canadian whisky

Brown Forman Introduces Collingwood Canadian Premium Whisky

Brown-Forman, the parent company behind Jack Daniels, Woodford Reserve, Early Times and Southern Comfort has launched Collingwood Canadian whisky, a new premium brand in the company's portfolio.

Collingwood, a blend of two whiskies, takes its aging in white oak barrels, but receives a finishing stage in casks made of toasted maple wood. Master Distiller Chris Morris perhaps not coincidentally this year released a new expression from Woodford Reserve Masters Collection that is maple finished.

"Sugar maple does not lend itself to barrel making the way oak does," Morris told Luxist in a recent interview. "But we can work with it in finishing stages, and it imparts a very unique flavor and finish to the whisky that is very desirable."

Water for Collingwood is spring water drawn Ontario's Georgian Bay. The whisky is triple distilled. And the new brand is bottled in a unique flask-style bottle with a large "over-cap."

The whisky is smooth at 80-proof, and not as rye-centered as other Canadian whiskies. Notes of applesauce, cedar, butterscotch and molasses are in the nose.

The new brand is initially available in Texas, Florida, Kentucky and Louisiana, hitting more markets throughout 2011. A 750ml bottle will retail for around $27.

Tags: canadian whisky, chris morris, collingwood canadian whisky, jack daniels, maple casks whiskey, whiskey, whisky, woodford reserve

Forty Creek Launches Confederation Oak

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Anyone who has tried Forty Creek Canadian Whisky knows that a distillery doesn't have to be decades old to produce a fine product.

In business only ten years, and already impressing critics with a Barrel Select, the Ontario distillery has just released a new expression, Forty Creek Confederation Oak Reserve Whisky.

The name comes from the fact that owner John Hall, who also produces Kittling Ridge Wines, aged his whiskey in barrels made from Canadian white oak trees about 150 years old--dating back to Canada's structure as a confederation. "As a proud Canadian whisky maker, I have always been curious what a Canadian whisky would taste like aged in a Canadian oak barrel, because most Canadian whiskies are aged in American oak," says Hall.

Each bottle will be numbered, and 16,800 are being released.

The nose on this whisky is maple-raisin-vanilla-fig, progressing to praline, banana, butter cream, honeyed nuts, marzipan, spice and orange blossoms. It is full-bodied on the tongue, with vanilla, butter cream and pepper spice. A long lingering finish with fading spice and white pepper.

Price: About $69.95 (Canadian) for a 750-mL bottle.

Tags: Canadian Whisky, Forty Creek, whiskey, whisky

White Owl Whisky: The Clear Alternative from Highwood Distillers

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

White or clear whiskies aren't entirely new to the market. American distillers have been producing them for years. Explaining their lack of color is simple enough: "fresh make spirit" – that is, whisk(e)y straight from the still – comes out clear. The amber color we're used to in our whiskies is imparted by the years spent aging in wooden barrels. American clear whiskey simply skips that step, giving customers a clear spirit that can be used in cocktails just a you would vodka or gin, just with a different flavor – while skipping the time-intensive aging processs.

White Owl Whisky takes a different approach. Unlike in the United States where regulations don't mandate that a whisky needs to be aged, Canadian rules are closer to those in Scotland: a whisky must be aged for at least three years in wooden barrels to be called whisky. White Owl does even better, with some of the spirits contained therein having been aged for ten years. Its makers Highwood Distillers of Alberta have filtered it extensively through charcoal until the color is gone, but the flavor stays.

The result can be enjoyed neat or on the rocks like any other whisky, or mixed into cocktails for a fresh take on the Bloody Caesar – a Canadian version of the Bloody Mary that adds clam juice and which Highwood calls the Clam WOW (White Owl Whisky) – or the Night Owl, an intriguing alternative to the usual Vodka/Red Bull.

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Tags: canadian whisky, clear whiskey, clear whisky, highwood, highwood distillers, rye whiskey, rye whisky, whisky, white owl whisky

Crown Royal Sending Special Camo Gift Bags to Troops Overseas

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Charity

Crown Royal's iconic purple velour bags have become a symbol unto themselves, but they're getting a dose of the camouflage treatment this year to honor our troops stationed overseas. The initiative will see the Canadian rye whisky distillers sending as many as 10,000 gift packages to American troops in Afghanistan and Iraq (amongst other global positions).

The packages include such personal items such as a toothbrush, razor and sunscreen, snacks and phone cards, all packed inside specially-designed purple camo versions of the iconic pouches. We're guessing that military procedures precluded them from sending actual bottles of whisky, which would undoubtedly be more thoroughly enjoyed, but the public can take part in the campaign – spearheaded by football coach and brand spokesman Jimmy Johnson – by buying bottles of the rye whisky packaged in the special purple-camo bags from their local liquor stores across the United States.

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Canadian Mist Black Diamond Rye Whisky

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Lovers of rye whisky take note: Canadian Mist is set to march on the United States with a new premium expression. Called Black Diamond, the special Canadian Mist was created in response to customers who liked the existing rye, but wanted something a little more special for special occasions.

Like the regular Canadian Mist, the Black Diamond is distilled in Ontario using water from the Georgian Bay, North America's largest pure water source. Black Diamond upgrades with an increased sherry flavor and a higher rye content, bottled at 86 proof, and will launch in six states this month before being rolled out coast to coast early next year. Suggested retail price for a 750ml bottle comes in at an entirely reasonable $14.99.

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Crown Royal Launches Premium "Black"

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Crown Royal Canadian Whisky has just released a new expression, Crown Royal Black. Darker in color and deeper in body, the Canadian whisky is bended at 90 proof and takes aging from charred oak barrels, which gives it both the added depth and color.

The price is about $30 per bottle, which represents a slight premium over the flagship Crown Royal expression. In my opinion, Crown Royal, owned by spirits giant Diageo, could get a bit more for Crown Royal Black. Canadian Whisky, however, struggles to earn higher prices for its spirits because of sub-par marketing around the whole industry in Canada. I would not chalk this problem up to Diageo, but rather Canada and the industry as a whole.

I tasted Black alongside the flagship, and if I had my way the new Black would become the new flagship product. While Crown Royal has always been a nice smooth blend, I have long felt that it suffers a bit in the marketplace for over familiarity and questionable merchandising. It's hard to put my finger on it, but when I see mini bottles of Crown Royal dumped into a fishbowl at the counter at a liquor store, I don't think premium. And that is an all-too frequent sight. I do like the velvet bag, though.

So, this is good news for whisky drinkers, or course. I think the Crown Royal Black product tastes more like a $40 whisky, but it is selling for about $30. The taste notes of maple and caramel are deeper, and longer without turning the expression into something a whole lot different from the signature Crown Royal taste and finish. A nice job was done here of making the good things in Crown Royal better and more distinct. It was overdue, as well, since many brands like Johnnie Walker and Jameson's have long been in the "Black" premium expression business.

Tags: Canadian Whisky, CanadianWhisky, Crown Royal, Crown Royal Black, CrownRoyal, CrownRoyalBlack, Johnnie Walker, JohnnieWalker, spirits, whisky

Colorado Whiskey Joins Scotland and Kentucky For Malt Advocates' Best

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

The Malt Advocate released its picks for Best Whiskies of The Year" in its new Spring issue. Like many of these rankings, there is a little to go around for everyone to argue about, as well as a surprise or two.

Top of the list for pleasant surprises is Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey. This young distillery, opened in 2004, has been a stand out since getting started, but it is also up against dozens of emerging micro-distilleries popping up all around the U.S. It used to distill from beer wash obtained from Flying Dog Brewery, but is now making its own. batch 49, honored by Malt Advocate, contains whiskey as young as two years old, but no older than five. At $55 a bottle, it's a buy, with an eye toward putting one away for future auctions. On the palate, you should find notes of English toffee, maple, roasted chestnuts and a bit of tobacco.

"Best Buy" of the Year went to The MacPhail's Collection; 8-year old expressions of Highland Park, Glenrothes and Tamdhu. At $30-$35, it was a solid choice. It's hard to find age stated whiskies this good, and nicely packaged. All are aged in refill Sherry casks. There are whiskies I like as much at the lower end of the range: Ardmore 'Traditional Cask" comes to mind, but for a few dollars more. That makes The MacPhails a worthy winner.

The American Whiskey of the Year went to Parker's Heritage Collection "Golden Anniversary." This expression was developed to mark Parker Beam's fifty years of service at Heaven Hill Distilleries. The blend was created from whiskies from the last five decades. With so many ages mingles, its not surprising to find a very complex, layered taste: vanilla and cocoa, but with very definite notes of citrus and cinnamon. At $150.00, I'd have to say it's right priced.

The Canadian Whisky of the Year is Crown Royal Cask No. 16. This is not surprising, but perhaps a little disappointing. No. 16 is a fine whisky to be sure. But the choice is disturbingly predictable because of the seeming lack of innovation coming out of Canada compared with the U.S. and Scotland. A close competitor in my tasting book would be Canadian Club 30 Year, at $200.00. To be eligible for Malt Advocate's ranking, the whisky has to have been sold in the U.S. in the previous year. The problem with some of the better, smaller volume Canadian whiskies is that they are not sold in the U.S., and they are often priced lower than they deserve, making comparisons with high-end Crown Royals and Canadian Clubs difficult for many taste testers.

Gallery: Whiskies of The Year

Parker's Heritage Collection Golden Anniversary

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Crown Royal Cask No. 16

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Aging whisky in casks used to age other liquor has become a big trend lately. Crown Royal has created a new whisky with a cognac finish. The Crown Royal Cask No. 16 is Canadian whisky aged in cognac casks made of oak from the renowned Limousin Forest in France. Crown Royal is a blend of more than 50 different individually aged whiskies which are then placed in the casks which give the blend a fruity and spicy finish. The whisky sells for $59.99.

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Tags: canadian whisky, cognac, crown royal, spirits, whisky