Tastes

A bit of smoke, sweetness and some spice. Quite smooth and overall balanced. Nice but short aftertaste. A good safe bet for an enjoyable drink. I used to like this one much more when I was not much of a whisky drinker, but I still think it's quite good. The main problem for me is its price where I live; there are many other whiskys at a similar or even lower price points that are more enjoyable for me. A classic to try for sure. Great served neat or on ice.

Heavily fronted by peat, smoke and earthy notes with a touch of saltiness. This whisky is definitely not for everyone, but is definitely worth a try. Especially given its price. Great served neat.

Fresh, fruity, with sweetness and a good proof that gives it warmth. Very enjoyable. Overall excellent. A bit pricey where I live though. A good gift consideration too. Half a dozen colleagues tried it with me and they very much enjoyed it. Great served neat.

Subdued sweet and wood notes, with present spice notes (especially in the aftertaste), giving it a warmth. Very smooth, with base proof. Overall very boring to be honest, but by no means anywhere close to bad. The relative strength of each flavor type in the profile is different than other bourbons I'm used to and I find it interesting, but I was left wanting a lot more; especially given its price where I live. I feel that there is a lot more to do with this bourbon. Perhaps I would prefer the other whiskys in Hayden's line, but at their price point I am in no hurry. It's worth a try, but in a smaller bottle format or as a pour in a bar. Better served neat than on ice.

Quite smooth, with well balanced sweetness, wood notes and subdued spice. I prefer whiskys with more defined notes that jump out of the flavor profile, but this one was enjoyable. If I had one bottle to offer as a gift to someone whose tastes I am unsure of I think I would choose this one. A safe bet to be sure and a good bottle to have to offer a glass to anyone. Great served neat or on ice.

Quite sweet flavor profile, supported by excellent wood notes. I typically prefer less sweetness and more wood and spice in bourbons. However, this is definitely a quality whisky, and despite the proof is quite friendly. I think it makes for a good gift for someone who likes sweeter whiskys. Also, the bottle is very good looking and sits great on my counter. Excellent served neat. On ice it's ok, but it tends to elevate the sweetness too much for my taste.

Very disappointed with this one. Smooth with simple and diminished sweet flavors and overall a lack of character. Not bad though, just quite boring. Might be good to mix, but a cheaper whisky would do the job. At its price point (at least where I live), Lot No. 9 would be a much better choice for people wanting to try out Canadian rye whiskys. I would have ranked it 2.5/5, but because of its price compared to others I have to lower it by half a point at least.