2023 UPDATES UNDER EACH ENTRY BELOW

It seems a lot of Ontario residents are looking for advice on which whiskies to buy! Our Best Scotch Whisky under $100 and Best Bourbons/American Ryes under $61 are two of our most popular posts here and continue to be viewed daily, and people asked for a similar list of Canadian whisky LCBO deals.

Canadian whisky was considered by some to be the ugly duckling of the whisky world, with most of the offerings being viewed as only good for mixing with coke or ginger-ale. In the past decade, however, it has been undergoing a bit of a renaissance led by the likes of John Hall and Dr. Don Livermore – and continued by smaller artisanal distillers. Risk-averse consistency has given way to craftsmanship and innovation, and Canadian distillers are proudly telling – and expanding – the story of the liquid that helped build this country.

So here is the Toronto Whisky Society’s list of the best Canadian whisky deals at the LCBO, just in time for the upcoming long weekend!

Overall consensus pick: Lot No. 40

At only $39.95, this was the unanimous favourite when pulling together this list in terms of both quality and value. This 100% rye is a delicious combination of spiciness from the grain, fruitiness from the yeast and caramel/vanilla from the virgin oak cask. It will appeal to the Canadian whisky drinker and American rye fan too, and is fantastic both neat and in a cocktail.

2023 update: $43.50. Dark Oak edition available for $63.45 and a better pick overall.

Cost-conscious picks:

Canadian Club 100% Rye – $26.65: This is a less spicy, more fruit dominant 100% rye alternative to Lot no. 40, if you need the extra $13 for beer.

2023 update: $31.95

Forty Creek Copper Pot – $30.95: This is a spicy, more rye-forward expression from Forty Creek, and is worth the $5 trade-up vs the entry level Barrel Select. It is on par with many of their limited editions that are double the cost.

2023 update: now called Copper Bold, it’s $33.95

Alberta Premium Dark Horse – $31.95: An interesting offering that combines Canadian rye with 8% bourbon and >1% of sherry added to the blend, and bottled at 45% ABV. The result is a sweet and unique whisky that breaks the typical Canadian whisky mould.

2023 update:  no longer available. Reifel Rye from AP is $49.95 and decent.

Quality-conscious picks:

Ninety 20 – $58.15: There aren’t many ~20 year-old whiskies at the LCBO, and the average price on them is about $300, giving this bottle the best $/yr ratio at the liquor store. We recently reviewed it as part of our Great Canadian Whisky Tasting where it was the top ranked in its category, easily earning its spot on this list too.

2023 update: not currently available at the LCBO, but comes back in batches sometimes. There are some other heavily aged Canadian releases but prices are way outside the range of this post.

Lohin McKinnon Single Malt – $59.95: Another category winner in our recent tasting, this Canadian Single Malt from BC is reminiscent of Speyside scotch with a ton of grassy fruity notes. While you can get superior scotch for the same price, it’s a good value for a tasty Canadian single malt.

2023 update: no longer available at the LCBO and sadly, not many of the amazing Canadian single malts are. Fortunately there are a number of distilleries out west that will ship direct!

J.P. Wiser’s Dissertation – $64.95: the most recent release in the Wiser’s Rare Cask Series, this blend was crafted by Dr. Don Livermore using whisky he created for experiments as part of his PhD. We recently reviewed it as a group and agreed its quality/value ratio is very strong. It’s also a limited edition so get your bottle while supplies last!

2023 update: LONG sold out, the few remaining bottles out there sell for high 3 figures on secondary markets. It is available at some bars still to taste, and in the bunkers of some hardcore fans. There haven’t been many Wiser’s special editions recently, though a 41yr cask strength is coming soon – price will be a few multiples of this post’s theme though!