Bourbon in Toronto, Canada

[sanzoluk]

Thanks for the tip about Allen's! I'll need to check them out in a week or two as well. I figured Toronto HAD to have some sort of whiskey bar...

[DAM]

One note about Allen's, the food is pretty average with the exception of their burgers, which are barely mentioned on the menu but actually quite good.

[DAM]

Had a work dinner at L'unita on Avenue and got to sample Eagle Rare. They also had Booker's, WR and MM.

Also dropped in Allen's on the way home. Unfortunately the list on their website is out of date. I did try an ounce of Old Charter 12 yo for $6.50 though.

[sanzoluk]

Aw, man. Other than the Old Charter I've had (and/or currently own) all of the bourbon on that list. Still, worth stopping by. I was hoping they still had Ancient Ancient Age since I haven't had that in a few years.


I went to the Red Light on Dundas near Ossington last night; they have a surprisingly good whiskey selection there. They're almost out of EC12 and Eagle Rare, but they have most everything else that's come to the LCBO in the last year or so.


I tried some Pennypacker (which is very suspicious, since I've never heard of it; not great but cheap), the 40 Creek Double Barrel Select (Canadian finished in Bourbon casks, surprisingly good but let down a bit by being low proof and filtered), and the Woodford Reserve Master's Selection Maple Barrel Finish. I was particularly happy to try the WR Maple, since I can't see myself ever wanting a bottle but I did want to try a shot.

The place was a bit too crowded and loud for my tastes, and the bartenders were not as good as the ones who are normally there when I go, but that's what I get for going out Friday night.


I'm trying to sample more Canadian whisky, since I might as well take advantage of living here, but I'm a big fan of high-proof whiskies and Canadian whiskies just taste so floral and watered-down in comparison.

[squire]

Pennypacker is a Heaven Hill bottling for export. The comments posted by members who have tried it indicate a young whisky that fit's the general HH profile. HH owns a lot of labels (sometimes referred to as Cats&Dogs) that survive in name only and are filled with standard HH whisky.

[dbk]

I'm trying to sample more Canadian whisky, since I might as well take advantage of living here, but I'm a big fan of high-proof whiskies and Canadian whiskies just taste so floral and watered-down in comparison.

Generally speaking, there aren't many high proof Canadian whiskies available in the domestic market, though WhistlePig (currently US market only) is 50% ABV Canadian rye. Some Canadian whiskies are moving above the 40% ABV mark—Wiser's Small Batch is 43% and Wiser's Legacy is 45%—but I find that I enjoy many of the Canadians I've had at 40% or so, anyway.

In spite of your feelings on Forty Creek Double Barrel Reserve, you should give their Confederation Oak Reserve a try; I found it had a richer mouthfeel and a rounder, more refined character. It's really nice stuff, IMO.

[sanzoluk]

In spite of your feelings on Forty Creek Double Barrel Reserve, you should give their Confederation Oak Reserve a try; I found it had a richer mouthfeel and a rounder, more refined character. It's really nice stuff, IMO.

I plan on it. I was hoping to find a bar where I could taste it before buying it, but if it's still around in a couple months I may break down and pick up a bottle untasted, since it's gotten such good reviews. I just made a trip down to Chicago to grab a bottle of WL Weller and Stagg, so that coupled with the release of 1792 and my successful quest to find a couple more bottles of the baby Saz, my whiskey fund needs to build up a bit

I would say that I don't mind the Double Barrel Reserve, just that, at that price point, I would rather buy a good bourbon or rye (if available). I need to try it in a better glass and see if I can get a proper tasting of it, since the glorified shot glass they gave it to me in and the crowded bar didn't make for the best tasting environment.

[DAM]

Aw, man. Other than the Old Charter I've had (and/or currently own) all of the bourbon on that list. Still, worth stopping by. I was hoping they still had Ancient Ancient Age since I haven't had that in a few years.

Yeah, I kind suspected that was going to be the case. The current list is basically what's been available at the LCBO of late.

I did enjoy the Old Charter. Unfortunately though it didn't look like they had much stock left.

[PaulO]

I believe Old Charter 12 year old stopped being bottled a couple years ago. Unless somebody has stockpiled some you probably won't see more.

[sanzoluk]

Eagle Rare has started hitting the LCBOs.

I plan on picking up a bottle; I want to get more since I quite like it (a bit more than regular buffalo trace) but, thanks to the tastings I do, I have like 15 open bottles, 5 more stocked, and no room to store them in the apartment. Plus I promised my wife I would start diversifying our liquor cabinet so I can work on my cocktails. I guess I shouldn't complain about having too much of a good thing!