Brown-Forman Launches Collingwood Canadian Whisky

[StraightNoChaser]

That's impressive, since it was just launched three days ago.

Local stores here have had it since January 26th at least

[dbk]

Davin has now posted a review on his site, if you're interested.

[Megawatt]

This just hit the LCBO and I'm having a glass right now. So far it's pretty good. Soft on the nose, slightly sweet and fruity but with a noticeable bitterness lurking in there. It is balanced in the mouth, starting soft and sweet but quickly building with charred wood and herbal bitterness. Not terribly complex but pretty decent flavour for the money.

[ThomasH]

Got a bottle of this today. Not bad at all!

Thomas

[Gillman]

Good product, but I'd as soon seen the rye-rich stream - clearly the flavouring whisky distilled at under 160 proof - released on its own, with this treatment or (preferably) not. I've never met anyone from the Collingwood distillery, but if I did, I'd make this suggestion.

Gary

[Davindek]

Good product, but I'd as soon seen the rye-rich stream - clearly the flavouring whisky distilled at under 160 proof - released on its own, with this treatment or (preferably) not. I've never met anyone from the Collingwood distillery, but if I did, I'd make this suggestion.

Gary

I second that motion Gary.

[cowdery]

You were there, Davin, when we talked about this at Collingwood. They look at you rather blankly and say, "but that's not what it's for."

At least now we're getting a small chance to taste those whiskeys, through products like Whistlepig.

The other answer, of course, is "we don't have enough, as we don't make those whiskeys in very large quantities."

And part of it is a "don't rock the boat" mentality.

[Gillman]

Interesting, but I can't fathom it.

It reminds me of how big brewing was shaken up. It took "outsiders" (writers like Michael Jackson, craft brewers, publicists and others) to show the industry that there were different ways to brew. Finally after 30 years it has a new respect for quality beer products and in some cases has gotten in on the act, e.g., the Belgian white beer style.

Gary

[Gillman]

I should add that I did once ask, at a festival, a sales rep from a distiller here (not B-F or Collingwood but I can't recall who it was) why they don't release a flavouring whiskey on its own. He said because they were too "harsh".

Gary

[cowdery]

That's very typical of the attitude.

[ThomasH]

Opened a bottle of this tonight. Someone gets an "A" for effort in the packaging dept. First the cologne type bottle, then the decorative tamper evident sticker to hold on the decorative outer cap, followed by a strip sticker across the actual bottle cap. If all of that wasn't enough, the neck of the bottle is the size of one on a 1.75L and comes complete with a built in pourer. And the whiskey isn't bad either!

Thomas

[boss302]

Well, I suppose SOMEBODY had to challenge Crown Royal to the "Mediocre Whisky selling for double what it's worth because of fancy packaging" category...

I tried it. It's quite decent, with some yummy Vanilla overtones... but so is Black Velvet (~$10/750mL).

For what it's worth, it's still an elegant gift for the Canadian Whisky drinkers on my Holiday Shopping List.