Gibson's Finest Bold 8 Year

Not much to complain about coming in at under $30 Canadian for a 750ml 8yr at 46 % abv. It's more complex than anything else at this price point except Alberta Premium Dark Horse, and Wisers tripple barrel but it does have a higher abv than both....There is a significant rye influence, and the added 3-4 years in the barrel does up the intensity of the vanilla and overall sweetness as well. My biggest gripe with Gibson's bold 8 is the marketing and the obvious added colouring. it's not just a bit of color its a damn lot!! And these are not even virgin oak casks...Has the same colour as a 30yo first fill at least... It's also being marketed as the perfect mixer for rye and cola. So there's that...But it sure doesn't taste like crap. It's good. 3/5

A lesson for Canadian whiskymakers that joining the "new breed" of Canadian whiskies means more than upping the ABV a bit, adding a half-hearted age statement (complete with poorly affixed sticker, no less), and a bold-sounding name. Like . . . "Bold," for example (. . . sigh.). I was cautiously optimistic, owing to a nice bit of pickle juice on the nose when I first cracked the bottle, but it quickly dissapates, and afterward--things are pretty much paint by numbers. A bit of dill on the nose, some vanilla and butterscotch, a flinty minerality, lemon-cake, maple syrup and . . . that's it. Tastes likewise: a bit of dill pickle juice, some vanilla, butterscotch, a bit of wood tannin. Owing to the higher ABV, it does have a bit more depth and body than your average Canadian whisky, and there is just a bit of an interesting spicy punchiness. But on the whole . . . maybe back to the drawing board, Gibson's folks?