Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye

When I heard that Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye was the recipient of the 2021 World Whisky of the Year, I knew I had to try it. Previous Canadian rye whiskies have been controversial in this list, so I tempered my excitement. Patience is a virtue with this one. I recommend giving this rye time to breathe. Its early nose was very light. I had a moment of "is my nose broken?" since I only sensed light ethanol. After ~5 minutes, apricot and honey shined through. But my goodness, does the flavour carry a personality! A tidal wave of spices and tannins rush over you and wane to a medium lip-tingling finish. Allspice, peppercorn and cinnamon (oh my!). With time, the initial fairly-thin mouthfeel evolves to a more-creamy experience with notes of maple, vanilla and oak.  Truthfully, I still had high expectations for this award winner. I was initially slightly disappointed and bumped up my score throughout my tasting session. As a cask strength, this rye benefits from being slightly diluted with a few drops of water. Water curbs the heat (though you get used to it anyways) but allows the rye grains to dazzle. I do think its spice-forward nature would benefit an old fashioned and other festive cocktails too. I love the cut-glass geometric bottle though wish it had a cork rather than twist-off cap. 7.75/10

Dill pickle on the nose. Rich and full. Lots of honey and vanilla. There's a real complexity here that takes some time to pull apart. Definitely a winner.

Twizzlers