Canadian Club

[cowdery]

I have reason to believe that Beam is buying less whiskey for CC from Pernod's distillery in Walkerville and using more from its own Alberta distillery, so some percentage of CC is not made at CC, if that makes sense. Also, all CC for sale in the USA is bottled in Kentucky. A bottle I have says "Imported and bottled by Canadian Club Import Company, Deerfield, IL USA."

Canadian whisky is typically flavored with wine, including sherry, although what they call 'sherry' is a whiskey blending wine made for that purpose which isn't necessarily the same as sherry you would buy in a store.

[Gillman]

The CC sold in Canada states, "Distilled in Canada", which allows room for Alberta whisky if indeed they are using it. Not sure what CC bottles said 10 years ago. Presumably that distillery out West practices blending at birth, at least for this purpose.

Gary

[camduncan]

I was hoping to grab a bottle last weekend to add some tasting notes, but at the full retail price of $33 a bottle, I decided to wait until it is back on special.
As we only get 3 Canadian Whiskeys in Australia - Canadian Club, Canadian Club 12yo and Crown Royal... I might do a taste comparison too.

[Gillman]

Look forward to that Cam if possible. If you only get one, I'd get regular CC.

Gary

[WhiskyToWhiskey]

I just tried the CC 20 yesterday. Here in Ontario they priced it at $50, the same pricepoint as Alberta Premium 30yo and Wiser's Legacy. The Legacy has been my favourite Canadian Whiskey (i refuse to call all canadian whiskies "rye" like they are called here), but after trying this it may be tied with it. I have not tried the CC 12 for some time thinking of it as more of a "mixer". I might be tempted to give it another try.

[Gillman]

The CC 20 is first-rate, I agree. It's got real barrelly complexity. Reason I liked the regular one though on the last tasting was its distillery character, you can really taste the low-distilled rye element, it's true it's only a small part of the blend (10%?), but on the other hand, there is no new charred barrel flavour to meld with it, so it punches above its weight.

I must say the 12 is the least interesting to me, definitely a mixer by my book. Ditto the 10 albeit it is supposed to have more flavouring whisky in it - or so I once heard - than regular CC (6 years old).

Gary

[Megawatt]

I really like the 12, also the Sherry Cask. Looking forward to trying the 20 year old soon.

[WhiskyToWhiskey]

I haven't had much luck finding a low priced canadian whiskey to enjoy neat. In the past year I had; 40creek barrell select (i find it too sherried), crown royal deluxe (not too impressive), crown royal black (canadian that tries to be a bourbon non complex and unimpressive) and collingwood maple mellowed (tastes too much like candy and overmellowed for my taste)

I decided to take Gary's advice and revisit the CC 6yo (premium). I haven't tried this neat, and last time I had it was 10years ago with ginger ale. Tried the CC 6yo along side the CC 20yo. The 20yo has a nicer texture, less spice and more balanced with how sweet and woody it tastes. I am impressed with the overall profile of the 6yo, and it surprised me just how good it was considering its a common low shelfer mixer to most. The 6yo had less wood influence, mellow, was sweet and slightly citrusy, just the right amount of spice lasting to the finish.

I do like the 20yo a bit better....but the 6yo has characteristics about it that the 20yo can't compare to. 6yo is 1/2 the price of the 20yo, and imo far superior to the other canadian whiskeys I have tried in the same pricepoint.

[Gillman]

Obviously I appreciate that you agree with me (last poster), but I do sincerely find your comments dead on, thanks.

Gary

[Megawatt]

I haven't had much luck finding a low priced canadian whiskey to enjoy neat. In the past year I had; 40creek barrell select (i find it too sherried), crown royal deluxe (not too impressive), crown royal black (canadian that tries to be a bourbon non complex and unimpressive) and collingwood maple mellowed (tastes too much like candy and overmellowed for my taste)

I decided to take Gary's advice and revisit the CC 6yo (premium). I haven't tried this neat, and last time I had it was 10years ago with ginger ale. Tried the CC 6yo along side the CC 20yo. The 20yo has a nicer texture, less spice and more balanced with how sweet and woody it tastes. I am impressed with the overall profile of the 6yo, and it surprised me just how good it was considering its a common low shelfer mixer to most. The 6yo had less wood influence, mellow, was sweet and slightly citrusy, just the right amount of spice lasting to the finish.

I do like the 20yo a bit better....but the 6yo has characteristics about it that the 20yo can't compare to. 6yo is 1/2 the price of the 20yo, and imo far superior to the other canadian whiskeys I have tried in the same pricepoint.

You might also try Danfield's Private Reserve, Gibson's Finest Gold (avoid the Sterling), and Canadian Club Sherry Cask (a few more bucks, but worth it IMO).