Producing WhiskyCast has given me the opportunity to taste some really amazing whiskies, and I’m pleased to share my tasting notes with you here. You can search my entire database of tasting notes from this page, and I hope you’ll find it useful.
This is the flagship of the Canadian Club line and one of the top selling Canadian whiskies on the market. It’s changed over the last couple of years as a new wood policy put in place after Beam acquired the brand in 2005 starts to make an impact for the better. This is a clear example of what influence wood can have on a whisky, and what can happen when a whisky producer starts to invest in better-quality barrels.
Older bottles will have a nose with soft spices, brown sugar and a hint of molasses. The taste has notes of black licorice, lemon peel, hint of almonds and oak. The finish lingers pleasantly with a soft allspice note and an underlying hint of honey.
Bottles released starting in 2013 are much more intense, even though the whisky remains at 40% ABV. The nose has good notes of allspice and nutmeg, balanced by butterscotch and honey. The taste has nutmeg, cinnamon, honey, brown sugar, and a hint of clove. The finish is long with slowly fading spices.
My long-standing score for this whisky has been 80 points, but the new version gets an 85 for its intensity and balance. (January, 2014)
