Canadian Whiskey..colored?

[CorvallisCracker]

Here in the US, back in 1972, a number of companies attempted to market 4yo grain whiskey as "light whiskey". The effort failed, because no one was interested in something that couldn't seem to decide if it wanted to be vodka or a lightweight Canadian blend (e.g. Canadian Mist).

Seagrams had produced vast quantities of it, and having nothing better to do with it used it as a base for both Seagrams Seven and Calvert Extra, so for about twenty years, these two blends were actually 100% whiskey. Stocks of the stuff were finally depleted in the mid nineties at which point they reverted to a GNS base.

Here is an archived Time magazine article from 1972. The discussion at the end (what they would do with the 200,000,000 gallons already produced if it flopped) describes what actually ended up happening.

[Megawatt]

Using Alberta Premium as an example, their flavouring whisky is single-distilled (I forget the proof), and the base whisky is distilled to 180 proof, if I recall correctly.

[mozilla]

Using Alberta Premium as an example, their flavouring whisky is single-distilled (I forget the proof), and the base whisky is distilled to 180 proof, if I recall correctly.

Are there stright whiskies available in Canada? Something a kin to a Bottled in Bond, maybe?

[Gillman]

No, but there used to be, e.g., the Pedigree line of Seagram in the late 40's-early 50's. Dusty bottle hunters, there's one to find, Seagram made both bourbon and rye, 100 proof bonded.

Gary

[barturtle]

The Scots occasionally put grain whisky into old bourbon barrels and leave it there for decades. The result tastes remarkably similar to bourbon. A local liquor store recently got in some 43yo Lonach single grain. They want $104 for it, which is ridiculous.

I guess it should be noted that the "grain whisky" used in blended scotches has to be aged just like the malt component...so it there is a 12yo age statement on you bottle of blended, every bit of it has been in a barrel for at least that long...so just as the Malt guys are finding all these lost old barrels of scotch, the grain guys can find lost old barrels of whisky too.

[Megawatt]

I guess it should be noted that the "grain whisky" used in blended scotches has to be aged just like the malt component...so it there is a 12yo age statement on you bottle of blended, every bit of it has been in a barrel for at least that long...so just as the Malt guys are finding all these lost old barrels of scotch, the grain guys can find lost old barrels of whisky too.

It is the same way in Canada.