Over the past week we've been looking at whiskies made from Ontario's Niagara wine country. We've featured two Forty Creek bottles guest reviewed by Melissa Bernais. Today, we have a guest tasting from Niagara College artisan distiller Lokesh Khismatrao. The writeup is mine, tasting notes are his but, until I have a taste myself, I've withheld the scores. Today's review is the first whisky release from the excellent Tawse Winery.
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When travelling through Niagara's luscious Beamsville Bench sub-appelation, one of the standout wineries is Tawse. Perched on the side of the Niagara Escarpment, the winery offers stunning architecture, views, and high end wines of global renown. In 2018, they began turning out spirits made from their Italian copper pot still.
At the winery, though, you have to look a bit to find the still. The winery, which uses gravity flow, placed their still way up on the sixth floor - essentially the attic. Up there, they've churned out good grape spirits in the style of grappa, a lovely sweet vermouth, gin, and vodka, and they've been putting whisky to rest. Some years on, we see the first fruits of their labour with a blended appropriately finished in Pinot Noir casks.
The cask finishing in this first batch was done for fifteen months on top of three years in ex-Bourbon barrels. After a day traipsing through wine country, or a visit to Dillon's distillery just down the hill, this scenic new spot for whisky is a welcome addition to the Bench.
Tawse Canadian Whisky
40% alc./vol.
$40 at the winery
Tasting notes by Lokesh Khismatrao
Nose: Vanilla leads with dark chocolate, berries, and allspice.
Palate: The allspice continues as does the vanilla. The berry note takes on a candied character before earthy notes move in. Rich cloves round it out.
Finish: A warming spice on the medium finish with a smooth, not bitter departure.
Characteristic: Baking spices
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