As a Canadian distillery, though, the public focus is invariably on the whisky they make here, and they make a lot of it too. The vast J.P. Wiser portfolio, Canadian Club, and numerous other brands are produced at Hiram Walker. But of all these, few have consistently garnered such admiration as Lot 40.
The 2012 resurrection of this niche 1990s label was greeted with jubilation by nostalgic whisky fans. When the brand first launched, the market wasn't there for bold ryes, but thankfully Lot 40 is perfect for today's adventurous palate.
Made from 90% unmalted and 10% malted rye, the comparisons to world-beater Crown Royal Northern Harvest are inevitable and frequent. Also inevitable and frequent are the awards lavished on this whisky and it's transcendent cask strength brethren. In fact, Lot 40 claims the title as Canada's most awarded whisky brand over the past decade.
The standard Lot 40 carries no age statement but is reputed to be at least seven years old in large part, and is bottled at 43%. Much of the blend comes from a relatively small pot still tucked in a corner of the towering stillhouse. It's then aged in virgin American oak. In the bottle it's spicy, woody, and massively flavourful; a highlight in Master Blender Dr. Don Livermore's portfolio. If this bottle is perceived as the global standardbearer for Canada's whisky renaissance, that status is richly deserved. Oh, and the best part, it's not even $40 a bottle.
Lot No. 40 100% Pot Still Rye
43% ABV
$39.95 at the LCBO
Oak immediately hits the nose, but not with the signature vanilla of American oak. Sour cherry, dark plum, and lots of tobacco come forward alongside a restrained rye spice. There's no astringency or ethanol burn at all.
The nose closely begets the palate, which is further testament to the blending skill evinced by this whisky. Brown sugar leads to a distinctive rye bread flavour, with caraway and dill. The dill takes on a sour note, complementing a slowly growing restrained spice. Nutmeg and a touch of capsicum with more bready, slightly sour notes.
There's still no burn here, but a slight heat builds leading into more fresh, dry oak and just the slightest hot Tabasco sauce before a lingering, distinctive cool mint refreshes the tongue.
This is not a typical rye whisky in any way. The juvenile heat and typical flavour profile of a young rye are replaced with full, complex, and surprising notes blended to perfection. There is skill on display at every step of the process.
Dr. Livermore suggests Hiram Walker's focus has squarely turned to the rye grain these days and new, smaller pot stills are being added. This is the leading edge of a trend seeing distilleries large and small renew the focus on rye in this country. Lot 40 is simply a preview of what we can expect as craft distillers and large ones alike put aside lots of pot rye and age it longer.
Wrapped up in its stylish bottle and sold for far less than it could be, this whisky deserves its massive award haul and its role as the flagbearer for a new generation of Canadian whisky. Lot 40 is quite possibly the best whisky anywhere at this price point and is a true global ambassador for rye.
Heatseeker Score: 90
Category Score: 95
Characteristic: Complex
Where the magic happens; the Lot 40 pot still at Windsor's Hiram Walker Distillery.
Niagara College we took good class trip to Windsor. Sampling some cask of Lot 40 blending class, good time. That is to say, tried many good whiskies, talk to people of Hiram Walker. Good time we had.
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