Canadian Whiskies Live Tasting Event - August 38-30

[Ganga]

Are you a Canadian Whisky enthusiast? Maybe you are inexperienced or new to Canadian Whiskies. Either way, everyone is invited to join in a little social comraderie and exploration of Canadian Whiskies.

Starts now, runs through the weekend. Please feel free to join in anytime.

[Wave]

August 38-30

Canadian time?


Cheers!

[mikeymad]

Ganga called... apologizes about no entries yet. More fires in his area (killing ability to properly sample), and lost internet (killing ability to post)...

He should be back at some point for samples and wit...

I don't seem to have any of these to sample... so looking forward to notes on what to get.

Cheers,

[pkt77242]

I should be on in a couple of hours to taste my samples. Hopefully Ganga is doing ok.

Sean

[pkt77242]

Just got back and getting settled should be ready to go in a couple of minutes.

Sean

[pkt77242]

Here we go, the first of seven Canadian whiskies.

Seagrams Vo Canadian
Brand : Seagram's Expression : Blended canadian whisky
Nose : Alcohol, cereal grains, slight whiff of lemon pledge. Not very promising. Palate : Caramel, grains, hint of lemon. Sweeter than expected. Finish : slight spit up type quality. Still some caramel. Surprising length (mediumish) though a little rough and burning on the back of the throat. Comment : Not as bad as expected but still not very good. Might be decent over ice. Colour : - Score : 0
Age : 0 Years Old Vintage : 0 ABV : 40% Bottler : -	Type : Blended Region : Canada Water : None Ice : None Glass : - Notes : -
More tasting notes by None Please do not reproduce or copy this tasting note without permission.

Sean

[pkt77242]

Number 2 is up next.

Canadian Mist
Brand : Canadian Mist Expression : -
Nose : Toast, caramel, and a hint of rye. A little tree bark as well. Palate : Definitely sweet. Bread, caramel, and some rye. Finish : Bitter caramel. Comment : - Colour : - Score : 0
Age : 0 Years Old Vintage : 0 ABV : 40% Bottler : -	Type : Blended Region : Canada Water : None Ice : None Glass : - Notes : -
More tasting notes by None Please do not reproduce or copy this tasting note without permission.

I now need to go wash my mouth out.

Sean

[pkt77242]

Next up

Canadian Club
Brand : Canadian Club Expression : -
Nose : Hints of sherry, grain, caramel, and brazil nuts. Palate : Just a hint of cherry and loads of caramel. Nuts. Finish : Caramel. Bitter at the very end. Comment : - Colour : - Score : 0
Age : 6 Years Old Vintage : 0 ABV : 40% Bottler : -	Type : Blended Region : Canada Water : None Ice : None Glass : - Notes : -
More tasting notes by None Please do not reproduce or copy this tasting note without permission.

Sean

[pkt77242]

Number 4

Forty Creek Barrel Select
Brand : Forty Creek Expression : -
Nose : Caramel, hint of milk chocolate and cashews. Palate : Caramel and butterscoth. Cashews show up as well. Finish : Short finish that has loads of caramel. Comment : - Colour : - Score : 0
Age : 0 Years Old Vintage : 0 ABV : 40% Bottler : -	Type : Blended Region : Canada Water : None Ice : None Glass : - Notes : -
More tasting notes by None Please do not reproduce or copy this tasting note without permission.

Sean

[Holysinner]

Forty Creek Barrel Select
Brand : Forty Creek Expression : Barrel Select
Nose : Nutella, cured or smoked meat (pastrami?) Palate : Very nutty, a touch sour, sweet vanilla Finish : Black pepper, drying, medium Comment : Very sumptuous. I know others will describe a very different nose, but that's what these notes are for, right? Colour : Rich gold Score : 0
Age : 0 Years Old Vintage : 0 ABV : 40% Bottler : -	Type : - Region : Canada Water : None Ice : None Glass : Tulip Nosing Glass Notes : -
More tasting notes by None Please do not reproduce or copy this tasting note without permission.

[Holysinner]

Glad I can join you Sean, you've gotten this off to a great start!

Good luck to Ganga.

[Holysinner]

Just opened...

Forty Creek Double Barrel Reserve
Brand : Forty Creek Expression : Double Barrel Reserve
Nose : Caramel, mandarin orange, hazelnuts Palate : Bran, marmalade Finish : Candied orange peel, warming but short Comment : Sweeter and lacking the spice of the Barrel Select, with a distinct citrus character. The finish is definitely too short, but this is lovely and dangerously drinkable. Colour : Light gold Score : 0
Age : 0 Years Old Vintage : 0 ABV : 40% Bottler : -	Type : - Region : Canada Water : None Ice : None Glass : Tulip Nosing Glass Notes : Lot 240, Bottle#01648
More tasting notes by None Please do not reproduce or copy this tasting note without permission.

[pkt77242]

Glad I can join you Sean, you've gotten this off to a great start!

Good luck to Ganga.

Glad to have you here HS. I like you tasting notes on the Forty Creek barrel select.
I had to stop for dinner but are getting ready to pour some Pendleton.

Sean

[pkt77242]

HS, glad to see you enjoyed the Forty Creek Double Barrel select.

Sean

[pkt77242]

I am back

Pendleton
Brand : Pendleton Expression : -
Nose : Butterscotch, oatmeal, cinnamon, and a hint of orange. Palate : Orange, butterscotch and bran. Finish : Short finish. Canned pears and butterscotch. Also a touch of vanilla. Comment : A drinkable whisky but lacking finish and complexity. Colour : - Score : 0
Age : 0 Years Old Vintage : 0 ABV : 40% Bottler : -	Type : Blended Region : Canada Water : None Ice : None Glass : - Notes : -
More tasting notes by None Please do not reproduce or copy this tasting note without permission.

Sean

[mikeymad]

Sorry you don't seem to be having that much fun Sean....

Glad the 40 creek is looking okay...

Cheers,

[pkt77242]

Sorry you don't seem to be having that much fun Sean....

Glad the 40 creek is looking okay...

Cheers,

No problem Mikey, it is all done in the name of science. Two more whiskies left.

Sean

[Holysinner]

HS, glad to see you enjoyed the Forty Creek Double Barrel select.

Sean

I did Sean, and I'm looking forward to seeing whether the bottle will change over time.

I think John K. Hall is doing great things at Kittling Ridge, and just wish I could get up there to try the new Port Wood release.


I cracked open the mini of Wiser's, but I think notes for that and the Crown Royal will have to wait for tomorrow. I'm getting almost nothing on the nose and can't really distinguish flavors right now. Your ability to try whisky after whisky and still write up great notes is very impressive!

[pkt77242]

Almost done.

Crown Royal
Brand : Crown Royal Expression : -
Nose : Lots of vanilla and rye. Palate : Vanilla and mandarin orange. A little rye spices. Finish : Short finish, full of vanilla. Comment : A very drinkable whisky. Simple and enjoyable. Colour : - Score : 0
Age : 0 Years Old Vintage : 0 ABV : 40% Bottler : -	Type : Blended Region : Canada Water : None Ice : None Glass : - Notes : -
More tasting notes by None Please do not reproduce or copy this tasting note without permission.

Sean

[pkt77242]

Last one.

Crown Royal Reserve
Brand : Crown Royal Expression : -
Nose : Vanilla and tangerine. A hint of cinnamon and oak. Palate : Vanilla and tangerine. A hint of lime and some rye spiciness. Finish : Mediom finish on lime and vanilla. Comment : A nice whisky. Enjoyable, drinkable and balanced. Colour : - Score : 0
Age : 0 Years Old Vintage : 0 ABV : 40% Bottler : -	Type : Blended Region : Canada Water : None Ice : None Glass : - Notes : -
More tasting notes by None Please do not reproduce or copy this tasting note without permission.

Sean

[pkt77242]

HS, glad to see you enjoyed the Forty Creek Double Barrel select.

Sean

I did Sean, and I'm looking forward to seeing whether the bottle will change over time.

I think John K. Hall is doing great things at Kittling Ridge, and just wish I could get up there to try the new Port Wood release.


I cracked open the mini of Wiser's, but I think notes for that and the Crown Royal will have to wait for tomorrow. I'm getting almost nothing on the nose and can't really distinguish flavors right now. Your ability to try whisky after whisky and still write up great notes is very impressive!

HS, I also have been impressed by Forty Creek. I will try to hop on tomorrow as well to try these with ice.

Sean

[The Third Dram]

Sorry I'm a little late to the proceedings taking place here, fellows. But I figured better late than never.

These tastings were just completed around 11:30AM EDT here in Montreal (they were carried out 'back-to-back'), and do I hope they prove of some use.

Thanks to Ganga and everyone else for offering up the idea.

Doug

[The Third Dram]

First off the starting line...

OFC 8 Year Old
Brand : Schenley Expression : -
Nose : Fresh, light and clean. Grassy. Tinned pears. Palate : Very grain driven. Shredded wheat. Creaminess deftly counterbalanced by a dash of input from the rye. Finish : Soft and rather quick. Comment : Nothing exceptional, but nothing offensive either. Colour : Light gold Score : 0
Age : 8 Years Old Vintage : 0 ABV : 40% Bottler : -	Type : Blend Region : - Water : - Ice : - Glass : - Notes : -
More tasting notes by None Please do not reproduce or copy this tasting note without permission.

[The Third Dram]

Order of Merit 15 Year Old
Brand : Schenley Expression : -
Nose : Fruit salad in an oak bowl. Pineapple. Passion fruit. Toffee. Very composed. Palate : Lovely, smooth palate entry. Oak adds considerable weight from the mid palate onward. Excellent balance. Complex. Finish : Velvety, lingering finish with momentary flashes of brittleness. Comment : This is from a venerable bottle distilled in 1952 and bottled in 1967 (Canada's Centennial Year). Colour : Full gold with a touch of amber. Score : 0
Age : 15 Years Old Vintage : 0 ABV : Unknown% Bottler : -	Type : - Region : - Water : - Ice : - Glass : - Notes : -
More tasting notes by None Please do not reproduce or copy this tasting note without permission.

[The Third Dram]

Wiser's Reserve
Brand : (Same) Expression : -
Nose : Apple. Wintermelon. Vanilla. Green tea with a dash of citrus. Palate : Some caramel evident at the outset. Then slightly more sharpness from the grains and oak. Juicy. This one has a tad more bite despite the caramel-toffee gloss. Not bad at all. Finish : Short to medium-length finish. Comment : - Colour : Light to medium gold. Score : 0
Age : 0 Years Old Vintage : 0 ABV : 43% Bottler : -	Type : - Region : - Water : - Ice : - Glass : - Notes : -
More tasting notes by None Please do not reproduce or copy this tasting note without permission.

[The Third Dram]

Gooderham & Worts Small Batch
Brand : (Same) Expression : -
Nose : Somewhat reticent. Delicately conveyed oak and fruit. A hint of strawberry and blanched almonds. Palate : Really good. The fruit maintains a degree of freshly picked ripeness amidst the sparkling grains and oak. And the higher proof only adds to this effect. Quite salivating. Finish : Medium finish that makes you want to go for a 2nd. More impressive than I remember. Comment : - Colour : Light gold. Score : 0
Age : 0 Years Old Vintage : 0 ABV : 45% Bottler : -	Type : - Region : - Water : - Ice : - Glass : - Notes : -
More tasting notes by None Please do not reproduce or copy this tasting note without permission.

[The Third Dram]

Limited Edition
Brand : Crown Royal Expression : -
Nose : Fruit, field grains and oak tightly fused. Gentle, come hither fragrance. Vibrancy combined with the added sophistication maturity brings. Palate : This is like the Crown Royals I recall from the 1960s and 1970s. Easy-going elegance. Quality oak and rye lend depth to the wheat, corn and malt. Perfect degree of maturity. Finish : Soft, glowing warmth at the finish. Comment : - Colour : Tending to medium gold. Score : 0
Age : 0 Years Old Vintage : 0 ABV : 40% Bottler : -	Type : - Region : - Water : - Ice : - Glass : - Notes : -
More tasting notes by None Please do not reproduce or copy this tasting note without permission.

[pkt77242]

Nice notes Doug.

Sean

[The Third Dram]

Special Reserve
Brand : Crown Royal Expression : -
Nose : Very mellow, though the rye doing battle with the oak enlivens matters marginally. Palate : Pure silk. The oak and grains offer a demure petillance that, alas, doesn't quite survive to the finish line. Finish : Somewhat sedated. Comment : Lovely whisky. But I'll take the Limited Edition, thank you. Colour : Full gold with the merest hint of amber. Score : 0
Age : 0 Years Old Vintage : 0 ABV : 40% Bottler : -	Type : - Region : - Water : - Ice : - Glass : - Notes : -
More tasting notes by None Please do not reproduce or copy this tasting note without permission.

[The Third Dram]

Cask No. 16
Brand : Crown Royal Expression : -
Nose : Wow! An almost Sauternes-like voluptuousness. Tropical fruit salad. Dry roasted nuts. A hint of vanilla. Palate : Crisp, clean attack leading to succulence. Honey dribbled on whole wheat toast. Pears. The spicy oak influence effortlessly intertwines with the bittersweet nature of the spirit, creating tiny ripples of rapier-like intensity that spread across the glossy textural surface. Finish : Long and calm. Comment : A cracker! Colour : Full gold tending to amber. Slightly deeper than that of the SR. Score : 0
Age : 0 Years Old Vintage : 0 ABV : 40% Bottler : -	Type : - Region : - Water : - Ice : - Glass : - Notes : -
More tasting notes by None Please do not reproduce or copy this tasting note without permission.

[The Third Dram]

Sherry Cask
Brand : Canadian Club Expression : -
Nose : Wine cask influence layered over (rather than entirely melded with) the intrinsic grain thrust of the distillate. Richly fruity. Lots of sultana overtones. Palate : Macallan meets M'Canuck. Yet a green, bitter aspect permeates the early stages despite the thick, sweet texture. It's as though someone threw dandelion greens into the raisins. Then, a brief interlude of real Canadian whisky taste before the lights go out. Finish : A weak suggestion of activity, but ultimately boring. Comment : This one has potential, but needs considerable time and effort at all stages from conception to the blending room. Colour : Amber gold. Score : 0
Age : 0 Years Old Vintage : 0 ABV : 41.3% Bottler : -	Type : - Region : - Water : - Ice : - Glass : - Notes : -
More tasting notes by None Please do not reproduce or copy this tasting note without permission.

[The Third Dram]

Nice notes Doug.

Thanks Sean.

The morning truly represents, for me, the best time to carry out these sorts of comparative tastings, though one does have to be slightly cautious in terms of the quantities consumed!

[mikeymad]

So for the Breakfast Dram... go Canadian....

Cheers,

[Holysinner]

Great notes TTD!

Wiser's DeLuxe
Brand : Wiser's Expression : DeLuxe
Nose : Just not a lot there. If I really stick my nose in the glass, I get strawberries and glue. Palate : Quite spirity with candy sweetness. And there's the glue again. Finish : Bitter and a bit sour, mercifully short. Comment : Not very pleasant to my tastes. Colour : Amber Score : 0
Age : 0 Years Old Vintage : 0 ABV : 40% Bottler : -	Type : Blended Region : Canada Water : None Ice : None Glass : Tulip Nosing Glass Notes : -
More tasting notes by None Please do not reproduce or copy this tasting note without permission.

[Holysinner]

Switched glasses to finish the sample.

Wiser's DeLuxe
Brand : Wiser's Expression : DeLuxe
Nose : Hay, powdered sugar. Palate : Sweet with a bit of rye spice. Finish : Bitter and slightly sour, short. Comment : Hmmm, so it seems it wasn't my palate failing me last night, it was the glass! I usually prefer the tulip, but the Riedel is a standout for some bourbons and scotch blends, and apparently, this Canadian blend. Still nothing special, but much more tolerable. Colour : Amber Score : 0
Age : 0 Years Old Vintage : 0 ABV : 40% Bottler : -	Type : Blended Region : Canada Water : None Ice : None Glass : Riedel Single Malt Whisky Glass Notes : -
More tasting notes by None Please do not reproduce or copy this tasting note without permission.