Canadian Whiskey Regulations

[wadewood]

http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/r...-B.02.020.html

The above site covers the regulations for Canadian Whiskey. Section (v) states "be mashed, distilled and aged in Canada".

I've always thought Canadian whiskys, such as Crown Royal, blend in American made Straight whiskeys (straight bourbon or straight rye). The word was once going around that Diageo was sitting on lots of Stitzel Weller barrels that they used in Crown Royal. The above statement would imply this can not be true.

Of note, there is the additional statement of "(b) may contain caramel and flavouring.". Flavouring is not well defined and also not limited by a certain %. Who knows, the flavouring could be 99% of whiskey and as long as it meet other requirements then it could still be approved as Canadian whiskey???

[wadewood]

a little more Goggling and I find that our Gary Gillman has written an article about this:

http://www.distilling.com/PDF/WhiskeyArticle.pdf

I read the article and and frankly this 9.09% notion just makes me more confused.

[sku]

a little more Goggling and I find that our Gary Gillman has written an article about this:

http://www.distilling.com/PDF/WhiskeyArticle.pdf

I read the article and and frankly this 9.09% notion just makes me more confused.

Great article! I hadn't seen this before. Thanks.

[Bmac]

It depends largely on the brand of Canadian whiskey.

Some produce 3 separate aged grain spirits and then blends them together. Much like what gets shipped down here.

The flavorings, from what I have been told by some Canadians I work with, have been the addition of Sherry, Cognac, Sugar, Vanilla, and even Rum.

IN the case of Forty Creek, they are whiskeys that are typically 'finished' in various ways. The Double-Barrel expression I have is actually rather tasty and smooth.

The difference between regular Crown and Crown Reserve is minimal at best. Crown XR is just whiskey from the original Canadian distillery before it burnt to a crisp.

Honestly, to get the best Canadian whiskey, you have to go to some of the smaller "home-town" distilleries and buy it direct.

-Meh two cents

[Gillman]

Thanks Wade. Yes I wrote that some years ago and the ADI put it up on its site. Since then I've updated it somewhat. Most if not all of the info on the Canadian regs has been discussed on SB before by me, in similar if not greater detail. But the article also gave me the chance to expand a bit on the social history of whiskey, as I see it of course.

Gary

[JayMonster]

Very cool. I always wondered why my father and his friends always referred to all Canadian Whiskies as "Rye. "

The one thing this article points out, that I sort of lament is the apparent death of the Whiskey Sour. I guess I am old fashioned (or just old), but I have held this "tradition" of drinking Sours at bih social events such as weddings. Even during that period when my "standard" drink had switched to Vodka and later rum, it has just always been a foregone conclusion that a Whiskey Sour was what you drank at special gatherings.

It was actually Canadian Whiskey that brought me back from other spirits to Whiskey. My father, though not much of a drinker himself, always had a bottle of "Rye" around for use as "medicine" for when you got a cold. Something I always continued to subscribe to doing, until I decided it tasted good enough to continue after the cold was gone. Ultimately, I wanted more in rhetoric way of flavor on most occasions, but unlike some many that dismiss Canadian Whiskey as too meek, I continue to enjoy it as a nice. Change of pace (especially during cold and allergy season when bourbon comes across too harsh).

[wadewood]

I'm reading Davin's new book on Canadian Whiskey, http://www.amazon.com/Canadian-Whisk.../dp/0771027435. He explains how the 9.09% rule came to be. He says it was the result of our US government offering subsidies an tax incentives for foreign spirits for companies that used small amounts of US spirits or wine. He says this subsidies were introduced when the Florida orange crop failed in the 1980s. Unsaleable oranges were distilled into orange wine which was effectively a neutral spirit. So, to gain these tax incentives, Canadian Whiskey manufacturers starting using some of this in their blends.

Note, this is from his book. Gavin does not any footnotes, so I can't verify. My initial google searches have not found much.

[wmpevans]

Gary, just read your article. Excellent read. Very well written also, of course I knew that it would be given your great interest in the subject and wordsmith vocation.

Bill.

Thanks Wade. Yes I wrote that some years ago and the ADI put it up on its site. Since then I've updated it somewhat. Most if not all of the info on the Canadian regs has been discussed on SB before by me, in similar if not greater detail. But the article also gave me the chance to expand a bit on the social history of whiskey, as I see it of course.

Gary

[bllygthrd]

I was raised on the Niagara River and have consumed a fair amount of prohibition era canadian whisky recovered from the bottom of the river. Your well written article filled in several "blanks" and answered several of my questions about canadian whisky. Thanks!

[Gillman]

Thanks all, and I look forward to reading Davin's book, it looks great. I've heard the story about orange wine too (can't recall where) and it makes sense although I don't know more about it than that...

That story about buried old whisky is very interesting. Was it similar in taste to modern Canadian whisky? Or was it more like straight rye, bourbon or malt whisky? How did it not get contaminated from the water?

Gary