Review: Crown Royal XR (LaSalle) Canadian Whisky

Crown Royal unveiled their new Crown Royal XR, LaSalle Whisky in the US market a few short months ago. The previously released Crown Royal XR Whisky, (click here for my review) was a unique bottling of Crown Royal Whisky, which included in the blend, the last aged stocks from the Crown Royal Waterloo Distillery which burned down in 1993. This latest Crown Royal XR Whisky blend focuses its attention instead, on selected remaining whisky stocks from the renowned LaSalle Distillery in Quebec, Canada. The LaSalle Distillery is significant to Crown Royal, as it was the first distillery opened by the Bronfman Family (a legendary name within the spirits industry). The Bronfmans were responsible for the creation of the original Crown Royal Whisky in 1939 to commemorate King George VI and Queen Elizabeth’s visit to Canada.’

I received my whisky sample several weeks ago and here is an excerpt from my review:

“…The whisky is a richly coloured amber, and that trademark punky caramel-corn Crown Royal nose rises from the glass immediately. The air is rich with vanilla and honeycomb, and displays a strong rich oak taint….”

You may read the full review here:

Please enjoy my review!

Review: McGuinness Silk Tassel Canadian Whisky

McGuinness Silk Tassel Canadian Whisky was recently purchased by Sazerac Company, Inc. as part of a strategic investment in the Canadian Whisky marketplace. This brand has been around for a while now, although I believe that it was originally introduced as McGuiness Gold Tassel in the late 1960′s or perhaps the early 70′s. I remember the brand being quite popular in my youth. Young aficionados of the brand would collect the gold tassels that decorated the bottle and hang them like trophies from the rear view mirrors of their pick-up trucks (as you can tell, growing up in rural Alberta was a hoot).

The brand was changed to Silk Tassel many years ago, although there may have been a brief period when both a Silk Tassel and a Gold Tassel Whisky were available. (Just think of the decorating possibilities for those rear view mirrors.)

I was provided with a bottle of the Silk Tassel recently by the local distributor, Charton Hobbes, for the purpose of a review upon this website.

Here is an excerpt from that review:

“… The initial nose from the glass resembles a fruit-filled rye spice with some hints of almond and vanilla. There is a light presence of oak and citrus zest in the background and even a bit of dusty wooden granary and freshly baled straw… “

You may read the full review here:

And for these hot days we have been experiencing lately I have a new cocktail I call the Icy Breeze!

Please enjoy the review and the cocktail!

Cheers!

Review: Spicebox Canadian Spiced Whisky

Spicebox Whisky is based in Montreal, Quebec where they blend and bottle their Spicebox Canadian Spiced Whisky. According to their website the spiced whisky is blended from Canadian whisky stocks which are aged from 3 years to 6 years. The spices and vanilla used to flavour the blend are extracted through a process they call cold fusion. Apparently three different vanilla beans are used (from various parts of the world) as well as the blender’s “secret spices”.

The product is bottled at 70 proof or 35 % alcohol by volume and has been brought into the Alberta Marketplace by Mondia Alliance Wine and Spirits of Montreal. here is an excerpt from my review:

“… The whisky displays a nice light copper colour in the glass and a quick tilt of the glass and a slow swirl reveals a light coating of liquid on the inside of the glass which coalesces into thin legs running down into the whisky. The initial aroma is of vanilla and rye spice. I also notice some lighter notes of cinnamon and cloves with perhaps a smattering of nutmeg and citrus zest …”

You may read the full review here:

As well I have provided a nice bar drink which I call the Spiced Canadian Cooler.

Please enjoy my review and the suggested recipe.

Cheers!

Review: Calgary Stampede (Commemorative) 25 Year Old Whisky

Just over a week ago, I introduced the Calgary Stampede Commemorative 25 Year Old Whisky here on my website. The whisky is a single bond offering produced entirely from corn distillate and aged for 25 years in charred American white oak. It is blended entirely with naturally sourced Rocky Mountain spring water, and has a limited production of only 6000 bottles. In order to maintain good contact with the oak during the lengthy aging process, this bond was re-gauged or re-barreled twice during its aging life. New barrels were not introduced when Highwood distiller’s made the liquid consolidation. Instead they chose to maintain the aging process in the original barrels in which the spirit began its maturation.

I was given a sample bottle to review by the folks at Highwood Distillers who produced the whisky and I am sharing my review of this whisky here on my website.

Here is an excerpt:

“… As you let the glass breathe, the flavours (and the aroma) become deeper and richer. There are some almond flavours that over time develop towards marzipan, and there is some orange peel that begins to taste like marmalade as the glass sits and the flavours meld. Some pungent baking spices (cinnamon, vanilla and ginger) and flavours of melted vanilla ice-cream appear as if by magic… “

You may read the full review here:

Please enjoy the review!

(Because a 25 Year Old Canadian Whisky is special, my friend Davin de Kergommeaux of Canadian Whisky and I agreed to review this spirit on the same day. As part of my review I have provided a link to Davin’s opinion as well)

Introducing: Calgary Stampede (Commemorative) 25 Year Old Whisky

Over 100 years ago an entrepreneurial cowboy named Guy Weadlick visited Calgary, Alberta and envisioned a tribute show to the pioneers of the west complete with a Cowboy Championship Contest. He arranged $100,000.00 in financing from the “Big 4″ (George Lane, Archie McClean, Patrick Burns, and A.E. Cross) who were influential Calgary area ranchers and businessmen. In September 1912, Guy Weadlick’s vision, the first Calgary Stampede, came to life for six glorious days. An estimated 80,000 people attended the first Stampede Parade, which was an astonishing number considering Calgary’s population at the time was only three-quarters that figure at 60,000. The major events at this “Cowboy Championship” offered each winner first prize cash of $1000, as well as a Saddle and a Gold Buckle!

For over 100 years now the Calgary Stampede has brought people from all over the world together to experience the region’s unique western heritage and values. Highwood Distillers, Alberta’s only privately owned distillery, has joined in and is celebrating the Centennial of the Calgary Stampede by producing an exclusive Limited Edition Ultra-Premium 25 Year Old Commemorative Canadian Rye Whisky.

The handsome heavy-set 8-sided bottle is adorned with a medal label, and a high quality wooden capped synthetic cork seals this rare wonderfully old whisky.

Here are my initial tasting notes:

Colour: Brilliant amber with flashes of gold.

Nose:  Deep scents of oak and cedar, butterscotch bathed in corn and honeyed oak spices, melted vanilla ice-cream, and delicate aromas of sweet bourbon whiskey

Taste: Luscious oak spices, butterscotch and honey, corn on the cob, and sweet dank Kentucky Bourbon. The whisky grows in the glass getting richer and more complex with flavours of marzipan, orange marmalade and lots of melted vanilla ice cream.

Finish: An explosion of tonsil licking oak spices with echoes of vanilla, butterscotch, and honey lingering in the throat.

The Centennial of the Calgary Stampede is an event worth celebrating!

The launch of Highwood’s Calgary Stampede (Commemorative) 25 Year Old Whisky is the launch of a whisky worthy of this celebration.

PS: My full review will follow in a few weeks!
(If Highwood’s Calgary Stampede (Commemorative) 25 Year Old Whisky is not in stores now, it will be soon.)

For Father’s Day – Avoiding my 10 Whisky Regrets

Yesterday I shared a few of my rum experiences which were, let me say, less than enjoyable. The list was meant to help you avoid similar pitfalls in your search for a suitable rum to buy Dad for Father’s Day. Today, I think it is only fair, that I also list a few of the whisky decisions I have regretted as well. The list I came up with, isn’t really a list of horrible whiskies that left me gasping (although a couple are). It is more of a list of whiskies which in some way tainted my enjoyment such that I kind of wished I had never succumbed to their charm in the bottle.

They made me run to them, and then they made me run from them, kind of like that Gloria Jones song covered by Soft Cell:
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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These are my regrets, and I publish this list in hopes that I can help you avoid a regret or two this Father’s Day. (Just for the fun of it, I think I will count them down in reverse order starting with a few minor regrets, working my way to my biggest whisky regret.)

My 10 Whisky Regrets

Happy Father’s Day Everyone!

For Father’s Day – Canadian Whisky on a Budget

My wife asked me the other day which whisky I would like for Father’s Day. I thought about it for a few moments, and I decided that rather than giving her only one choice, I would give her a list of Canadian Whiskies to choose from. I decided this list should be easy on her wallet, but just as important, each whisky on the list would be one which I would be happy to receive.

The list I cam up with was a selection of twelve budget-priced Canadian Whiskies, all of which are under thirty dollars in my locale, Receiving any whisky from this selection as a father’s day gift, will suit me just fine.

And so in no particular order, I give you my list of 12 great budget priced Canadian Whiskies for Father’s Day. Beside each whisky is the approximate price here in Edmonton.
(You may click each selection to read my reviews of each particular whisky if you wish.)

Centennial 10 Year Old Canadian Rye Whisky   ($25.95)

Black Velvet Deluxe    ($20.95)

Alberta Springs Canadian Whisky   ($22.50)

Highwood Canadian Rye Whisky    ($19.95)

Wiser’s Small Batch   ($25.95)

Gibson’s Finest Sterling Whisky   ($24.95)

Century Reserve 21 Year Old   ($29.95)

Potters Special Old Rye Whisky   ($19.95)

Wiser’s De Luxe   ($29.95)

Gibson’s Finest 12 Year Old   ($29.95)

Schenley OFC Canadian Whisky   ($20.95)

Hiram Walker Special Old   ($23.00)

Happy shopping!

Cheers and Happy Father’s Day!

Chinook Whisky Revisited

If you look at the picture to the left, you can see that Chinook Canadian Whisky has undergone a bit of a facelift since I reviewed it last year (Click here for the 2011 review). It arrives in a new PET Bottle, and it has a brand new label. Gone is the 5-Year age statement, and gone as well is the reference to being distilled, aged and blended in Calgary, Alberta. Rather, the label now simply says “aged and blended in Southern Alberta” with no reference to where the whisky is distilled.

When I first saw the new bottle, I was surprised, and of course my first question was, “Has the blend changed?”

To help me answer that question, I was sent a new bottle for review from the brand owner Mcbsw Sales Company Inc., such that I could revisit the Chinook Whisky here on my website.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“… My first impression as the new whisky crossed my palate for the first time, was that the sweetness and the fruitiness have been ramped up in this blend. Stronger caramel flavours were obvious as was a spicy green pepper lingering in the background. Caramel apples, slightly sour purple grapes, canned apricots, and canned pears all seem to find their way across my palate in what is a real mixture of fruit flavour. I taste some rye-like spiciness which resembles ginger and cloves with maybe just a dash of cinnamon …”

You may read my full review here:

Review: Chinook Whisky (2012)

I have included a nice recipe which works well with the Chinook Whisky called the Buckeroo.

Please enjoy the review, and do try a Buckeroo.  Cheers!

FORTY CREEK PORT WOOD RESERVE – RESERVATIONS ARE NOW OPEN!

It was announced on the Forty Creek Website about two weeks ago that the second edition of the FORTY CREEK PORT WOOD RESERVE will be released for sale in September, 2012. This whisky marks the sixth special release for the distillery, and there will be only 6,600 bottles of Port Wood available. (The first release sold out before any bottles left Ontario.) However you can reserve your own numbered bottle if you act before June 7th, as once again Forty Creek is offering Canadian Whisky connoisseurs the opportunity to reserve their own bottle number of Forty Creek Port Wood Reserve. Customers can reserve any number between 0003 and 6,600 (I have already reserved bottle numbers 128, 129 and 130).

The reservation opportunity for numbered bottles began on May 7, and will continue only until 5:00 p.m. on June 7, 2012. As always, the reserved bottles must be purchased and picked up at the Forty Creek Distillery in Grimsby, Ontario, on the scheduled release day for the whisky in September. The distillery is unable (due to provincial and federal regulations) to ship the reserved bottles in the mail or across provincial borders.

Bottles numbers are reserved on a first come, first served basis. Port Wood Reserve will retail for $69.95.

For more information about Forty Creek Port Wood Reserve and how to reserve your personally numbered bottles click here.

You may read my review of the original (first) edition of Portwood Reserve here (to date I believe this is John Hall’s finest Whisky):

• Forty Creek Portwood Reserve

My reviews for other Forty Creek Special Releases may be read here:

• Confederation Oak
• Forty Creek Double Barrel (240)
• Forty Creek John’s Private Cask No. 1

Cheers everyone!

Introducing: Crown Royal Limited XR LaSalle Whisky

Crown Royal has just unveiled their new Crown Royal XR® LaSalle Whisky. The previous edition of Crown Royal XR®, (click here for my review) was s a unique bottling of Crown Royal Whisky, which included in the blend, the last aged stocks from the Crown Royal Waterloo Distillery which burned down in 1993. This latest Crown Royal XR® blend includes select remaining whisky stocks from the renowned LaSalle Distillery in Quebec, Canada. Apparently the Crown Royal XR® will be an on-going series, with each Crown Royal XR blend created with the inclusion rare batch whisky stocks and distributed for a limited time only.

This present edition, Crown Royal XR® LaSalle, was ‘handcrafted” by Crown Royal Master Blender, Andrew MacKay. Mr. MacKay actually began his apprenticeship with Crown Royal at the LaSalle Distillery. The creation of this new XR whiskey was therefore a uniquely personal experience for the Master Blender who stated:

“LaSalle holds a historic place in the whisky world and is incredibly special to me, because it’s where I first learned about creating memorable blends. To be able to incorporate these Extra Rare LaSalle whiskies into the new Crown Royal XR is an honor, and I hope loyal adult Crown Royal drinkers enjoy it responsibly – whether toasting to a monumental anniversary or simply gathering with friends and family on the weekend.”

The LaSalle Distillery is significant to Crown Royal, as it was the first distillery opened by the Bronfman Family (a legendary name within the spirits industry). The Bronfmans were responsible for the creation of the original Crown Royal Whisky in 1939 to commemorate King George VI and Queen Elizabeth’s visit to Canada.

The new Crown Royal XR Limited LaSalle’s packaging continues the original presentation theme established with the first installment in this ‘Extra Rare’ Whisky Series. The uniquely shaped bottle which resembles a crown, the deluxe glass stopper, and the iconic velvet bag will remain the same in shape and design; but, the new display box and velvet bag now reflect a royal blue color to echo the regal history of the product.

Crown Royal XR will be available nationwide for a suggested retail price of $129.99 per 750 ml bottle (bottled at 40 % abv.) beginning in early June. As was the case with the inaugural installment in the ‘Extra Rare’ series, the new Crown Royal XR will be available for a limited time only.

Although I have not yet tasted the new Crown Royal Limited XR LaSalle Whiskey, I shall be sure to provide a comprehensive review as soon as I do.

Here are some links to my previous Crown Royal Whisky Reviews:

• Crown Royal Whisky
• Crown Royal Reserve
• Crown Royal Cask No. 16
• Crown Royal XR (Extra Rare)