Category Archives: whisky

Each weekday this week, I’ll be posting a pair of mini-reviews covering selections from the latest additions to the LCBO’s Whisky Shop premium whisky program, and the products in the LCBO’s Summer 2011 Specialty Beer promotion. Today I’ve got a pair from south of the border – one of them from a bit further south than the other…

Rittenhouse Straight Rye Whiskey 100 Bond
(LCBO 230813 – $34.95/750 mL)

As the ‘e’ in ‘Whiskey’ suggests, Rittenhouse is created in the tradition of classic American rye whiskies – specifically, in the Monongahela/Pennsylvania style – while the “100 Bond” designation indicates that it’s a 100 proof (50% alc) spirit that’s been “bottled in bond“. All of this old-tymey stuff might smack a bit of gimmickry, but Rittenhouse is actually a really solid whiskey that has had a lot of success throughout the US, no doubt due to the trend towards better quality cocktail spirits. And while I imagine it to make an impeccable Manhattan, it’s quite fine on its own as well, with a dark amber hue that resembles that of well-aged lacquered furniture, and a myriad of aroma and flavour notes including pepper, vanilla, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, brown sugar, honey and marmalade. Too bad the LCBO stock is already dwindling.

Southern Tier 2xIPA
(LCBO 224220 – $2.95/355 mL)

Speaking of dwindling stock – while this beer hasn’t hit the shelves yet (it’s due next week), it’s bound to be snapped up quickly when it does, given the combination of Southern Tier’s strong reputation from previous LCBO appearances by some of their other brands, and the general scarcity of highly hopped beers in Ontario. Anyone familiar with big American-style IPAs will find just what the expect here – i.e. a huge hit of citrus (especially grapefruit) with backing notes of pineapple, peach and pine resin, supported by enough caramel-accented malt to keep the harsh edges of the bitterness in check. And just as the Rittenhouse above is quite smooth for a 50% whiskey, so too is the 2xIPA a very easy drinker considering that it weighs in at 8.2%. Consume the two in tandem, and you’ll probably want to make sure you’ve got no big plans in the morning…

Since today is Victoria Day – aka Canada’s unofficial first day of summer – it seemed fitting to review some of the beers in the LCBO’s Summer 2011 Specialty Beer promotion. And since the format seemed to be popular when I did it a couple of months ago with the Spring release, I’ll be pairing them up with notes on a few of the newest additions to the LCBO’s Whisky Shop premium whisky program. Here’s the first duo, with another pair to follow each day this week.

Crown Royal Cask No. 16
(LCBO 64337 – $99.95/750 mL)

Named for the origin number of the Congac oak casks from the Limousin forest in France that are used to age this premium blend of more than 50 whiskies before it’s bottled, Cask No. 16 comes from the higher end of the Crown Royal range – only Crown Royal XR (Extra Rare) is more spendy. Hints of the Congac-infused wood come through in the aroma, along with plenty of fruit (peach, apricot, sweet orange), toffee, toasted nuts, and suggestions of leather and cinnamon. The flavour shows more of the Congac and fruit – taking on almost a fruit cocktail character – but this is still a Canadian whisky at heart, as evidenced by the notes of rye, vanilla, oak, and black & white pepper. While you can feel free to mix it with Coke or Canada Dry if you’d like, it would really be a waste, as this is a whisky more suited for sipping neat.

Celt Golden Crafted Ale
(LCBO 224600 – $3.45/500 mL)

There are a slew of UK golden/blond ales in this release (the others are listed below), and while the Celt wasn’t my favourite, I chose it to review over the others due to the uniqueness of it being a beer from Wales, which I believe is a first for the LCBO. The body, as the name suggests, has a golden-orange hue under a small white head. The aroma is intriguing – there’s the expected grass/hay maltiness, and some leafy hops, but also something around the edge that reminds me of lychee, as well as hints of candied citrus peel. The flavour is a bit more standard for the style – lightly roasted and moderately sweet malt, balanced by hops that are a herbal and a bit earthy. Mild citrus and a wisp of licorice come through in the end. It’s a very nice summer quaffer, as are the other golden ales in the release: Dark Star Sunburst (LCBO 223818 – $3.45/500 mL), Badger Golden Champion (LCBO 244632 – $3.50/500 mL), and Fuller’s Organic Honey Dew (LCBO 676858 – $3.50/500 mL) – the latter brewed with and tasting pleasantly of honey, just as the name suggests.

Each weekday last week, I was planning on posting a pair of mini-reviews covering selections from the latest additions to the LCBO’s Whisky Shop premium whisky program, and the products in the LCBO’s Spring 2011 Specialty Beer promotion. Due to various factors, I was unable to get Friday’s post done in time, so here it is now…

Compass Box Spice Tree (LCBO 220806 – $67.25/700 mL)

If you know whisky, you’re probably aware of the stir that Compass Box and its founder/whiskymaker John Glaser has caused in the whisky world in the last decade or so. Even as a casual whisky drinker, I’ve been aware of the cult-like status that Glaser has developed for his products, as well as the controversy that some of them have caused. (Google “John Glaser” and “Scotch Whisky Association”  together to get a taste of the latter.) In simple terms, Glaser obtains whiskies from various distilleries, combines them, and then matures the blends in different woods to create artisanal blended whiskies that are ranked as high as premium single malts by many aficionados. Spice Tree is one of Glaser’s Signature Series whiskies, and the appropriateness of the name comes clear from the moment it’s poured, as big notes of clove and ginger come forward, with supporting notes of cinnamon, vanilla and orange peel. Ginger dominates the palate as well, with toasted oak, vanilla and cinnamon behind, along with a developing hint of nutmeg, and a whiff of wood smoke.

Gouden Carolus Hopsinjoor (LCBO 211284 – $3.10/330 mL)

Just as the whiskies of Compass Box are considered unorthodox, so too can Gouden Carolus Hopsinjoor be looked at as a bit of an oddity, and a product of a modern and experimental beer culture. For years, the ales of Belgium have been known to emphasize aromas and flavours produced primarily by malt and yeast, with hops playing a backing role. But more recently, as the hops-forward beers favoured by many American breweries have started filtering back to the Old World, some brewers there have been cutting loose and beefing up the hops in their recipes. Hopsinjoor is one of those beers, brewed using four strains of hops, each added at a different point in the brewing process to bring out their aromas and flavours to full effect. It pours a beautiful golden colour with a vague haze and a huge cap of rocky white foam. Forcing their way through the head are rich aromas of peppery yeast, fruits like pineapple and orange, some lemon zest, and a slightly medicinal pine-like note. The body is quite active, giving a crisp and effervescent mouthfeel that cleanses the palate and lets the hops shine through in the flavour, with notes of grapefruit, pine sap and cut grass, along with hints of banana and pineapple, and a bit of pepper in the finish.