat the Laphroaig PX Cask for a mixture of sweetness and smoke. If you can ever find that one, have fun!
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Jul 7, 2023 22:03
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Building up my bar now that I've moved out on my own again and I've been drinking Ezra Brooks 99 Proof. Maybe it's because it's been a long while since I've had either bourbon or anything above 40% abv, but wow is this a strong flavour. It needs more water than I assumed, and even then it still has a strong flavour with a mild level of spice.
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Jan 16, 2024 01:38
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