Canadian Club Barley Batch

Here's a really interesting expression from stalwart Canadian Club. Rather than releasing something entirely different like their single rye, this 160th anniversary special is a creative twist on their well-known blend. 

Barley Batch involves, as the name suggests, the addition of six-year-old malted barley whisky (apparently from fantastic Alberta Distillers) into their standard 1858 blend. In a sense, this whisky is like an supercharged blended Scotch, with the grain component consisting of the surprisingly boisterous CC 1858. 

The whisky is packaged, at 42%, in a very attractive bottle that feels rather high end, and originally the price point matched. When Barley Batch was released in 2018, it sold for as high as $60 in some provinces, which put it in the range of some very good ryes. I don't know if it was doing strong sales but I suspect people were reticent to pay that much for what is primarily Canadian Club 1858. I personally felt it a bit overpriced then too, though I did find myself buying a couple bottles for gifting. Now though, the price has come down and in Ontario it can be had for as little as $32. At that price, this bottle represents exceptional value and should very much be on your list. 

At the very least, this bottling should be attractive to those exploring Canadian whisky; take a blend we know very well and add new flavours. At its current price point, it slots in exceedingly well against both blended Scotch and Canadian whiskies. As a limited edition, it's unlikely we'll see this bottling on shelves forever, so it's a good pickup for collectors. But I do hope Canadian Club will put out more Barley Batch in the future and build on the idea of subtly tweaking their recipe to invite new flavours to the party.

Canadian Club Barley Batch 

Limited Edition

42% alc./vol.

$32 at LCBO

Lots of fruit on the nose; the stone fruit and spice of 1858 but also apple, mango, and lots of vanilla. 

The palate brings more of the Canadian Club signature dark fruit and rising spice, but there is a pleasant grain-forward note. Spicy rye continues to grow as underneath comes the distinctive taste of Maltesers. Less sweet perhaps, but the combination of malt and a chocolatey note lead me to this description. Throughout there is the typical butterscotch and some sweet fruit, perhaps pineapple.

The finish is perhaps a bit less intriguing than the palate; I'm getting the typical bitter citrus of many cheaper blends but without the beguiling hot rye takeover from the 1858. There's also some sweetness and lots of barley character, which makes the finish more like a young single malt. 

In all, this is a welcome addition to Canadian Club, and one I hope we will see more of. At $50-$60, it would be hard to really love this bottle but in the low $30's, this is terrific. A departure from usual CC but with plenty of reminders, and in a really elevated bottle, this makes all too much sense as a brand extension.

This whisky competes with blended Scotch but you'll be hard-pressed to find a Scottish bottle with this much character anywhere near the price point. It's a shame (for producers, not buyers) that Canadian whisky can't fetch the premiums Scotch does, but now that this is quite affordable whisky, there's no reason not to get this bottle. 

Barley Batch doesn't venture too far into either rye or malt whisky flavours, but it brings balance alongside intrigue for explorers of the category. 

Heatseeker Score: 86

Category Score: 90

Characteristic: Balanced and Fruity