Year: 2017

Review

Kavalan Solist Ex-Bourbon (KavaFan bottling)

This single barrel Ex-Bourbon Solist was exclusively bottled for members of KavaFan. (142 total bottles). It was barreled on August 28, 2008, and bottled on October 5, 2017. 9 years, 1 month, 8 days old. Kavalan Solist Ex-Bourbon (KavaFan Bottling) B080828075, bottle 26/142, 55.6% ABV Nose: Creamy vanilla off the top, pineapple, piña colada, melon, bourbon-like caramel, short-bread, and a nice spicy oakiness. Taste: Vanilla … Continue reading Kavalan Solist Ex-Bourbon (KavaFan bottling)

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Review

LCBO Popup Event: Tasting Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve 23 Year

This weekend, I had the opportunity to try Pappy Van Winkle 23 Year at the LCBO Popup on King and Bathurst with Sazerac distiller Allisa Henley. For those of you familiar with whiskey, you’ll know that Pappy is considered a unicorn. This is because it is affordable (at MSRP) and delicious – an unheard of combination! Because of this, these bottles are extremely hard to … Continue reading LCBO Popup Event: Tasting Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve 23 Year

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Review

Canadian Club 40 Year Old

Thanks to ‘Whisky in the 6’ for the sample. Canadian Club 40 Year Old, 45% ABV, $250 CAD Nose: Big hit of caramel and vanilla, honey, lemon grass, slight rye spice. Taste: Again, caramel and vanilla, rye, pepper, and apple pie filling. Finish: Medium/long, very good viscosity, caramel and spice notes linger. Thoughts: 7,000 total bottles, 100% Corn whisky aged in ex-rye barrels, oldest expression … Continue reading Canadian Club 40 Year Old

Unknown's avatarjeremy1 Comment
Review

BenRiach 22 1994 Peated Ex-Tokaji (Cask 4004)

Hey, so sometimes my numbers screw up. And by sometimes, I mean a lot. Seriously, my numbers should be fine. As such, I reviewed BenRiach 22 1994 Peated Ex-Tokaji (Cask 4004) as what I thought was right before the 750th, and then… well I did some mysteries, I did what I thought, etc. None the less, I shouldn’t consider this a bad thing. Let’s be honest, we… Continue reading BenRiach 22 1994 Peated Ex-Tokaji (Cask 4004)

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Review

Laphroaig Caideas – Madeira Cask

Laphroaig Caideas – Madeira Cask 2016, 51.6% ABV, $100 CAD Nose: Peat right up front but not as strong as the 10 or 1/4 Cask, damp wood, brine, dry strawberries, and apricot. Taste: Earthy and musty peat smoke, old oak, strawberries, tobacco, with a faint floral note. Finish: Medium/long, highlighted by strawberries, peat and wood. Thoughts: I love the fruity/strawberry element to this. I think … Continue reading Laphroaig Caideas – Madeira Cask

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Distillery Spotlight, Review

Distillery Spotlight: Authentic Seacoast Distillery, Guysborough NS

When you exit Cape Breton Island and start driving back towards Halifax, most travelers don’t think about taking Highway 344 and heading down the East shore. This is somewhat unfortunate, as there are a number of beautiful towns with waterways running through them and it’s an incredibly scenic drive. It also includes the future site of a commercial spaceport, which means the number of cars … Continue reading Distillery Spotlight: Authentic Seacoast Distillery, Guysborough NS

Unknown's avatarBryan Vanderkruk1 Comment
Distillery Spotlight

Distillery Spotlight: Ironworks Distillery, Lunenburg, NS

Nova Scotia’s south shore is a gorgeous mix of rocky crags, lighthouses, hiking trails and fishing towns and is well worth a visit by anyone travelling to the province. One of the most popular destinations on the south shore is Lunenburg, an historic fishing town that was put on the map as the home of the Bluenose, the famous racing schooner that graces the Canadian … Continue reading Distillery Spotlight: Ironworks Distillery, Lunenburg, NS

Unknown's avatarBryan Vanderkruk1 Comment
Review

Elmer T. Lee

Elmer T. Lee Bourbon, 45% ABV, $45 USD Nose: Black cherry, cinnamon, brown sugar, caramel, whipped cream, and a big cream corn note. Taste: Cherry, corn, and brown sugar again, with honey, vanilla, pepper, and tobacco. Finish: Medium/long, cherry and corn notes linger. Thoughts: Not the most complex bourbon, but it’s very well balanced. Its got a unique profile. Really enjoying it! Hard to find … Continue reading Elmer T. Lee

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Distillery Spotlight

Distillery Spotlight: Compass Distillers, Halifax, NS

If you were asked which Canadian province had the most distilleries per capita, Nova Scotia likely wouldn’t be top of mind. However thanks to a government seeing the value in this industry, it has that distinct honour. Nova Scotia has created a tax environment where entrepreneurial spirit lovers can follow their passion and be profitable, while providing attractive prices to consumers. They introduced graduated mark-ups … Continue reading Distillery Spotlight: Compass Distillers, Halifax, NS

Unknown's avatarBryan Vanderkruk2 Comments
Review

Lot 40 vs Lot 40 Cask Strength

Lot No. 40 100% Rye Whisky, 43% ABV, $40 CAD Nose: Caramel, rye spice, oak, floral soap, banana, banana bread, icing sugar. Taste: Creamy toffee, rye spice, brown sugar, cooked banana. Finish: Medium/long length, good viscosity. Thoughts: This is what you want in a rye. Great balance of sweet and spicy. Although strong, the rye kick is nicely rounded so it doesn’t completely overpower the whisky. … Continue reading Lot 40 vs Lot 40 Cask Strength

Unknown's avatarjeremy2 Comments
Event Recap

TWS Northern Border Collection Tasting

We’ve written a few times about Corby’s recently released Northern Border Collection here, and that’s for a couple of reasons: It’s damn good whisky that is a bit of a paradigm shift for Canadian whisky Corby has been really good about reaching out to whisky lovers and groups like ours, letting us taste it and tell its story. So since by now you’ve heard it … Continue reading TWS Northern Border Collection Tasting

Unknown's avatarBryan Vanderkruk4 Comments