Rangeland

Albertans have it good when it comes to drinks in this country. Unencumbered from the repressive government sales structures that somehow still exist in the East, and with an abundant grain crop, they enjoy terrific whisky at value that is unfathomably good for those of us elsewhere in Canada. Cheap but enjoyable bottles populate the bottom shelves of the province's many bottle shops, perfect for sipping, mixing, or shooting cowboy-style. 

Rangeland Rye, from Highwood Distillery, is a definite cowboy whisky. It is produced as an own label brand for Alcanna-owned bottle shops and comes in as an entry level whisky in a plastic bottle. But beside the Prairie branding, Rangeland is an Albertan whisky through and through.

Highwood, who also produce bargain favourite Centennial, are unique as one of the only distilleries in the world who primarily use wheat as their base distillate. If rye is known for spiciness, wheat is known to brig a soft, supple mouthfeel. On top of this gentle wheaten base, a healthy dollop of blistering Prairie rye heats things up, and there may also be some corn distillate as well for sweetness. It is aged, presumably for the legal three years, in charred American oak barrels, presumably ex-Bourbon. 

Rangeland is a bargain whisky and though it won't in any global awards, it is an absolute mouthful of Alberta, and a delightful shooter or mixer. With ginger ale, with coffee, or straight out of a cowboy boot, this is the everyman's Prairie rye and a Stampede staple, even for city slickers.

*Photo courtesy drizly.com

Rangeland Rye Whisky

40% alc./vol.

$20 at Liquor Depot

The nose presents an initial caramel and vanilla sweet profile along with subtle dry oak. There's a slight herbaceousness as classic, dusty Alberta rye heats up. 

On the palate, this is definitely a rye spirit with heat from the get-go. White pepper leads but is followed by some straight alcohol fire. This is offset somewhat by bitter citrus and a hint of butterscotch. Although the body is thin, the mouthfeel benefits from the supple wheat base, which softens the sharpest notes of this young rye. Wood and even a subtle leathery note come through late, beside the bitter grapefruit rind and a touch of sweet vanilla.

The finish is short but manages to be warming without too much burn. The term might be smooth. There is some oak, a little rye grain, and some bitterness. Like the nose and palate, the finish is simplistic but enjoyable.

This whisky, ideally as a shooter or mixer, is not only great value but a perfectly enjoyable bottle. It's an unpretentious and accessible rye to have on hand at home, or on the ranch as the case may be. This would be lovely with some Canada Dry for a sweet-spice combination that is sure to please. This is yet another Albertan entry level offering that will pleasantly surprised any drinker by being plainly enjoyable. 

And at $20 and change, it makes for an affordable addition to your Calgary Stampede, line dancing confidence, or cattle wrangling. With this bottle on hand, you'll have money left over for your white hat and boots.

Heatseeker Score: 82

Category Score: 92

Characteristic: Spicy

^A Highwood Barrel on display at the Calgary Stampede

J.P. Wiser's Triple Barrel Rye

One cannot discuss Canadian spirits without looking to Canada's most versatile producer, by far; Windsor's Hiram Walker Distillery. More than just whisky, this truly massive distillery churns out millions upon millions of bottles every year ranging from brown to clear to all kinds of coloured liqueurs. There are few bottle shops on earth that don't sell something which passed through a still, warehouse, or bottling line in this mild corner of Southwestern Ontario. 

As a Canadian distillery, though, the public focus is invariably on the whisky they make here, and they make a lot of it too. Whiskies from Canadian Club, Gibson's Finest, and other brands are made here, but today the distillery is first and foremost the home of J.P. Wiser's wide portfolio of whisky.

Founded in 1857, Wiser's can make the claim to be Canada's oldest extant whisky brand, beating out Canadian Club by one year! As with the namesake of the distillery, John Philip Wiser was an American who crossed into what would become Canada to distill whisky. He started in Prescott, Ontario and grew the distillery into a massive produced at home and for export. As Wiser's distillery grew, they became trailblazers in offering whisky for sale by the bottle at a time when whole-cask sales were common. In time, the distillery would be incorporated into Canadian spirits company Corby and, along with Gooderham and Worts, moved production to Windsor. 

 

From entry level bottlings like Special Blend and Deluxe up to increasingly audacious efforts (a 23 year old blend at cask strength!), this age old brand has repositioned itself at the forefront of innovation in the country. Frequent one-off and regional releases tend to garner critical praise as the brand has wholeheartedly embraced the new direction of the whisky market. Much of this is due to the work of Master Blender, Dr. Don Livermore, who has taken on a public role as ambassador not only for his distillery but for Canadian whisky in general. 

Toward the value end of the Wiser's lineup, Triple Barrel Rye is a response to ballooning demand for rye-forward whisky. Variations of this bottling exist for Europe, Australia, and the US, but here at home this is a blend of pot- and column-distilled rye. The former highlights the spicy side of rye with the latter more grain-forward. The namesake three barrels are new American oak with a relatively light char, first fill ex-Bourbon casks (meaning they were used once in Kentucky before being sent to Canada), and older multiuse barrels from amongst the millions on hand. The blend is bottled at the slightly elevated 43.4% and comes in a thoughtfully ergonomic bottle perfect for gripping and pouring. It's an entry level big rye and is a terrific jumping off point for those looking to explore the grain.

J.P. Wiser's Triple Barrel Rye 

(Canadian edition)

43.4% alc./vol.

$33 at LCBO

The nose is oaky with pronounced sweet prune. Grainy rye, biscuit notes, and florality are also in there. There's a warm spiciness and some honey to round out the luscious bouquet.

On the palate, there is initial manuka honey bringing floral sweetness and a warming, oaky rye spice undertone. That sweet honey note becomes delicately floral, suggesting rose petals. Beneath, the rye becomes sharper and hotter, graduating to a flash of white hot pepper. This is slightly tempered by well-integrated oak and it's subtle vanilla sweetness. It's all set against the florality and subtle honeydew and clove notes.

The finish is short but focused, with plenty of hot rye. Cinnamon and white pepper bring the heat, set against tannic oak that imparts almost a red wine richness. The finish fades quickly but has already brought plenty of heat.

All in all, Triple Barrel is a straightforward, but very well balanced whisky that doesn't shy away from big rye flavours. It has that raw electricity that only rye can give, but it's so nicely integrated. It would be my go-to for rye cocktails, with its dusty heat and subtle sweetness. As a sipper, this will please those who enjoy their rye on the hot side, like Alberta Springs 10 year.

Compared to that bottle, Triple Barrel is more floral but less tart. The two compare quite nicely; I'd definitely recommend tasting them side by side. Compared to Canadian Club 100% Rye, Triple Barrel has less of a bitter citrus note. The sweetness here is more subtly fruity and floral, rather than the butterscotch of the CC. 

This is a very nice, budget friendly, rye-forward bottling from J.P. Wiser's. It's a go-to for cocktailing but also an enjoyable sipper for those who like their rye sharp and hot. Not terribly complex, but balanced and focused, this is a great budget bottle that I'd keep on hand any time.

Heatseeker Score: 85

Category Score: 88

Characteristic: Spicy and Floral

^ Customised transport trucks bring barrels to the Walkerville bottling facility from the warehouses in the suburb of Pike Creek, and back again.

Canadian Club 1858

Canadian Club needs no introduction as one of Canada's best known exports and a staple of bars across the country. Alongside Crown Royal, 'CC' is a wildly popular brand based around a value blend. It's history goes back to the 1850s in Detroit, Michigan. Hiram Walker, a grocer, began distilling but was forced out when the state, along with many others, enacted Prohibition. Not wishing to see his burgeoning enterprise thwarted, Mr. Walker moved his distillery across the river - and across the border. 

He founded Windsor's Walkerville neighbourhood and opened what would eventually become one of the world's largest distilleries. It's location just across the river from the United States meant it was a perfect place for rum runners to smuggle barrels into Michigan, and onto the rest of the country.

His whisky eventually became known as 'Club Whisky' due to its popularity in gentlemen's clubs across North America. Distillers in the States grew angry at the lost market share and convinced the government to force Mr. Walker to label his whisky as 'Canadian,' in hopes American customers would reject it. The move backfired, however, and both Canadian Club's new name and Canada's whisky style became the symbol of smooth, enjoyable whisky for millions of fans. Interestingly, and in spite of its Royally-named rival, Canadian Club remains the only whisky from outside the UK to have been granted Royal Warrants, having enjoyed them from Queen Victoria onward to Queen Elizabeth.

The world-famous flagship bottling is known as '1858' though most simply know it as Canadian Club. A recent redesign cleaned up the label and highlights the '1858' name, but this will always be what comes when you call for a CC at the bar.

However you order it, this whisky consists of a blend of malted and unmalted rye, malted barley, and corn, aged for about six years in multiuse American oak barrels, some of which can be many decades old. The cask influence is not going to be particularly strong on this whisky, but the added couple years in oak compensates for that.

The Canadian Club brand is now enjoyed in over 150 countries and has always been a Canadian staple. Its popular in Australia and Japan (extremely so, apparently), and has enjoyed a big boost in the States due to its prevalence on TV's Mad Men. It's one of those whiskies that forms the bedrock of the Canadian category as an affordable, smooth blend with the requisite hint of rye spice. It will work in any whisky cocktail and is perfectly enjoyable as an easy sipper too - a solid bet at bars anywhere in the world.

Canadian Club 1858
40% alc./vol.
$25-$29 widely available across Canada

The nose opens sweet with linalool (like Froot Loops) and lots of florality, not unlike a light, citrusy gin. There's some peppery oak, dark fruit, and butterscotch. I get some marmalade and a whisper of rye spice. 

The palate brings a typically sweet butterscotch opening but things get interesting afterward. When recording tasting notes, I found myself drawing an upward trendline and that's exactly how I'd describe the experience once sipped. Everything builds upward toward a rising, brisk rye finish. Along the way, orange zest, caramel, tobacco, bitter citrus rind, and a fleeting fresh forest-y note. Then the rye hits with brief, scorching flash of habanero heat before settling only a little into the finish.

The medium length of the finish brings more bitter notes, some caramel, and tongue-tingling heat from the rye. 

For a basic, massively-produced whisky, this is surprisingly complex and bold. Actually looking back, I suspect the recipe may have been tweaked somewhat in recent years to amp up some of the clean oak and rye spice. Whether or not that's true, this is terrific whisky. 

You could call it smooth if you wanted to, as a compliment, but you wouldn't use smooth to insult this whisky. What do I mean by that? In the enthusiast community, smooth often means simplistic and overly sweet; easy to drink because it doesn't challenge the palate. It's more often a term of derision than anything, and one that might be leveled at CC's shelfmates (Crown, Black Velvet, Canadian Mist, VO) rightly or wrongly. But Canadian Club isn't too simplistic or sweet. It actually provides a sipping experience that is more intriguing than you'd expect for a ubiquitous entry-level bottle. 

Let's not overstate It; this doesn't pack the bargain basement punch of Alberta Springs nor the complexity of decades-old bottlings - and of course it doesn't. But it is a very enjoyable whisky that offers substantially more intrigue than you'd expect. For that reason, it's a bottle I'll always keep on hand, just like every bar in the country.

Heatseeker Score: 84

Category Score: 88

Characteristic: Floral

Please also enjoy our reviews of Canadian Club 100% Rye and Classic 12 Year.

Black Velvet

Perhaps it shouldn't be surprising that only about 9% of Canadian whisky produced is consumed within Canada. As with Scotland and Ireland, the vast majority of what we make goes abroad and in our case, mainly to the US. The majority of our exported whisky, by far, is value-oriented, light, 'bottom shelf' stuff and interestingly, much of it leaves the country by tanker train rather than in a bottle. A trip to an American liquor store often exposes Canadians to brands of Canadian whisky they've never heard of, but that are absolutely massive in sales volume; Windsor, Ensign Red, Canadian Mist, and Ellington are just some examples. And then there's Fireball cinnamon-flavoured whisky, which has risen to become the most popular drink in almost every state. To satisfy the exploding demand for that drink, industrial-scale stills in Quebec churn out as much basic whisky as physically possible, to be loaded onto trains and sent to the US in bulk.

Many of the large distilleries employ the tanker train method to get product to their largest market. Once their whiskies hit three years of age, some of Canada's best known brands ship off millions of litres by rail for bottling in Kentucky, Illinois, Connecticut, and elsewhere. Black Velvet is perhaps the best example of this phenomenon. 

Although the brand can be found in Canada, Europe, and elsewhere, it's relatively unknown here. But in the States it's a phenomenon, and has been for decades. Over ten million litres are exported to two American bottling facilities annually! In fact, it's the second largest Canadian whisky brand there after Crown Royal. It's ubiquitous, to say the least, and is extremely valuable in spite of its limited recognition in its own country. 

Black Velvet's origins go back to the 1940s where it was produced at Quebec's Valleyfield Distillery (which today produces such whiskies as Seagram's VO Gold and Gibson's Finest Bold). It became known for its smoothness and for its popularity in the American Navy during World War Two. Production eventually moved to Lethbridge, Alberta and the Palliser Distillery. 

As the popular whisky brand took over production at Palliser, the distillery was renamed Black Velvet Distillery and became managed by Constellation Brands, a big name in wine. But as tastes in whisky changed dramatically in recent decades, Black Velvet had been somewhat slow to evolve, not unlike its major Canadian peers. So in late 2019, Black Velvet was purchased by Bourbon conglomerate Heaven Hill. This continues a trend of large American and Scottish distillers acquiring legacy Canadian brands and injecting needed marketing energy to revitalise them. Falling sales at the big value-oriented Canadian distilleries prove this wake up call is sorely needed.

In terms of the whisky itself, Black Velvet's aging strategy is unique. Whereas Canadian blends traditionally age each grain distillate separately before blending at the end, Black Velvet blends their new, light corn distillate right off the still into bolder two year old rye. The combined barrels then age for another three years (to bring the corn to the legal minimum age), allowing the rye component to reach five years in oak. This is a novel take on the Canadian blending tradition of light base whisky with bolder flavouring rye. 

The result is a light, simple whisky for blending or easy sipping, presented in a nicely weighty, ergonomic bottle that feels nice in the hand. It remains extremely popular (and insanely cheap) in the States but it will be interesting to see what changes, if any, Heaven Hill will make with this legacy brand. For now, it's the perfect whisky for mixing warm-weather drinks on either side of the border. 

Black Velvet Imported (US bottling)

40% alc./vol.

USD$9 at LBK Liquors in Florida

(C$12.25 at time of writing)

Once Canadian readers catch their breaths after seeing how cheap alcohol is in the States, the nose is very much that of sweet corn whisky but pleasantly so. Honey is driving the profile alongside a sugar cereal-like graininess. There is an earthy, soily component with dark stone fruit and even nuttiness. This is a surprisingly complex nose.

The palate is quite a bit simpler, tending toward 'smooth' and 'light,' which were the magic words in whisky for a century, and still are for the silent majority of whisky consumers. There's lots more honey and some red apple acidity. Lots of sweet corn, almost vodka-esque, keeps this whisky light as air. Butterscotch is met by a tepid rye spice that is more overshadowed by the young ethanol heat. Bitter grapefruit builds along with some more butterscotch and nutmeg late. The whole thing is extremely simple; I had to strain to pick out complexities beyond the corn sweetness. 

The finish is short and oaky with bitter citrus, but nothing lingers particularly long at all.

Well, it's extremely simple whisky; straightforward light corn with just a touch of the rye, all floating in a candy floss cloud. It's not a dram for brooding with by the fire on a storm-lashed coast; it's a friendly mixer or an easy-as sipper, and not at all unpleasant. It's free of the off notes you can find in cheap whisky; no doubt they've been worked out after so many decades. This whisky has reached the popularity it has by being light, approachable, and fundamentally sound.

And let's not forget something here; even by American standards, a bottle of this whisky is super cheap, and its fine; simple, but unflawed. If Canadians had access to Black Velvet for a tenner, we'd be lacing everything we drank with it, mixing it into sauces, feeding it to the dog...

So lets not pretend this is some kind of premium dram for nosing in a Glencairn. America, please continue enjoying this stuff however you like, so long as it's without pretension. 

Heatseeker Score: 79

Category Score: 91

Characteristic: Light

Gibson's Finest Bold

Gibson's Finest is one of those Canadian labels you see everywhere, whether out or at someone's home. And for good reason, they were the first to focus specifically on longer aging for their blends and made it the centrepiece of the Gibson's brand. Some great TV commercials, especially during CFL broadcasts, have made the "taste, fully aged" slogan a memorable one. With the distinctive and attractive bottle designs, Gibson's products lend a masculine feel to a whisky bar.

In fact, Gibson's history goes back to the 1850s when Irish spirits merchant John Gibson opened his own distillery in Pennsylvania. Like many of the distillers who's names now grace Canadian whisky history, Mr. Gibson's fortunes were shattered by the onset of Prohibition in the United States. Rather than move his operations to Canada, like many of his contemporaries, he was forced to shut down entirely. 

By 1945, the Gibson's Finest brand had been purchased by American spirits conglomerate Schenley Industries. At the time they were constructing the Valleyfield Distillery in Quebec, and later began producing whisky with the Gibson's name from there. That distillery grew, eventually becoming one of North America's largest, home to the Seagram's VO label (check out our review of VO Gold here).

Eventually, the brand was bought by Scotch giant William Grant and Sons and production of most bottles moved to the Hiram Walker Distillery in Windsor, North America's largest. 

Bold, their newest release, is 8 years old and is still sourced from Valleyfield barrels. It was designed especially for mixing with cola, which apparently accounts for a significant amount of rye sales. To that end, the whisky has an amped up flavour profile at 46% which allows it to stand out in an overwhelmingly sweet cola mixed drink. 46% is a notable strength for whisky, as it tends to be the lowest strength for non-chill filtered whiskies (a practice primarily used for higher quality bottles to preserve complexity). So far as I can tell Gibson's doesn't make use of this practice, which is fair as subtleties are usually lost in a sweet mixed drink anyway. 

Still, the higher strength adds mouthfeel and flavour. And though this whisky included a new oak-aged component, it's exaggerated dark colour is surely achieved through liberal use of caramel colour rather than barrel char. As for the liquid itself, it's a blend of light corn base and some rich rye and malted barley flavouring whiskies. 

Like the other Gibson's whiskies, this is a perfectly solid dram. Unlike its younger and older brothers, Bold is targeted at a specific mixed drink, and perhaps sacrifices some balance in order to achieve that profile. It remains, however, an enjoyable and easy sipper in its own right, and at an attractive price point to boot. 

Gibson's Finest Bold

46% alc./vol.

$34 at LCBO (750mL)

The nose begins with suggestions of cola; vanilla, brown sugar, some orange even. A rich molasses and hints of new oak take over with some maple sweetness too.

On the palate, the higher strength is evident in an oaky, intensely rich rye that rises from a spiced rum-like sweetness. The sweet component of this palate is a good echo of the nose; some orange, some sugar, lots of vanilla, and more cola flavour. The rye is not overpoweingly spicy but relentlessly drives forward the sweeter flavours with its rich, peppery, oaky force.

The finish is medium length and straightforward, with warming rye and pronounced bitter citrus.

After writing this, I looked at the reviews on some other blogs and was surprised to see that they were all extremely similar. What I tasted quite closely agrees with multiple other bloggers and even the official description from Gibson's. Rarely do multiple tasters agree on the description and almost never with what the marketing team provide, but this is the rare exception. That, and the fact the taste profile would seem to work well with a cola mix, suggests the blending here is absolutely spot on. In short, this whisky achieves exactly what its creators set out to do. 

Gibson's Finest Bold is a sipper with a luscious, oaky rye heart surrounded by a bottle of Coke. I like to taste this alongside Pike Creek 10 year, which is finished in rum casks. It's a great taste analogue. Whether or not you choose to mix it, it's a big and finely balanced dram at a terrific price. It's not the most complex whisky on the market, and that colour is still quite aggresive, but from the first taste it's evident this is a distinctive, high-quality bottling that would do Mr. Gibson proud.

Heatseeker Score: 86

Category Score: 94              

Characteristic: Sweet and Rich

Please also enjoy our review of Gibson's Finest Rare.

Alberta Premium

Calgary's Alberta Distillers should be regarded the world over as the last word when it comes to using the rye grain to make top notch whisky. Unfortunately, until very recently their glorious whiskies have been a well-kept secret, as much of their production has been bulk purchased and bottled by American brands. The result has been a lack of proper recognition for this tremendous distillery. Alberta Distillers became known in Canada for churning out bottom shelf whiskies, yet these whiskies attract fierce loyalty from their legions of fans, and with good reason.

Much of Canadian Whisky over the last two centuries has involved producing light corn, wheat, or barley whisky flavoured with a touch of spicy rye. But today's consumer looks beyond those light blends and demands bolder flavours. Canadian distilleries coast to coast are burning the boats as a result, trying to produce as much rye distillate as they possibly can. Alberta Distillers, however, have used rye almost exclusively for their entire existence. Simply put, there is plenty of rye growing in their part of the country.

Nowadays, well-aged, boutique Alberta bottlings have hit the market but at least one Alberta-branded whisky has long been recognised as well outperforming its price. Alberta Premium is a bottom shelf whisky that is probably better known as the favourite tipple of Jim Lahey, but enthusiasts have long known this whisky is much more than cheap plonk.

A single rye from before single rye was cool, Alberta Premium is the most widely available of the array of dramatically underpriced whiskies coming from the province (think Centennial or Alberta Springs, among many others). It consists of two rye distillates blended together after at least four years of aging in ex-bourbon oak. One of these is the lighter, base rye distilled to a high percentage and the other is a bolder 'flavouring' rye. These whiskies are 'married' for a final year before bottling, which would account for a five year age statement if one were added. The bottom shelf reputation of this whisky isn't only shattered by unvaryingly positive enthusiast reviews, it's also won plenty of awards including multiple 'Canadian Whisky of the Year' from Jim Murray's Whisky Bible. Rye's renaissance of late has certainly brought classier new bottles to the table but this whisky is by no means being left in the dust. 

Although it now has a growing family of high end (but still absurdly underpriced) brethren, Alberta Premium remains the standardbearer for entry level single rye. It's fairly straightforward in its sweet-spicy balance but, compared to its shelfmates, provides way more of what you'd expect when you ask for rye. Other brands have pivoted to showcase the kind of things this distillery's been doing for years, and as a result can command higher prices for their bottles. Alberta Distillers seem happy to keep selling for volume, avoiding today's inexorable rising prices, and for that we can be extremely thankful. Its worth comparing this bottle with its cask strength sibling, bottled at 65.1%, to get a more powerful look at what's in this bottle.

Bursting with spice and the distillery's signature bone dry character, those who don't yet have a bottle of Alberta Premium should grab one right away. It's the undisputed baseline for single rye and a steadfast ambassador for both the history and future of Canadian whisky. It costs less than almost all other whiskies but is an absolute staple for rye forward cocktails and happy sipping, reputation be damned.

Alberta Premium Canadian Rye Whisky

40% alc. / vol.

$28 at LCBO

Alberta Premium is marketed as a 'national treasure' and a whisky providing this much flavour for the price is a treasure indeed. On the nose, plenty of oak and rye spice, as you might expect. It's clean, crisp, and hot. Some butterscotch sweetness and lemon zest is present but big, sharp rye is at the fore.

The palate arrives with a little more sweetness than might be expected after the nose. Zesty lemon and orange joins butterscotch sweetness but oaky, spicy rye is the driver of flavour here. There is some earthy bitterness underneath all, tying things together nicely. This is a lighter rye, emphasis here is on the base whisky component. However, the mouthfeel is creamy and full.

The finish arrives with drying spice, glowing cinnamon heat, and dry oakiness. Though the finish is short, the drying aspect and lushly spicy profile suggest a higher strength than the 40% in the bottle.

Alberta Premium is dangerously easy to sip and, especially with its price point, demands to be poured liberally. There isn't a great deal of complexity here but everything is nicely balanced and there is no shortage of bold flavour. 

Loads of spicy rye and a compelling citrus character make this bold and warming but also extremely drinkable. This is a staple to have on hand and though this blog doesn't encourage Jim Lahey's bottoms up approach to Alberta Premium, no one denies the ease with which this bottle can be finished. Truly a Canadian flagship whisky and one that uniformly surprises those expecting a cheap dram. It may not be a showy bottle but forms the bedrock of a properly stocked bar for cocktails or casual sipping. This is a whisky worth drinking and worth much more than its blissfully low price.

Heatseeker Score: 86

Category Score: 93

Characteristic: Sweet and Spicy

We're reviewing five different ryes produced at Alberta Distillers as part of a series. We invite you to check out the other reviews and find your favourite.

Alberta Premium Cask Strength

Alberta Springs 10 Year

Canadian Club 100% Rye

Snake River Stampede 8 year

Canadian Club Chairman's Select (2016)

Canadian Club needs no introduction as one of Canada's best known exports and a staple of bars across the country. Alongside Crown Royal, 'CC' is a wildly popular brand based around a value blend. It's history goes back to the 1850s in Detroit, Michigan. Hiram Walker, a grocer, began distilling but was forced out when the state, along with many others, enacted Prohibition. Not wishing to see his burgeoning enterprise thwarted, Mr. Walker moved his distillery across the river - and across the border. 

He founded Windsor's Walkerville neighbourhood and opened what would eventually become one of the world's largest distilleries. It's location just across the river from the United States meant it was a perfect place for rum runners to smuggle barrels into Michigan.

His whisky eventually became known as 'Club Whisky' due to its popularity in gentlemen's clubs across North America. Distillers in the States grew angry at the lost market share and convinced the government to force Mr. Walker to label his whisky as 'Canadian,' in hopes American customers would reject it. The move backfired, however, and both Canadian Club's new name and Canada's whisky style became the symbol of smooth, enjoyable whisky for millions of fans. Interestingly, and in spite of its Royally-named rival, Canadian Club remains the only whisky from outside the UK to have been granted Royal Warrants, having enjoyed them from Queen Victoria onward to Queen Elizabeth.

 Fast forward to the mid-2010's, when the rye boom hit. Canadian Club, now owned by Beam Suntory, needed to source massive stocks of single grain rye whisky and at the time, they couldn't find enough in Ontario. Conveniently, Beam Suntory also own Alberta Distillers in Calgary, renowned as the world's foremost rye grain distillery. To meet the demand for spicy rye whiskies, CC introduced Chairman's Select as a single grain offering in line with their value approach using whisky sourced from Alberta.

A name change followed with 'Chairman's Select' dropped so that now it's known simply as Canadian Club 100% Rye; straight to the point. It competes alongside numerous rye-heavy value offerings from Alberta Distillers and remains a key extension of the Canadian Club brand, even as CC ventures into premium long-aged bottlings (approaching fifty years now!). CC 100% Rye is a very good cocktail base but is also widely enjoyed as an easily-sipped introduction to the world of single rye whisky.

Canadian Club Chairman's Select 100% Rye

40% alc./vol.

$30 at LCBO

^The current design makes a few tweaks to the original Chairman's Select label.

On the nose, lots of oak and butterscotch with the expected dusty rye spice. More vanilla-forward than similar Alberta Distillers rye, and keeping more in line with Canadian Club blends. There's a subtle sour citrusy note that keeps the rye spice restrained.

Taking a sip, the characteristic Alberta rye of dry, dusty, white pepper is there, but not as aggresively as in their other bottlings. There's quite a bit of maple but the most pronounced flavour here is mixed citrus fruit. Bitter orange carries the middles along with plenty of oak. A distinctive marzipan flavour also comes in to balance the bitterness and spice, leading to a balanced trifecta of spice, sweetness, and bitterness. There's a brief but quite nice hit of drying, warming tannins at the tail end. 

The finish is short but returns to the hot cinnamon spice of the rye. The heat is matched by some maple before yielding to pronounced bitter citrus. Short and light but beckoning another sip.

Chairman's Select, or CC 100% Rye as it's become known, is a solid entry-level single rye. It's tailor-made for those who want proper rye spice but without any face melting heat. For me, I find this whisky's similarly affordable cousin Alberta Springs offers more complexity and unabashed rye heat, but this is a lighter alternative that's still definitely single rye. It's just a bit thin for me when I compare it to some other bottles, but others will surely appreciate its balance between rye heat and CC smoothness. This is definitely the bottle for someone just getting into rye but is also perfect as a casual sipper or with some ginger ale.

It's very widely available in Canada and also found fairly easily in a growing number of international markets. I recommend tasting this alongside Crown Royal Northern Harvest to see which of these mid-decade trendsetters you prefer. 

Overall, this is a rock-solid whisky that should be an easy staple on any bar. It's ideal for mixing or sipping and was one of the first big name releases of last decade's rye renaissance. It achieves great balance between East and West as a Canadian whisky, with both fiery rye and restrained sweetness and is unlikely to find many detractors. Another winner from Alberta Distillers that carries the iconic Canadian Club label.

Heatseeker Score: 85

Category Score: 89

Characteristic: Spicy

We're reviewing five different ryes produced at Alberta Distillers as part of a series. We invite you to check out the other reviews and find your favourite.

Alberta Springs 10 year

Snake River Stampede 8 Year

Alberta Premium (standard bottling)
Alberta Premium Cask Strength

And please enjoy our reviews of Canadian Club 1858 and Classic 12 Year.

Alberta Springs

Alberta Distillers, in Calgary, produce some of the absolute most and least affordable whiskies in North America. Specialising in the difficult rye grain production process, whisky made here has gone to feature in Canadian staple value brands just as often as super premium American brands.

Though they've been frequently criticised for obscuring it, a good deal of Whistlepig's popular 'Vermont farm whiskies' are bottlings of Alberta rye. Other expensive and awarded American rye whiskey (with a conspicuous e) is actually produced here, such as Masterson's 10 year old.

The Alberta Springs bottling is another ten year bottling from this distillery, probably coming from casks that spent the decade next to those used by Masterson's, Whistlepig, and others. However, like it's cousin Alberta Premium, Alberta Springs remains one of the most affordable bottles available domestically. Like Highwood's Centennial, those who know how good this whisky is must feel almost guilty about how affordable it is. Its just another example of an extremely enjoyable Alberta whisky being sold domestically for peanuts.

To see it on the shelf, it can be easy to pass by what may seem another cheap, mixing whisky. That would be a huge mistake, however, as Alberta Springs is a complex, spicy rye that could easily be sold for three times as much with a different label. 

Originally, this bottling was single rye, like most of what comes out of this distillery, but there has since been small additions of corn, which is more efficient to distill, in order to keep costs down. Still, the profile is all Alberta rye, full of hot, fresh spice.  

This is unabashedly rye for rye lovers and a pure taste of the Alberta distillery style. It demands to be sipped, not just because of its overwhelming heat but because of its ten years of complexity. 

Alberta Springs Aged 10 Years

40% alc./vol.

$20-$27 across Western Canada

Lots of oak on the nose, dusty and hot in the Alberta Distillers style. There's a hint of butterscotch to temper this just a bit. Clove, cardamon, and some green apple round out the typical rye forward, western aromas. A really nice, complex nose that makes you immediately crave a sip.

On the palate, more of the same with dry, spicy rye leading throughout. Caramel and brown sugar sweetness is tempered by the blistering heat of the rye. That comes as cinnamon and acrolein - think mustard powder and a dollop of ginger. It's also present as super tart red currant, which makes your mouth water and contributes to the moreishness of this dram. There are some vegetal and earthy notes late, though the relative lightness of the palate means these are fleeting. 

The finish sweeps in with a flash of tannic, drying rye spice. It's like licking the inside of a well-charred barrel. There's a touch of the saccharine corn influence but it's very much about the rye here. Dusty and hot, and with a medium length, it eventually yields to just the slightest caramel sweetness, ginger, slight bitter lemon, and a vegetal note I'd describe as cucumber. Still, that dryness is leaving me desperately wanting another sip. 

Wow, all this in a bottom-shelf bottle?! Even among the greatly underpriced whiskies from this distillery, Alberta Springs is an absolute steal. All that seems to separate this whisky from the Whistlepigs and Masterson's of the world is a richer mouthfeel that allows the flavours in those bittles to shine a bit more. Well, that and a couple hundred dollars (and a healthy dose of misleading advertising, in Whistlepig's case).

For those who like a sweet or gentle whisky, stay away. Probably best avoid Alberta Distillers alltogether, but for lovers of the rye grain in its dusty, spicy form, no other distillery has yet come close. The combination of the dryness of the Calgary climate, the stills, the cask selection, and the blending skill evident lead to a house style that many have fallen for head over heals, even if they aren't aware they're drinking Alberta product. Bone-dry and flaming hot, this whisky packs ten years of complexity into an absurdly cheap bottle. 

If the price of this bottle was doubled, it would still be good value, but as it stands, no other bottle can touch this. More aggresively rye-forward than many of its peers, this is a gem of a sipper disguised as a bottom shelf mixer. Pair it with aged cheese, sip it slowly, or just throw it in with ginger ale because for the price, you might as well. A true Alberta rye and a true steal at the bottle shop, this is a whisky you can't afford to ignore. 

Heatseeker Score: 87

Category Score: 96

Characteristic: Spicy

We're reviewing five different ryes produced at Alberta Distillers as part of a series. We invite you to check out the reviews and find your favourite.

Canadian Club 100% Rye

Snake River Stampede 8 year

Alberta Premium (standard bottling)
Alberta Premium Cask Strength

Forty Creek Barrel Select

Forty Creek holds a special place in the history of Canadian whisky. Founded in 1992, at a global low point for whisky, the plucky startup had to take on the big Canadian players and the crushing LCBO monopoly without any support from today's craft spirits industry. Being located on the Niagara Peninsula, the distillery originally focused on grape spirits. Kittling Ridge, as it was exclusively known then, undertook a rebranding and pivoted to whisky, and the rest became history. Forty Creek can rightly claim to be something of a pioneer in small-batch whisky not only in Canada but in the world. 

Today, the distillery is owned by Campari, largely as a North American production facility for global spirits brands. Led by founder John Hall and blender Bill Ashburn, a range of whiskies from everyday to rare releases have come from Forty Creek in recent years earning them the plaudits they well deserve. They produce a number of non-whisky spirits including Kingsgate fortified wines; a fabulously affordable sweet sipper.

Within the whisky community, well-circulated speculation that much of Forty Creek's whisky is created at Windsor's Hiram Walker Distillery persists. Regardless, this isn't something to be ashamed of nor is it a black mark against Forty Creek. With Canadian whisky, the emphasis is so heavily on single-grain aging and then blending; the creative work is certainly done in Niagara even if the distilling is done in Windsor. More power to them if they're sourcing distillate and aging it themselves, much of the best world whisky is sourced from one distillery or another. 

This bottling is the standard, entry-level Forty Creek found all over Canada and abroad. It's a solid baseline Eastern Canadian rye (by which I mean it features a healthy dose of base corn whisky). The corn is blended with rye and also barley for complexity. Most of the whisky in here is aged 6-10 years and sherry cask finished. Pretty good for a sub-$30 whisky, and evidence that rye is still laughably underpriced in the whisky world. This is not a bottle that will blow anyone away but is perfectly solid for the price point and extremely versatile. Nothing wrong with that!

Forty Creek Barrel Select

40% ABV

$27.75 at the LCBO

The nose carries some dusty rye and a healthy dose of vanilla-y American oak. Quite a few subtle fruit and floral notes there as well - one conjures the vineyards that surround this distillery. 

On the palate, the oaky notes are strong. It's a vanilla forward taste, with plenty of toasted barrel influence. The sweetness betrays the double-distilled corn that forms the base here, before the rye comes through late. Not a tonne of rye on the palate, but it's in there, suspended between the corn and some subtle malty notes. Sweetness is the name of the game here.  A viscous sherry sweetness of dark fruit and marzipan comes through in hints, leading into the straightforward finish. 

More vanillin and oak come through on the finish, with a little rye spice. Short and with a touch of bitterness, the finish doesn't verge far from what came on the palate. Pleasant dusty rye lingers a little, with some maple sweetness.

In all, it's a fairly simple, sweet, oaky whisky. It's a little above what you'd expect at the price and is perfectly pleasant for a sip and great as a blender. Certainly one of the finer sub-$30 whiskies out there and from a trailblazing distillery no less. A great alternative to one of the mainstream entry-level ryes, and certainly a more interesting bottle to break out for casual drinks with friends.

Heatseeker Score: 82

Category Score: 88

Characteristic: Sweet and Oaky

Please also enjoy our review of Forty Creek's Double Barrel Reserve here.

Centennial Limited Edition Canadian Rye Whisky

If Centennial is anything, it's a trickster. It's shockingly low price point means whisky drinkers can pick up a bottle without a second thought. At the same time, though, it's easy-drinking nature means you'll be back for another bottle far sooner than you'd planned. Few whiskies are easier to get hooked on than this one.

Centennial is made at Highwood Distillery, about forty-five minutes south of Calgary in the Foothills of the Rocky Mountains. The town of High River exudes western charm backdropped by that reach-out-and-touch-them Rockies vista only Alberta can provide. 

Like other whiskies from Highwood,  Centennial is built on a base of soft winter wheat, rather than the ubiquitous corn that anchors many blended whiskies elsewhere. That wheaten base is the epitome of gentle, soft, smooth flavours that ease the palate into the rye grain that follows. Aged in Alberta's dry climate in ex-bourbon barrels, the whisky comes out smoothly integrated and delightful throughout. Due to growing demand, Highwood dropped the 10 year age statement that used to be present, but this whisky is still likely somewhere close to that. Wheat can sometimes be too sweet if not aged long enough; see what it does in a young wheated bourbon and you'll find a completely different grain to what's in Centennial. I'd challenge anyone to find a comparable well-aged whisky that can compete at a sub-$30 price.

This is one of a handful of Southern Alberta ryes rhat are, to me, the consummate casual Canadian whiskies. Alongside Alberta Premium and Alberta Springs, these drams effortlessly balance everyday ease with a hot rye kick. And they retail for almost laughably low prices. The province really is the perfect place to make rye. Before trying this one, be sure to thank the whisky angels for giving us Alberta. 

Centennial Limited Edition Canadian Rye Whisky

2019 Bottling

40% ABV

$28.95 at the LCBO

A soft, fruity, buttery nose with suggestions of a deeper earthiness or even a hint of smoke. Oak for sure, with what might be a tiny hint of strawberry.

In the mouth, Centennial's balancing act opens with the sweet, soft, oaky wheat. Not toasty per se, but more toward vanilla and butter. Then in comes the rye, clean and hot. This is rye of the capsicum, cinnamon, black pepper variety. Still under this heat lies that supple wheat. I get pithy grapefruit at the tail end which leads into a short, balanced finish. 

The interplay between buttery wheat and pepper departs with that dry, woody rye note people love. Only the slightest whisper of alcohol burn hints at anything other than total refinement. The finish, though short and straightforward, demands another pour. 

This whisky is extremely clean, not overly complex, but so well balanced. There aren't any off-flavours that jump out. Centennial is indeed the ideal easygoing rye. It'll be a challenge to pour just one dram but, at the fantastic price point, that isn't really a concern. Fantastic stuff; just as much a great first taste for the Canadian whisky newbie as a faithful staple on the largest bar.

Heatseeker Score: 85

Category Score: 92

Characteristic: Smooth

For an explanation of the scoring system, please see the Reviews page.

^ A handy parking spot just outside High River in summer 2018