Distillers of Canadian Whisky can also experiment with the by switching the types of barrels used. Bourbon - USA. 25. But, for the most part, corn whiskey tends to be unaged moonshine or, more colloquially, white lightning or white dog. Its not a lesser form; it might be superior. In those days, wheat whisky was so common that it was actually called common whisky. Mash bills of multiple grains may also be used for some flavouring whiskies. So, bring out the Bacardi, make your own Fireball cocktail, and throw in that flair to impress your guests!At Liquor Laboratory, we provide updated liquor price estimates. It usually has a vanilla, caramel, and oak profile and a long, warm finish. Exceptions to this include the Highwood Distillery which specializes in using wheat and the Alberta Distillers which developed its own proprietary yeast strain that specializes in distilling rye. Two years later and also from the US, Hiram Walker arrived, bringing with him his English family heritage and expectations of quality whisky. But its fun information and the endgame is to be more savvy about getting your buzz on, so bear with us. In 1890 Canada became the first country to enact an aging law for whiskies, requiring them to be aged at least two years. One stream (called base whisky) is distilled to a high alcohol content and, although it still includes many grain-derived congeners, when matured it facilitates the full expression of congeners derived from the wood. The unique flavor of Canadian Whisky gives classic cocktails like whiskey sour a distinct taste. Whether youre throwing a huge house party or a laidback social gathering, people will want to have a drink or two. Many distillers sold for pennies on the dollar, and Canadian Club sold for less than the value of the whisky in their warehouses. Breaking it Down There are eight large distilleries and a rapidly increasing micro-distillery scene that make up Canada's whisky landscape. Canadian whisky is totally different. In British Columbia, Ernie Potter who had been producing fruit liqueurs from alcohols distilled at Alberta Distillers built his own whisky distillery in Langley in 1958 and produced the Potter's and Century brands of whisky. What shocked me the first time I wrote a piece about it was how big Canadian whisky was, says Lew Bryson, a drinks writer and author of several books on whiskey. This is still the case today as American drinkers buy about 75% of the whisky that Canada produces. Whiskey plummeted in popularity in the 1980s, and the modern whiskey boom only really started around the early 2000s. 4. Like bourbon that is distilled in the United States, the most important grain used to make Canadian Whisky is corn. Straight bourbon must be aged for a certain amount of time, but most importantly, it cannot have flavorings or colorings added: What comes out of the barrel is what you get. It really depends on the distiller. Grand Metropolitan had purchased Black Velvet in 1972 but sold the brand in 1999 to Constellation Brands who in turn sold it to Heaven Hill in 2019. [10] In the 1880s, Canada's National Policy placed high tariffs on foreign alcoholic products as whisky began to be sold in bottles and the federal government instituted a bottled in bond program that provided certification of the time a whisky spent aging and allowed deferral of taxes for that period, which encouraged aging. 9. You can consume it neat or with a splash of water. Soon there was a demand for this rye whisky, which today is synonymous with Canadian Whisky. (You can read about those here.). The blending rule applies to whisky exported outside Canada, which was applied to lower the taxes on whiskies. Hiram Walker was sold in 1987 to Allied Lyons which Pernod Ricard took over in 2006, with Fortune Brands acquiring the Canadian Club brand. Japanese Whisky. Distilleries were established in Ontario during the mid-19th century, with Gooderham and Worts's beginning operations in Toronto's Distillery District in the 1830s. It was interpreted as almost a protest award, given to start the conversation about the value and quality of Canadian whisky. American whiskey is like a grilled shish kabob with zucchini, chicken, bell pepper, and mushroom all on one skewer. Whisky connoisseurs will agree that Canadian whisky has rich flavor combinations. The story of Canadian whisky offers a distilled and bottled history of Canadian settlement and commercial enterprise. Jesuit missionaries who arrived here in the 1600s, left no record of distilling. For years, theres been a perception that Canadian whisky is somehow inferior to its American counterpart. To complicate matters further, provincial rules vary across the country. Flavouring whiskies are generally matured in new virgin barrels or in a mix of new and used barrels. But they can be finished in other casks, like sherry, to add additional nuances and notes. Kittling Ridge Distillery was established in 1992 with an associated winery in Grimsby, Ontario, its first whiskies came to market in 2002. People didnt understand it, and the Canadian distillers have admitted to me that they didnt do a great job of explaining it.. Were not talking about a focused locale like Ireland, Scotland, or Japan where theres a pretty close-knit monoculture around whiskey. The big eight are: Valleyfield in Quebec; Hiram Walker, Canadian Mist and Forty Creek in Ontario; Gimli in Manitoba; and Highwood, Alberta Distillers and Black Velvet in Alberta. 2. Jesuit missionaries who arrived here in the 1600s, left no record of distilling. In a nutshell, to aid US producers, American tax law provides financial incentives for foreign spirits that include some American-made spirits. Also in the west, a Calgary-based business group recruited the Riefels from British Columbia to oversee their Alberta Distillers operations in 1948. Maybe you want to use toasted new barrels for your rye, heavily charred barrels for your corn, and very old barrels for your barley. The blending rule for exported Canadian whisky does not need to contain American spirits like bourbon or corn whiskey. For the newcomer, American whiskey and Canadian whisky often feel like theyre cut from the same cloth. Meanwhile, Americans Hiram Walker and J.P. Wiser moved to Canada: Walker to Windsor in 1858 to open a flour mill and distillery and Wiser to Prescott in 1857 to work at his uncle's distillery where he introduced a rye whisky and was successful enough to buy the distillery five years later. Nice story, but not one supported by the historical record. Depending on what side of the aisle your on determines what you think of it. 5.22", "Canadian Whisky's Long-Awaited Comeback", "Heaven Hill finalises Black Velvet whisky purchase", Rum-runner tourism helps lift the veil on 'dirty little secret' - Windsor's bootlegging past a hit with visitors and locals, "New owners see strong future for Lethbridge whisky distillery", "Brown-Forman sells Early Times and Canadian Mist to Sazerac", "Sazerac Resume Whisky Distilling in Montreal", "Sazerac starts whisky production in Montreal", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Canadian_whisky&oldid=1156723865, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in Canadian English, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 4.0, This page was last edited on 24 May 2023, at 08:30. 24. America has its own sub-regions that shine from Tennessee to Kentucky to Texas and beyond. (Congeners are the chemicals that give whisky its flavour.) American whiskey consists of very regulated styles. Kelsey Rae Dimberg Updated: Mar. 23. In the United States, marketing largely from Scotch whisky makers has hammered in the message that single malt, which is made from a single type of grain in a single distillery, is fancier, better, and more expensive, and that blended is the cheap stuff. [35][36], Valleyfield Distillery (formerly the Schenley Distillery) was established in 1945 in a former brewery in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Quebec, near Montreal, the distillery has been owned by Diageo in 2008. The availability of inexpensive American corn, with its higher proportion of usable starches relative to other cereal grains, has led it to be most typically used to create base whiskies to which flavouring whiskies are blended in. While American whiskey, especially bourbon, has lately carried the connotations of rural, traditional, authentic, and endemic, Canadian whisky largely doesnt feel like any of those things. 15. It has to be above 80 proof ABV (40 percent alcohol) when bottled. Its unknown and yet somehow incredibly popular. That last one is a big sticking point for a lot of whisk(e)y lovers out there. iv. Overall, the rules regarding what makes Canadian whisky and what makes American whiskey couldnt be further apart. Sea-going vessels transporting Caribbean molasses to Canada could not navigate beyond Montreal. [7] By comparison, an American whisky distilled any higher than 160 proof is labelled as "light whiskey". Pour in the Royal Crown, Kahlua, and root beer. FREE DOMESTIC SHIPPING ON ORDERS OVER $50. Henry Corby started distilling whisky as a side business from his gristmill in 1859 in what became known as Corbyville and Joseph Seagram began working in his father-in-law's Waterloo flour mill and distillery in 1864, which he would eventually purchase in 1883. 8. Hiram Walkers distillery, situated directly across from Detroit, was a major supplier of spirits to Americans during this time. To be called Canadian whisky, it must follow legal requirements from grains to bottling. Canadian distilleries must age the whisky for not less than three years in barrels, and it should not contain less than 40% ABV. The blended Canadian winter wheat whisky from Crown Royal's Noble Collection earns a spot on the best Canadian whiskies of 2023 ranking, and it's well deserved. The oak barrels (used and new barrels) have vanilla, caramel, and tannin notes that contribute to the flavor profile of American whiskey. For lower-volume whiskies it is often not worth the effort. However, they did try (with limited success) to make wine for use in their liturgies. Whisky is typically aged in wooden casks, made generally of charred white oak . Most Canadian whiskey options come from one distiller house as opposed to many US bourbon options that come from different distillers around the country. Also, the geographical boundaries and age requirement sets the whisky apart from other liquors. Canadian Whisky Awards are meant to acknowledge Canadian whiskies and contribute to the growth of the whisky world in British Columbia. Thats not how skewered grilling is done in, say, Turkey or Japan, where chefs recognize that each of those ingredients have their own cooking needs. Then the barreling comes into play. Canadas whisky ageing legislation was intended to facilitate tax collection, and it had a dramatic commercial impact. Most Canadian whiskies are blended multi-grain liquors containing a large percentage of corn spirits, and are typically lighter and smoother than other whisky styles. Also, you can consume it on the rocks or as a cocktail base. SNX DLX: This Weeks Best Sneaker Drops, Including The AJ 12 Brilliant Orange, AJ 7 Chambray And More! Scotch can be aged on used barrels . The fermentation, distillation, and maturation of each cereal grain separately are done in small wood for a reason. Contact at [emailprotected] or learn more about us here. Thats probably due to the way the Canadian whisky industry began. Newer Post . This is all not to say there arent distillers in Canada making super-refined rye whiskies with 100 percent rye mash bills or single malts with as varied and dialed-in with regards to distilling and aging as any scotch. Fast forward to today. No purchase necessary. Unlike other liquors, Canadian whiskies have a geographical boundary, and distilleries should only make the whisky production inside Canada. Bourbon has a bit of a sweeter, smoother taste then whiskey, with notes of caramel and vanilla. Canada is one of two countries that spell whisky without an e before the y. [22], Black Velvet Distillery (formerly the Palliser Distillery)[23] was established in 1973 in Lethbridge, Alberta it has been owned by Heaven Hill since 2019. While many American distillers and brewers returned to their pre-Prohibition recipes, Canadian whisky evolved, turning into something new. Offer subject to change without notice. Canada is one of the countries that purchases used barrels from bourbon or rye whiskey producers to mature their whisky, as there are no required barrel types for this type of whisky. Caribou Crossing Single Barrel Canadian Whisky. In general, unlike their US counterparts, Canadian whisky makers do not use mash bills. The Canadian-whisky style pioneered by the Bronfmans is neither single malt nor straight. Canadian whisky is usually made with different grains and typically is much lighter and smoother compared to other whiskies. Stir until well blended. Sign up for our email, delivered twice a week. Find Out In Our Road Trip Guide To The Land Of Enchantment, Burger Icons George Motz And Alvin Cailan Talk About The Best Fast Food Burgers, The Best Burger Blend, And More. 11. And enjoy the ride all the way. With occasional exceptions, Canadian distillers do not exchange barrels or buy whisky from each other. It was like an iceberg. Is there a difference between whisky and whiskey? In Canada each grain type is milled, mashed, fermented, distilled, and matured separately, and only then mingled together as mature whisky. There is a difference between whiskey and whisky beside the spelling. Canadian whisky, which is often referred to as (and often labelled as) rye whisky for historical reasons, although it may or may not actually include any rye grain in its production process. It didnt take long before spirits, whisky, became the major profit centers for these businesses, says Davin de Kergommeaux, whose book Canadian Whisky: The New Portable Expert introduced the world of whiskey criticism to the wonders of the Great White North. Bourbon always tastes like bourbon; the casks used and the grain proportions combine to create a fairly universal character of vanilla and oak, on the sweet side. So much of it was below the surface, you never noticed it.. The mash bill is fermented, distilled, and aged separately. Canadian Club released a 40-year-old whisky a few years ago that costs about . Although the aging process must take place over the course of three years, the distiller can use charred or uncharred barrels so long as their capacity does not exceed 700 liters. Crown Royal is one of the most popular Canadian whiskeys, and Americans seem to really love it too! Mash the orange peels and sugar inside of a large bowl. Hatch was successful enough to be able to also purchase the Walker distillery, and the popular Canadian Club brand, from Hiram's grandsons in 1926. Thats not to say a 100 percent corn mash bill whiskey cant also be a bourbon, itd just have to be barrelled according to bourbon regulations. American whiskey, meanwhile, is a vast category. Not surprisingly, Americans of English or German descent were also keen to expand business opportunities here in Canada. [2], Historically, in Canada, corn-based whisky that had some rye grain added to the mash bill to give it more flavour came to be called "rye". The whisky was introduced in 1939 by Samuel Bronfman for the 1939 royal tour of Canada. Brands seek out different types of corn in order to create a distinct flavor. There are different ways to drink your favorite Canadian whisky. Your email address will not be published. Some Canadian distillers began adding rye grain to their blends, giving the whisky a distinct flavor. At the end of the day, theres just as much shitty American whiskey on store shelves as there is shitty Canadian rye. Then those finished whiskies . They suggested adding small amounts of rye-grain flour to the mashes. Recent years have seen a burgeoning of a craft distilling movement in Canada and there are some 30 of them at the last count. Irish Whiskey - Ireland. But production differences and regional variances separate them significantly. Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. But really, what is Canadian whisky, and how well do you know this whiskey category? These flavouring whiskies are commonly made from rye, wheat, barley, and corn and each is distilled and matured separately. single distillery, similar to Single Malt Scotch, Canadian whisky does not need to contain American spirits like bourbon, How To Drink Whiskey Without Burn: Answered (2023), Salted Caramel Crown Royal Recipes (2023 Updated), 15 Simple Mixed Drinks To Order At A Bar Today (2023), Purple Gatorade Shot Recipe: How To Make It (2023 Updated), What To Mix With Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon? Bourbon, Scotch, and even Irish whiskies experienced a massive increase in sales and stature during the last two decades. James Gooderham Worts arrived here from England in 1831 and William Gooderham arrived the following year. Starting from humble beginnings in European . American whiskey by design, tradition, and regulation focuses very closely on making sure that the whiskey youre drinking has a solid base. Slowly add the milk making sure that it does not curdle. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. This is because it is always made from at least 51% corn, which is naturally quite sweet. What is Canadian whisky? As a result, Scottish and Canadian Whiskys are immediately discernable by their name. Canadians are known for making some good whisky (spelled there without the "e"). Yes, Canadian Whisky comes from across the Northern border, and the missing letter e in whiskey is not the only thing setting it apart from other spirits. d. Each type of grain spirit within each stream is matured in optimal conditions for that particular spirit. Along with Hatch, the Bronfman family was able to profit from making whisky destined for United States during prohibition, though mostly in Western Canada and were able to open a distillery in LaSalle, Quebec and merge their company, in 1928, with Seagram's which had struggled with transitioning to the prohibition marketplace. And it remained that way until 2010 when bourbon overtook it. It is aged in used oak barrels for a minimum of three years, although most are aged for four to six years. In addition to the eight Canadian distilleries mentioned above, two small Scottish-style distilleries (Glenora and Shelter Point) have been established in Canada in the past two decades. Finally, a key resource for all these matters of history, production, commerce, regulation, and perhaps most important of all: the delicious taste of Canadian whisky my book, Canadian Whisky: The Portable Expert, published by McClelland & Stewart 2012 and 2014 is a well stocked bar of valuable information.