Forty Creek Whisky 40 Double Barrel Reserve

[Gillman]

This is just out here now and is top-notch whisky. It reminds me of the Reserve released last year except with a patina of bourbon nose and flavour. And this makes sense since I understand it was re-tunned into some ex-bourbon barrels before dumping. The bourbon barrel smooths it out and reduces some of the piney notes I noticed in last year's iteration of Forty Creek Reserve, plus it adds its own welcome vanilla and caramelized corn flavours. The whiskey is soft on the palate with lingering notes of corn, tangy rye and perhaps the barley, each flavour deriving from one of the informing whiskies. A fine effort well-priced (for what it is) in an attractive package.

N.B. I saw at the same LCBO CC 30 years old and CC 20 years old. I know the 20 from some years ago, a good rounded oaky dram. The 30 is new as far as I know. I was tempted, but in the past, I've found aged CCs not all that different from the regular expressions: deeper in flavour and rounder, yes, but not strikingly different. I'll await tasting at the LCBO's tasting counter before considering whether to buy these.

[ThomasH]

The CC 30 is a bottling in honor of CC's 150th anniversary. It is limited to 3000 bottles and just started showing up on shelves this past week. It is supposedly available only in Canada, the US and Japan and Australia duty free!

Thomas

[Megawatt]

Big difference in price between the 20 and 30, from what I understand...

[Gillman]

Yes the 20 is $59 and the 30 about $170. The packaging for the 30 is lush so part of that difference is for that (the 20 is in a plain bottle). I'd like to try them but will probably content myself with the tasting counter when they get there. By international standards, i.e., for malt whisky and increasingly some bourbons, these prices are not expensive, but I doubt the profile of these drinks is radically different from the younger CCs. To taste something significantly more assertive than the CC profile, I feel the Wiser's Small Batch and the Forty Creek Double Barrel are a better bet for me.

Gary

[velocci]

which LCBO were the CCs at?

This is just out here now and is top-notch whisky. It reminds me of the Reserve released last year except with a patina of bourbon nose and flavour. And this makes sense since I understand it was re-tunned into some ex-bourbon barrels before dumping. The bourbon barrel smooths it out and reduces some of the piney notes I noticed in last year's iteration of Forty Creek Reserve, plus it adds its own welcome vanilla and caramelized corn flavours. The whiskey is soft on the palate with lingering notes of corn, tangy rye and perhaps the barley, each flavour deriving from one of the informing whiskies. A fine effort well-priced (for what it is) in an attractive package.

N.B. I saw at the same LCBO CC 30 years old and CC 20 years old. I know the 20 from some years ago, a good rounded oaky dram. The 30 is new as far as I know. I was tempted, but in the past, I've found aged CCs not all that different from the regular expressions: deeper in flavour and rounder, yes, but not strikingly different. I'll await tasting at the LCBO's tasting counter before considering whether to buy these.

[Frodo]

Yes the 20 is $59 and the 30 about $170.

That's an insane price for the 30yr! Wonder how it'll do...

[Megawatt]

That's an insane price for the 30yr! Wonder how it'll do...

It seems like these anniversary whiskies are always overpriced. Just the way it goes, I guess...