Happy Canada Day, eh?
Just a quick update on some of the new whiskies trickling onto store shelves, with a fitting number showing Canada in its best light. Cheers!
PS: Spirit of Toronto turned twenty this year, and I just published its full origin story on Substack. Enjoy!
Wolfburn 10 Year Old, 46%
Yes, time flies: I can remember touring Wolfburn’s humble abode in 2014 and being suitably impressed with its early efforts, but with so little coming our way I’ve lost track of its progress, much as I struggle to keep up with my cousin’s kids. In both cases it’s high time for a reunion, and I look forward to seeing this distillery without the braces.
Glen Scotia 10 Year Old, 40%
Love me some Glen Scotia – any Glen Scotia, in truth, and this 10 Year Old makes a great aperitif for a summer’s afternoon. And with Campbeltown whiskies in short supply, this is an even easier buy for lovers of toothsome malt whisky. (PS: working hard to bring more of this distillery to Spirit of Toronto [https://www.spiritoftoronto.ca/] in 2025 – watch this space!)
Alberta Distillers Rare Batch, Issue 1, 50%
It’s heartening to see Canada’s legacy distillers trawling their warehouses to bottle releases that reposition Canadian whisky as a premium product. This is aged for twenty-three years so as a fan of the Alberta Premium 20 Year Old, this has my name on it, even more so given my experience that first efforts are usually best efforts. Want.
Crown Royal Single Malt, 45%
Yes, we here in Canada distill malted barley in copper potstills, historically used for blending. And with Scotland setting such a high bar for single malt whisky, it’s daunting for any Canadian distiller to pick up their gauntlet and bottle its own single malt. But with Crown Royal having released some impressive whiskies under their 'Masters Series’ – many of which can’t be found in Canada – I’m curious enough to put this one on my dance card (and that grey bag though...)
Writer's Tears Pot Still Tequila Finish, 47%
Not gonna lie: I’m crushing on this label. And while tequila and whisky didn’t initially strike me as natural bedfellows, I’ve had my preconceptions shaken up this past year, giving me high hopes for the lush fruitiness of a potstill whiskey, paired with the juicy sheen that an agave cask will hopefully lend. As they say, nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Jim Beam White Label, 40% (with apron and BBQ set!)
I’ve been dropping hints LOUDLY about needing an apron, but nobody seems to be listening, so this swag bundle might be the only way it happens. Bonus points that it comes with a forty pounder of Jim Beam – I’m dating myself here – because as per Spirit of Toronto passim, White Label makes a great marinade for a BBQ feast. (Note to self, how about another pre-show BBQ in 2025?)
JP Wiser’s 42 Year Old, 52%
As those who attended this year’s Spirit of Toronto can attest, this is currently the ne plus ultra of Canadian whisky, not to mention an incredible value at just over $100 for every decade it’s been ageing in Hiram Walker’s Pike Creek warehouses. Cheers to us, and Happy Canada Day!
