A different beast
Canadaâs whisky industry is a pale imitation of what it once was. But if youâre thinking of visiting its distilleries be prepared for a lot of travel â its few remaining distilleries are spread right across this huge nation.
Canada has probably produced whisky since the 1760s, with early distillation based around an area in the South of Ontario on Canadaâs East Coast. By the mid 1800s about 200 distilleries had been established, and the countryâs reputation grew in to the 20th century.
From then Canadian whisky entered its golden period as whisky continued to flow across the American borders and whisky makers such as Hiram Walker and Sam Bronfman created vast empires and companies such as Seagram dominated not just the American market but the whole of the world.
That there was such a strong market for whisky in Canada is of no great surprise when you consider the links between Canada and Scotland, and the large number of early settlers who made the journey to North America from Scotland after they were forced from their homeland.
But while there are many similarities between the climate and terrain of each country, the whisky bond is far more tenuous. It is true that a small amount of pot still-produced malt is made in Canada today, but the greater part of Canadaâs whisky output is altogether a different beast. What is widely accepted as the countryâs trademark style of whisky is defined not by its malted barley content, but by rye. Even in this regard itâ.....
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By Rob Allanson
Section : Regional Focus
Page number : 32
