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)

Book Review: Canadian Whisky: the portable expert

I love Canadian Whisky! It is smooth and tasty, and (in my locale at least) extremely well priced compared to the other whisky offerings on the store shelf. This means that even the premium brands sell at prices which allows me to mix them in cocktails without guilt, and some of the super premium brands are cheaper than the average price of a single malt scotch (Last month I purchased 3 bottles of a 25-year-old pure rye whisky for less than 90 bucks combined!)

So when I found out that my whisky reviewing friend, Davin de Kergommeaux, had written a book devoted to Canadian Whisky; I was very eager to give it a good read. Davin, like myself is a true devotee of our great Canadian Spirit. He has created his own website (Canadian Whisky) where he publishes various articles about our mutual passion and of course his unrivaled reviews. He has also been instrumental in launching the first ever fully independent Canadian Whisky Awards! These awards have highlighted not only the best tasting whiskies made in Canada, but they also awarded special achievements by Canadian Whisky Distillers in areas of innovation, brand extension, and media/advertising.

I received my copy of Canadian Whisky: the portable expert about three weeks ago, and I thought I would share my thoughts on Davin’s scribblings here on my website.

Here is a link to those thoughts:

Note: The book should already be in your local bookstore as it was released on May 8. I believe it is available through Amazon, Chapters/Indigo, McNallyRobinson, and several other on-line booksellers.

Review: Centennial 10 year Old Canadian Whisky

Centennial is a 10 Year Old Whisky produced by Alberta’s own Highwood Distillers. Rather than using corn to as the base grain for this whisky, Highwood uses soft Canadian winter wheat. This gives the Centennial a smooth and soft flavour profile unlike any other Canadian whisky I have encountered. In fact, using grains grown exclusively on the Canadian prairies, distilling the grain in their home Province of Alberta, and aging the spirit in the severe Western Canadian climate for a minimum of ten years, makes  Centennial is a Whisky unlike any other in the world.

Here is an excerpt from my review (originally posted on December 8, 2009) :

“… A clean crisp rye which fairly oozes honey and spice.  This is polished and subdued, with the hard rye buffed and smoothed.  The spices are light and enjoyable, and I find the balance to be superb.  A purist of Canadian rye may complain that the rye sits too far backward in the taste profile, but I disagree… “

You may read the full review here:

Review: Centennial 10 year Old Canadian Rye Whisky

As well I have provided a nice recipe for Canadian Rye Whisky, The Canadian Whisky Splash!

Please enjoy the review!

Review: Sortilège (Canadian Whisky and Maple Liqueur)

In Canada we are lucky because maple is practically a national flavour. Even as far away from Maple Syrup Country as the Canadian Rockies (where certainly no maple trees grow) you will find little bottles of real Canadian Maple Syrup for sale in all of the souvenir shops. We have another passion. We also love our Canadian Whisky. So it is not surprising that we have several brands of flavoured spirits which are based upon Canadian Whisky and Maple Syrup.  Sortilège is one of these brands, and it has recently entered my marketplace here in Alberta.

Sortilège is a Canadian Whisky based liqueur produced by Mondia Alliance Wine and Spirits in Montreal, Canada. It is, of course, produced from Maple Syrup and Canadian Whisky. The product arrives in either a 375 ml or a 750 ml bottle and is sold at 30 % alcohol by volume. The bottle I am reviewing is the smaller 375 ml configuration, and it was given to me by the local rep for Mondia Alliance for the specific purpose of a review here on my website.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“… As the glass sits the maple seems to weave in and out of the breezes dancing merrily with sandalwood and oak, always with the spicy smells of Canadian Rye Whisky bubbling through. The spiciness appeals to me as it reveals tantalizing glimpses of cinnamon, ginger and fruity rye spice …”

You may read the full review here:

Review: Sortilège (Maple Syrup Liqueur)

I have included a nice ‘smoothie’ style recipe for your enjoyment called the Maple Leaf Smoothie.

Please enjoy the review and the recipe!

Introducing: Last Mountain Canadian Rye Whisky

The Last Mountain Distillery is part of a small new wave of Micro-Distillers which have began to appear on the Canadian landscape over the last few years. These are small ‘mom and pop’ operations which make their spirits in small batches usually only a barrel or two at a time. This particular distillery is located in Lumsden, Saskatchewan, and it is owned and operated by the husband and wife team of Colin and Meredith Schmidt.

Colin Schmidt took a rather round about road into the distilling business as his original dream was to play pro hockey. He was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in 1992 and signed his first pro contract in 1996. Unfortunately Colin’s pro hockey experience was brief, cut off by a few shoulder injuries after a brief stint with the big club playing what Colin referred to as “left bench”.

Fortunately for us, Colin had aspirations beyond a hockey career, which included starting up his own small distillery. It was a few years later, after Colin left hockey behind, that he and his wife, Meredith began to look for business opportunities in Saskatchewan and the idea of starting up their own micro-distillery still appealed strongly to both of them. To make a long story short, in August of 2010, the ambitions and hard work of Colin and Meredith paid off when they opened Saskatchewan’s first micro-distillery, in Lumsden, Saskatchewan, called the Last Mountain Distillery.

Currently, they bottle two spirits at the distillery, Vodka and Whisky. Last fall I was given the opportunity to review the Last Mountain Hand Crafted Vodka (click on the link to read the review), and today I am letting everyone know that the first bottles of Last Mountain Canadian Rye Whisky are out of the barrels, and according to their website, can be purchased at their store on Hill St. in Lumsden, Saskatchewan.

As I understand it, Colin and Meredith estimate that it will be about six months more before they finalize the blend and begin to ramp up production. The whisky is, as Colin puts it, a work in progress, and although it is available now, it is actually still in the experimental stage. All Colin will tell me about the whisky is that it is a unique spirit which “has undergone a fairly unique aging process”.

Of course, that did not stop Colin from sending me a preview bottle, just to see if I liked where he was at with the blend. So being the good citizen that I am, I had a few friends over this past weekend, and after an enjoyable afternoon sampling Vodka, we tried a few glasses of the Last Mountain Canadian Rye Whisky later that evening.

Although I understand that the bottle I was given is not necessarily representative of what the final blend will be, nevertheless I have no hesitation in letting everyone know that as the blend stands now, it is really quite good! Last Mountain Whisky has a nice mellow smoothness combined with a surprisingly robust flavour full of butterscotch and rye. If, as Colin believes, the whisky will be even better in six months when the blend is finalized, then I think I might have to plan a trip to Lumsden, Saskatchewan to pick up a case (or two).

Good luck Colin and Meredith!