Canada Border Crossing

I am making a trip to Buffalo this weekend, and would like some advice. I am heading over to Canada for a few days also and would like any information about liquor stores across the border.

First, any stores/bars in Buffalo I need to visit?

Second, I would like to find some exports, I dont know if they will be available? If they are would I find them in Duty Free Leaving the US or Duty Free Entering? Should I look at Liquor store away fom the border or on it? It also looks like the liquor is "state" controlled in Canada, anyone have any insight?

Thanks in advance

Last, any Canadian Juice that you recommend I try to procure?

I was just to Windsor, Ontario a few weeks ago. Here is what I suggest:

-Don't buy more bottles at the Buffalo duty free than the number of legal age occupents in the car. Canada customs charges 30.00+ per bottle in duty for any extra bottles 80 proof or higher. Lower than 80 proof is charge of 5.00 per bottle.

-If you are going to shop for bottles in Buffalo, do it after coming back from Canada for the same reasons mentioned above.

-In Canada, all liquor store are government controlled. You can go to the LCBO website and search for any brands you are looking for and see what store in the visited area has them. I usually concentrate on bottles that aren't available in the US or in my area.

-On the way back from Canada, any bottles may be subject to duty depending on how long you visited Canada. duty per bottle usually runs about 3.00, which is cheap. I usually buy bottles I can't get back home.

-Not all bottles in duty free are good prices, especially in Canada. In particular, the scotch prices seem to run on the high side.

-In Canada, there are some Canadian brands that are longer aged if that is your thing. One that I like and that is available at duty free is Crown Royal Limited. It isn't age stated but is good. Another one available in Canada is Centennial 10yr. rye. Very reasonable at 24.00 per bottle!

Thomas

I sampled Wisers Legacy in the gazebo and thought it was top notch.

It's a Canada only bottling and one I would recommend bringing back if you can find it.

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Originally Posted by callmeox

I sampled Wisers Legacy in the gazebo and thought it was top notch.

It's a Canada only bottling and one I would recommend bringing back if you can find it.

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I don't know anything about Canadian whisky but I also tried this whisky at the gazebo and it was very good whisky.

Every year, for some years anyway, Canadian distillers have issued something new. Either small batch, or very aged, or something else to distinguish it. Most of these are good but to me stay within the precincts of the Canadian whisky style, even the Red Letter version of Wiser issued some years ago which is its most expensive. The latter has a rich vanilla taste from some primo barrels evidently, but I don't get an assertive whisky taste from it, one I associate with a high percentage of whisky distilled out at a low proof.

Wiser's Legacy is different. It contains, per the label, a high proportion of pot still rye whisky and the taste shows, with a big wintergreen/spearmint-like flavor against a good wood background. As far as I know, they don't use new charred barrels, hence absence of a "red layer" taste. Apparently (from things I've heard here and there) new oak barrels are used for the aging, presumably lightly toasted, but whether 100% or not I can't say.

Anyone going to Canada who likes a traditional whisky taste should buy this IMO. Wiser's 18 is very good too, some good blending there, but it is more in the traditional vein for Canadian. I also like Forty Creek and its associated whiskies, from the craft operation in Grimsby, Ontario which is an extension of a winery operation.

But Wiser's Legacy is my favorite by far of all Canadian whisky being made today.

Gary

Gibson's Finest 12 or 18 year, only available in Canada. Had some in Vancouver.

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Originally Posted by bgageus

First, any stores/bars in Buffalo I need to visit?

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In Buffalo, I recommend the following:

Premier Group
Global Group

Both "Groups" have three stores, each with one in Orchard Park
if you'll be in the area.

As far as Canada, were I to visit, I'd be on the look out for Forty
Creek Confederation Oak Reserve.

Thanks everyone, I head out tomorrow, I will let you know if I strike gold.

Gary - Have you tried any of the Alberta Premium older juice? They make a 27 and a 30yr that both seem very reasonable price wise and are very well reviewed.
So far at least, I haven't been able to get my hands on any here in the states or spoken to a Bourbon aficionado who has tried them.

Steve,

I haven't tried those IIRC. There is another Alberta Premium iteration I did try, 25 years - probably the same batch when younger.

All these very aged Canadian whiskies, to my palate, take flavor mostly from the barrel. The companies select well to ensure the whiskies have no punky taste (degraded wood or other off-flavors), but I don't get otherwise anything really notable about them. CC's 20 and 30 year olds were similar. They are good in the sense of being velvety and well-balanced but the wood predominates.

If, say, the rye flavoring whiskies used, e.g., what apparently became Whistle Pig, were aged 12-20 years, that might be more interesting for me.

Putting it a different way, and I stress I am explaining only my own taste, I don't see the point of prolonged aging of the typical Canadian whisky blend. Due to the preponderance of whisky in it distilled at a high proof, it doesn't need long aging. Hence the three years minimum aging required by Canadian law.

Gary