Tastes

I read that this was highly recommended in Forbes and was fortunate enough to be given this as a gift by my always generous friend @BradMacario. Looking forward to trying it! Nose: Rich in tropical fruits. Pineapple is at the forefront. I also get some mango and peach cobbler here. I'm not getting much for spice or other flavours here but the rich fruit is quite pleasant and reminds me of an Irish whiskey. Palate: This is really fruit forward initially with more of that peach cobbler flavour. The peach persists into a more Quaker peach oatmeal with some brown sugar sprinkled on top. There's a hint of cinnamon and caramel on the tail end. Finish: Medium to long. There's a grainy chewiness that hangs around and lingers for some time. Some subtle black pepper persists giving a slight bitter ending. Overall this is a good whisky. It's a bit thin on flavour but very rich and enjoyable. However, for the price point this is absolutely spectacular. I can't think of any other single malt at this price point that could compete. Some blended scotches I would like to compare this to in a similar price range would be Monkey Shoulder and Naked Grouse. Highly recommend!

I recieved this as a very generous gift and excited to sit down with it. It's a delicious-looking amber colour. Barrel #2101159. Nose: Brown sugar, cinnamon, honey, allspice. Certainly the nose is a wonderful balance of sugar and spice. There is some orange marmalade and maybe some dill in the background as well. Palate: This is even spicier than the nose suggests. There is very little sweetness although the sweetness there is reminiscent of burnt caramel. I also get some bitter high-cocoa dark chocolate. There's lots of black pepper and cinnamon. I'm not sure the rye content but the rye spice really seems to be coming through unless this is simply oak-char disguised as rye-spice. Finish: Long, spicy, and oaky. The tannins stick around for some time on the sides of the tongue. There's very little sweetness on the finish but I can chew the leathery taste for some time. Overall this is packed with flavour. I find it's not as sweet as a typical bourbon, likely due to the age, and this is not necessarily a bad thing. I would definitely recommend this.

My third of three bottles picked up at my first foray into the US post-pandemic. The excellent bourbon and rye selection in the US was welcomed in comparison to the limited selection here in Canada. Tasted neat in a Glencairn glass. Warehouse JW, barrel 28-5 H. Nose: Very rich with loads of brown sugar. I get salted caramel with some maple syrup as well here. There is a touch of oiled leather as well. A pretty classic bourbon nose but ramped up a couple notches. Palate: This is really interesting. I was expecting lots of rich sweet notes initially but I actually get smoky burnt sugar and wood initially, which is quickly followed by a fun peppery spice on the sides of the tongue with a very dry, tanniny mouthfeel. This is much spicier than I had anticipated, likely due to the 35 percent rye grain in the mashbill. Overall this is very interesting. Happy I bought a bottle and I will enjoy every taste of it. I'd be interested to try some other barrels here and see what the consistency is like.

I picked this up on a recent trip to Arizona from Canada (finally!) In addition to Willett rye and Four Roses Single Barrel. This is my second tasting of the three. This tasting is brought down to about 47 percent. Nose: I actually get a very bourbony nose here. There's lots of vanilla and caramel. I also get some dark chocolate and orange zest. I was surprised to not get much spice on the nose. Nonetheless, it's quite appealing and rich. Palate: Immediately there is a bright fruity note like fresh grapes - a fruit I don't often get in whisky. However this is very brief and then those grapes quickly turn into raisins. The lack of spice on the nose is made up mid-palate where cinnamon and pepper thrust themselves initially on the sides of the tongue then quickly sliding onto the middle and tip of the tongue where they stick around. Finish: Long and thick. The classic rye peppery spice remains on the tip of the tongue and some wonderful bitterness lingers on the back of the tongue and soft palate. Overall, this is excellent. I am not surprised since I am a big fan of Wild Turkey, particularly Rare Breed bourbon. This is my first foray into Rare Breed rye since it's impossible to come by in British Columbia. I think I liked the Willett rye better due to slightly more unique flavour but I eagerly buy a bottle of either, or even better, both!

Being from Canada, our selection of bourbon and American Rye is limited. I was finally able to get out of the country with the family and I picked this up in Scottsdale, AZ. For this tasting I've brought down to about 94 proof. Nose: I get a lot of dill pickle here, which I actually don't usually get with whisky. There is a little cinnamon and black pepper here as well. This is rounded out by some sweet caramel in the background. Palate: Initially it is actually sweeter than I had anticipated based on the nose. There is caramel and brown sugar then out of nowhere the spice suddenly emerges with a load of black pepper and cinnamon. There's vanilla here but not vanilla ice cream - more like the bitter vanilla flavour from pure vanilla extract. Finish: Long and chewy! There is a delicious dry leatheriness and bitterness that lingers for some time. That bitter vanilla sticks around here as well. Overall I'm very happy with this bottle and I would definitely buy it again if I came across it.

As mentioned in my CC Chronicles 43 tasting this was a very generous gift from my favourite friend @BradMacario. Very much looking forward to tasting this one in depth. It is a lovely golden amber colour with deliciously thick-looking legs. Nose: A classic Canadian whisky nose but cranked up to 11. Maple, vanilla, caramel, brown sugar... There is a touch of baking spices like nutmeg and a hint of over-ripe dark fruits, particularly plums. Palate: This is not nearly as sweet as the nose. There is a very brief touch of semi-sweet maple syrup, but more like the maple sap straight from the tree. Unlike the 43 this one has a pile of spice and tannins that almost immediately electrify the sides of the tongue. Black pepper introduces the grand finale. Finish: LONG! There is a strong tanniny feel that tingles on the back sides of the tongue for some time. There is a bitterness that lingers, especially on the back of the soft palate, which I love. I'm not sure but it seems there may be a deep red wine or port influence somewhere in this whisky. Overall, this is spectacular. The nose suggests sweetness and richness but the palate is a delicious antithesis to this preconception. I often find Canadian whisky too rich and sweet (maybe too polite like my Canadian counterparts) but this one is really bold and spicy. Thank you again to @BradMacario for this spectacular whisky!

I received this as a gift from my favourite friend @BradMacario. It was overly generous with both CC 43 and 44. We had a quick taste the other night and he preferred 43 and I preferred 44 although we had had a few drams by then :). I'll dive into the 43 today and hope to get to the 44 soon for an in depth tasting. Nose: Very rich on the nose. Maple and vanilla, typical of a Canadian whisky but turned up to 11. There is brown sugar and caramel as well and it's reminiscent of a candy shop. I maybe get a touch of coconut and Bounty bar here and some cinnamon toast. Palate: This is immediately super rich. However, some oak and leather very quickly kicks in and then some spice joins the party with black pepper and cinnamon. This is much spicier than the nose would suggest. Finish: Long and tingly on the sides and back of the tongue as well as the back of the palate. Some burnt caramel and cinnamon here as well. Overall, this is spectacular. The general theme is sugar and spice but they balance each other amazingly well. I am fortunate to have received this special bottle and look forward to diving into the 44!

I've had a bottle before and I remember it being a light, easy-drinking whisky. I was gifted a bottle for Christmas and I'm looking forward to enjoying it again. The appearance is light and straw coloured. Nose: Honey. And honey. Very sweet on the nose. Lingering in the background there are some dried fruits, particularly raisins and plums, as well as some fresh cut grass. I'm not getting much spice at all. Palate: Light and rich initially with more honey. Relatively thin mouthfeel. There's definitely some vanilla and brown sugar hiding in the background and a subtle peppery spice later on. Finish: Medium in length. There's a nice chewy maltiness that lingers once the honey sweetness subsides. The light pepperiness sticks around for a little extra dimension as well. Overall this is a good whisky. It's not overly complex but is a very easy drinker. This is certainly one I would use to introduce a new whisky drinker to scotch. I feel like there are much better, more complex whiskys for a better price.

I generally enjoy Irish whisky and I came across this one so I decided to pick it up. I have to say on my first tasting of it I was pleasantly surprised. My second tasting here I'll go a bit more in depth. Nose: Rich and fruity. Orange, citrus, kiwi (?? - strange I know but for some reason I'm getting this). Green apples and peaches are here too. You get the idea - fruit, fruit, fruit. There's a hint of leather and spice in the background. Palate: More orchard fruits, particularly green apples. There is a a really nice addition of cinnamon and baking spice reminiscent of apple crumble. There's a little sea salt hiding here as well. Finish: Quite long. Not as long and chewy as Redbreast, nor as malty. However it does linger on the sides of the tongue. There's definitely more apple crumble lingering here for some time, especially at the back of the soft palate. Overall I'm impressed with this. I did a taste next to Green Spot on my first sitting with this and I preferred Clonakilty. Good value and a nice fruity Irish. However, my heart remains with the Redbreast line!

I'm a huge fan of HP, particularly 18, so I was pleasantly surprised to see this. I especially love the look of the white bottle. Let's dive in! Nose: Delicious and rich. Honey, honey, and honey. Some citrus notes hiding in there as well, maybe some lemon and grapefruit. Just a hint of some leather and sea salt. I'm not getting much peat or smoke on the nose. Interesting there's some sweet spiciness as well like sassafras. Palate: Incredibly smooth with a lovely creamy mouthfeel. I'm going to have to spend some time with this one to sort out what's going on... Vanilla, honey, dark chocolate, and some spice, particularly black pepper. Some sea salt and smoke emerges, true to HP form. Tannins tickle the sides of the tongue begging me to pay attention to the finish. Finish: Long and chewy. Delicious bitter mild smoke with the tingling lingering on the sides of the tongue. There's honey sweetness that hangs around as well providing a fantastic balance to the overall flavour. In summary this is a fantastic whisky. I did a quick taste a couple week ago against HP 18 and it's not quite as good but still absolutely fantastic, especially for the price point. Definitely get a bottle.