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

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

Corby’s Northern Border Collection – Reviews of all 8 Expressions

A few weeks ago TOmodera and I were invited by Corby Spirits to attend an event in Prince Edward County for bartenders and whisky media to try out the new Northern Border Collection bottlings they’re releasing nationwide in October. Naturally, we obliged after some arm twisting… but actually we were pumped, having tried some of these before and knowing how good they are. The day … Continue reading Corby’s Northern Border Collection – Reviews of all 8 Expressions

Northern Border Collection tasting event at the Drake Devonshire

Recently some of Corby’s representatives reached out to members of the Toronto Whisky Society to attend a tasting event they were having with bartenders and whisky media at the Drake Devonshire in picturesque Prince Edward County. TOModera and I were fortunate enough to be able to go. We looked forward to the opportunity to try the soon-to-be-released Northern Border Collection Limited Releases! It was TOModera’s first … Continue reading Northern Border Collection tasting event at the Drake Devonshire

Wayne Gretzky Distillery (& Winery, if you’re naughty)

Wayne Gretzky. To some Canadians, he’s royalty. To others, he’s merely the son of Canadian royalty, and part of the reason we have more gold medals then we deserve (1 more, if you’re following). To others, he’s a hockey player, right? However you’re not here to discuss hockey. That would be an easy discussion: He was a good hockey player, and certainly gives back to … Continue reading Wayne Gretzky Distillery (& Winery, if you’re naughty)

Best Canadian Whiskies under $65 at the LCBO

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 … Continue reading Best Canadian Whiskies under $65 at the LCBO

TWS Whisky Awards 2017: Cask Strength Canadian Whiskies & Wrap-up

This is the fourth and final category in our TWS Whisky Awards: Cask Strength Canadian Whiskies. In our previous three parts, we covered 1. under aged & non-whiskies; 2. Canadian Single Malts; and 3. Canadian Whiskies. There were only two bottles in this category, and you’ll find the notes and rankings below, along with a wrap-up of the series. Black Fox Spirits Wheat Spirit Cask Strength … Continue reading TWS Whisky Awards 2017: Cask Strength Canadian Whiskies & Wrap-up

TWS Whisky Awards 2017: Canadian Whiskies

In this, the third part of our TWS Whisky Awards, we look at some whiskies that fall within the more classical Canadian Whisky category. In Part 1, we looked at some under-aged spirits and non-whiskies, and in Part 2 we evaluated some Canadian Single Malts. Here are the bottles, descriptions, tasting notes and rankings of the five Canadian Whiskies we evaluated: Last Mountain 100% Wheat … Continue reading TWS Whisky Awards 2017: Canadian Whiskies

TWS Whisky Awards 2017: Canadian Single Malts

In the first annual TWS Whisky Awards, we evaluated four categories of Canadian whiskies and spirits. In Part 1, we looked at under-aged spirits and non-whiskies. In Part 2, we’re evaluating four Canadian Single Malts. Maison Sivó L’Essence du Single Malt – Franklin, QC This bottle from Sivó is an in-progress single malt made from Quebec malted barley, which undergoes a 4 day fermentation before … Continue reading TWS Whisky Awards 2017: Canadian Single Malts

TWS Whisky Awards 2017: Non-Whiskies & Whiskies in Progress

As mentioned in the intro to the TWS Whisky Awards, we wanted to give new distilleries and those with under-aged spirits a chance to participate in a group evaluation, as they don’t typically participate in whisky awards. We received bottles from a number of young distilleries, and you’ll find the descriptions, collective notes and the winners of those bottles below. Park Distillery Glacier Rye – … Continue reading TWS Whisky Awards 2017: Non-Whiskies & Whiskies in Progress

TWS’s Inaugural Whisky Awards Intro

A few months ago, the founding members of the Toronto Whisky Society were discussing what we should do to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday, and eventually the discussion came around to whisky awards. When we looked at these awards, we found that they don’t always reveal the full list of whiskies evaluated, and generally don’t evaluate up-and-coming distilleries with product under 3 years old. Canada has … Continue reading TWS’s Inaugural Whisky Awards Intro

Forty Creek Limited Editions: Port Wood, Three Grain Harmony & Founder’s Reserve

For #WorldWhiskyDay, I’m doing a trio of Forty Creek limited edition releases. Hard to believe I last reviewed a forty creek whisky back in my 20th review here, and now I’m at over 100. my opinions on Forty Creek have definitely changed over the years, going from hardcore fanboy to disappointment in the similarity of many releases, to now being a skeptic of their future … Continue reading Forty Creek Limited Editions: Port Wood, Three Grain Harmony & Founder’s Reserve