Tastes

Bright opening with crisp apple on the nose, vanilla, possible hints of citrus. The bright crispness of this whisky continues onto the tongue and palate, and then reveals hints of dark chocolate on the finish, which is refreshing and dry.

On the nose, a certain olive oil nuttiness that I can't quite place, fresh baked light rye bread, some marzipan and butterscotch. Extremely smooth, coats the palate with an orchard fruit sweetness that gives way to a savoury sensation that ends without notice. Short finish. Overall, quite unique, a bit different from most other Canadian whiskies I have tried, and overall a great value at $32.95 in Ontario.

Fresh, bright aromas, with orchard fruits (pear, green apples, maybe peaches?) on the nose, with a light, rounded mouthfeel and short, sweet finish. Very pleasant, light, a great mixer, or could be summery on ice, neat is nice, too. A great value at $32.45 in Ontario.

Citrus on the nose, fruity, maybe a hint of caramel, of sherry, vanilla, but it's unpronounced, light, nothing notable, except for the grain alcohol smell. There isn't much there, simply. On the palate, no great medley of sensations or taste, just a generic smoothness -- a whiskey-flavoured vodka -- that takes a harsh turn, leaving a generically sharp finish. Underwhelming, and a poor value at $79.95 in Ontario. Fortunately payed $59.95 as a result of an LCBO special. Having said all that, a bit of water opens this up, reveals greater softness and sweetness, and smooths the finish.

Fruity and sweet on the nose, caramel, rye notes, and a certain resemblance to Gibson's 12 year. You can smell the rum here, and maybe even taste it in the roundness. Feels a little thin, with mild bitterness on the palate that dissipates quickly in the finish, which is pleasantly sweet but somewhat fleeting. A good value at $39.95 in Ontario.

Chocolaty toffee on the nose, hint of peat and smoke, but with something slightly, vanishingly metallic that I cannot quite place. On the palate, sweet 'n' salty notes, along with that peaty smoke you expect, concluding with a lingering, warm, savoury finish. An impressive performance for a NAS blend, and for $40.50 in Ontario, a great value.

Caramel on the nose, along with floral notes, an unmistakably clean rye aroma, sweet spiciness on the palate, and a smooth lingering finish with moderate heat. Excellent value for $28.65 in Ontario.

Fruity nose, rye spices, vanilla. Dried fruit on the palate, dark chocolate, burnt coffee. Very clean but lingering finish of cooked fruit. There is a pleasant smoothness here, paired with a spicy afterburn. Evolves beautifully. An excellent rye.

Sweetness is there, on the nose, alongside a strong alcohol smell, and charred oak, and some vanilla. You could tell this is going to be harsh. Indeed, the nose does not deceive; fire on the palate, paired with blunt oak and an indistinct sweetness. Burnt almonds, maybe. Burns all the way down, very spicy finish, mouth-numbing. This is no sipper. Pair with Coke or soda, if you're into that kind of thing.