Winter Whiskies! BY TOM FIRTH AND LINDA GARSON
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hat better way to enjoy a tipple than in Alberta, in the midst of a blustery, cold, winter’s day (except of course on a beautiful August evening), than a dram of whisky by the fire? This month, we celebrate quality whisky from around the globe and Canada whether Robbie Burns Day is being celebrated, or you feel like armchair travelling with your spirits. Cheers!
Canadian Club Classic 12 Year Old Small Batch Canadian Whisky, Canada The well loved, “classic” expression of Canadian Club, bursting with rich caramel toffee, a mild buttery mouthfeel and barrel-style richness. A little spicy on the palate as expected, but most impressive is how smooth this really is. A bottle that is very easy to reach for whenever the need arises. CSPC +753143 $33-37 Bearface Triple Oak Canadian Whisky, Canada Earning all sorts of accolades, Bearface in many ways represents the changing realm of Canadian whisky. Though carrying an age statement of 7 years, it is better described through the profound balance of multiple oak sources, various toast levels, and quality of the whisky itself. Rich and smooth with cranberry, honey, and a slightly smoky back palate. Delicious. CSPC +807202 $40-44 Kaiyo Mizunara Oak Whisky, Japan Something more than a little different in Japanese whisky, almost, but not entirely a single malt whisky. It would be classified as blended malt, using a unique oak for the barrels – the Mizunara oak, and spends several months in barrel – at sea, lending unusual factors to the aging. Salty and smoky on the nose and palate with subtle citrus fruit and a long finish. Mind-bogglingly good too. CSPC +820846 Around $117-125 34 Culinaire | January/February 2021
Canadian Club “Chronicles” 43 Year Old Canadian Whisky, Canada Ok, this is obviously going to be filed under the “special occasion” or gift category of Canadian whisky, but the third release of the Chronicles edition is really quite remarkable. Lifted citrus tones with old leather, toffee and mulling spices, and a touch of brown sugary goodness that comes through on the palate. Too good for mixing, best enjoyed neat or with a splash of water. CSPC +839750 $295-330 Togouchi Japanese Blended Whisky Aged 9 Years, Japan It’s easy to see why this was a Judges Selection at the 2020 Alberta Beverage Awards – it’s damn good. Clean and lifted cereal notes with a rich, honey-like texture and a bit of spicy heat on the finish. Excellent neat, but a little filtered water opens it up nicely. CSPC +817269 About $100-115 Old Tub Kentucky Straight Bourbon, USA #TBT! A nostalgic nod to the roots of the Beam family, in Bardstown, Kentucky - aka Bourbon Capital of the World - where it began for them, in 1880. Old Tub is a limited edition four-year old, rustic bourbon, distilled without carbon or chill filtration to be as authentic as possible. It’s warming in the nicest way, with caramel and vanilla notes from the barrels. Some might add ice, but I’d go for it neat - and imagine the old days. CSPC +1171080 $43-47 Nomad Outland Whisky, Spain A bit of an unusual spirit starting with a Scottish-made spirit which is then finished using sherry casks – but in Spain. Ultimately delivering a whisky very similar to what we’d expect from Scotland, and at an extremely good price. Smooth and a little spicy with excellent balance. A frequent winner at the Alberta Beverage Awards. CSPC +778451 $60-70
