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Starward Two-Fold Double Grain
Distiller Score 89
The Two Fold shows off Starward's deft hand in blending the more delicate characteristics of French oak into their "double grain" mash bill. Toasted hazelnut and dark berry aromas gather around a predominant and delightful creme brûlée center. The palate shows a little more of the grains with a round and creamy spirit featuring loads of buttered toast flavors. The berry note (from the barrel) adds a light accent in the finish.
Reviewed by Colin Howard
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Nomad Outland Blended Whisky
Distiller Score 85
The sherry is massive on the nose, lending this whisky the aroma of marzipan, toasted almonds, and raisins. That big, sweet profile carries through to the taste, which is bursting with figs, dark chocolate, orange marmalade, and nuts. A whisky for fans of Spanish brandy.
Reviewed by Keith Allison
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Gibson's Finest 12 Year
Distiller Score 88
Honey and strawberries on the nose. There's also a bit of citrus zest, caramel corn, and it has a waxy astringent character. Lots of rye, bitter orange peel, wood varnish, and caramel come next. Both caramel and strawberry notes assert themselves as it sits. The finish is warm but doesn't stick around very long. A thoroughly pleasing example of a refined, complex, but smooth and familiar tasting Canadian whisky.
Reviewed by Keith Allison
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Crown Royal XO
Distiller Score 87
The nose is sweet, with the low-key caramel, oak, and nutmeg that will be familiar to Crown Royal drinker, as well as a dash of orange bitters. In the mouth, it starts out similarly familiar, with toffee, rich chocolate, charred oak, and candied nuts. This gives way eventually to more oak, dried apricot, cream, butterscotch, rye spice, and cloves. Pleasant and easy-drinking, though the effect of the Cognac cask may be less pronounced than you expect.
Reviewed by Keith Allison
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Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye
Distiller Score 89
A very unusual bouquet for a rye whiskey, very fruity, with plum, apricot, baked pears, and a hint of spearmint. Very light oak and just a hint of the grain are also apparent. The entry on the palate is quite sweet, reminiscent of Juicy Fruit chewing gum, with vanilla, moderate oak, baking spices and orange marmalade. The finish is moderate, with big cinnamon, oak, grain notes and a bit of an alcohol burn.
Reviewed by Distiller Staff
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J.P. Wiser's Hopped Canadian Whisky
Distiller Score 88
Yes there is the slightest puff of hops when you get your face close to this whisky but floral rye spices, milk chocolate, Cuban-style coffee and creamy caramel are the shining stars. The sugar bomb of a nose cools in the mouth with a shade of peppery minty and more milk chocolate. Fiery spices lead into a lingering coffee-candy finish with bitter but cleansing citrus pith coat your palate.
Reviewed by Blair Phillips
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Crown Royal Limited Edition
Distiller Score 85
The nose opens slowly on green apples sprinkled with nutmeg powder and cloves, and displays the dustiness of rye with the sweet vanilla of bourbon. Dry brown hay and dusty grain round it out. The toffee-sweet palate is rich with gingery spices and crisp oakiness on a creamy vanilla custard base. Spicy hot pepper balances a zippy citrus zest. A slight tannic pull precedes a classic grapefruit pith finish.
Reviewed by Davin de Kergommeaux
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J.P. Wiser's Legacy Canadian Whisky
Distiller Score 94
J.P. Wiser would be rolling in his grave. Not because this whisky insults the name, quite the opposite in fact – he’d be rolling to bust out and try it. The whisky’s nose pulses from one note to the next where a potpourri wafts in and out like a star-studded movie full of cameos. The cast includes maple, baking spices, vanilla, rye bread, charismatic oak and the full spectrum of orchard fruits. Missing is George Clooney. All of the same notes land in the palate mingled with a sweet and peppery citric zest. Toasted oak comes through and fades into tobacco as Legacy starts rolling its long list of delicious finishing credits.
Reviewed by Blair Phillips
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Crown Royal Hand Selected Barrel
Distiller Score 93
Not a lot of oak on the nose on this whisky, instead, the bouquet shows butterscotch, flambéed bananas foster, freshly-baked cinnamon rolls, and maple syrup covered flapjacks. The palate starts sweet, think divinity, with walnut and a touch of oak before going into a very soft grain-forward profile. Ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg notes follow behind. The finish is smooth and lingering, with warm gingerbread, black pepper, oak, spearmint and a bit more cooked banana. There is a bit of heat from the alcohol, but it is balanced and provides a good counterpoint to the sweetness of this whisky.
Reviewed by Distiller Staff
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Forty Creek Copper Pot Reserve
Distiller Score 89
Dark chocolate, vanilla cream, and dark cherry greet you on the nose. The body is far richer than other Forty Creek bottlings. On the palate, Turtle Candies came to mind (pecans and caramel covered in chocolate). The sweet and spicy notes balance each other and make this a fairly easy whisky to consume in large quantity. You are left with a warm feeling in your chest and a mild bitterness on the finish. Forty Creek has made a quality product at a very fair price.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Penderyn Sherrywood
Distiller Score 87
Penderyn's lean, fruity new make achieves some exciting flavors here when paired with an oloroso cask. The nose is an energetic blend of cayenne pepper, tropical fruits, and sea salt. The palate is lean and more fruit-driven with spiced apple up front and a savory finish of crusty bread.
Reviewed by Colin Howard
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Snake River Stampede 100 Year Anniversary
Distiller Score 85
Although clothed in the rugged vestments of the western frontier, this is a surprisingly mellow, sweet whisky. The nose is full of floral notes, and the palate contains a lot of butterscotch, crème brûlée, vanilla custard, and chocolate. There's also an odd cotton-candy note, which is followed up by white pepper and a spearmint bitterness.
Reviewed by Keith Allison