Twelve Barrels

When is Canadian whisky not actually Canadian whisky? Twelve Barrels, the scrappy upstart rye, has a great story behind it but also answers that question in an eyeopening way.

The story of Twelve Barrels goes back all the way to 1853, at least in terms of inspiration. The recipe is inspired by Napanee, Ontario distiller John Meagher, who ran a gristmill and made a wheat-rye blend with surplus grain. His son, George, became locally famous as a figure skater, jumping over his father's whisky barrels on the frozen river.

Jumping ahead to the modern era, another young trailblazer is doing great things with whisky barrels. At age sixteen, Napanee's Cole Miller was caught by his parents making wine under his bed! He moved on to homebrew beer and eventually got himself a small still. Rather than settling for moonshining, Cole took his skills to Northwestern England and apprenticed at the Lakes Distillery. Coming home, he brought his knowledge of whisky to Dragon's Den, where he impressed investors with his passion (and his Dad dressed up as George Meagher). 

Eventually, Mr. Miller found his product listed at the LCBO and gaining modest acclaim with drinkers. A great success story and definitely, as the label says, 'uniquely Canadian.' But how Canadian is it?

The answer to that is 75%. It turns out Twelve Barrels isn't technically Canadian whisky because the rye component is sourced from the United States before blending and bottling in Canada. But sourcing Canadian rye can be difficult these days, with demand so high. Perhaps Twelve Barrels had no choice but to use American rye, at least for the time being, to make ends meet on the balance sheet. 

And, fair play to the brand, they are upfront about it on their website. Although the bottle cheekily conceals the 'rye spirit' designation, Cole breaks down the three components of his blend online in good detail. Inspired by the old recipes, the base for Twelve Barrels is wheat (rather than the now ubiquitous corn). Aged in ex-Bourbon casks, this adds a soft profile and comprises 40% of the blend. For sweetness, 35% is a corn whisky also aged in ex-Bourbon. And then the rye; 25% is American rye distillate aged in virgin oak. An educated guess as to the source of the rye would be MGP Distillery in Indiana, who produce a good deal of what goes into American straight rye whiskies these days.

So, we know where we stand now. Twelve Barrels technically isn't Canadian whisky, but you wouldn't know it to taste. The profile is that of a classic Canadian blend,  light but flavourful, with a spicy rye kick. And with a great Canadian story behind it, we can agree this is worthy of a spot next to it's fellow Canucks. 

^Some cheeky labelling but we'll take it.

Twelve Barrels

40% alc./vol.

$35 at LCBO

On the nose, sweet caramel is balanced by warm rye. Brown sugar notes are set against the heat of cinnamon. But there is also a growing herbaceousness; perhaps spinach. That 'brown' earthy note adds a bit of interest to the otherwise typical blended rye profile. 

The palate starts off with very light, soft butterscotch and vanilla quickly joined by spicy rye. That rye component brings equal parts wood and the cinnamon from the nose. There is an almost-sharp fruity note alongside some citrus bitterness. 

Into the finish, the bitter citrus grows beside the residual rye heat. The finish isn't overly long or complex but has a nice tannic drying character, probably imparted from the new oak component. It begs for another easy sip. 

This is quite good as a midrange bottle. The flavours are mostly mellow, with the rye adding just the right pop of heat. Regardless of where it was distilled, the rye component works really nicely within this blend.

So, no matter the technicalities, this is a very Canadian-tasting rye that should please just about anyone who drinks it.

Heatseeker Score: 84

Category Score: 86

Characteristic: Subtle and Spicy

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

Wendel Clark 100% Rye

As Canadian whisky's upmarket revolution continues, no large distiller has made as strong an effort to keep enthusiasts engaged as J.P. Wiser's. Far from content with their old-school blends, Wiser's have introduced a growing roster of unique, rye-forward brands for the avid drinker. 

In addition to Lot 40, Pike Creek, and Gooderham and Worts, themed limited editions celebrating NHL alumni have hit shelves over the past few years. Though somewhat contrived, there has been an effort to match the flavour profiles of each release to the playing style of the namesake players. In today's review, the bold and tenacious Leafs legend Wendel Clark gets a big 100% rye with his name on.

The liquid is an 11 year old blend of pot- and column-distilled rye aged in both ex-Bourbon and charred new oak casks. To an extent, this is an older brother to Wiser's Triple Barrel Rye, which has a similar distillate profile. 

To honour Toronto's 416 area code, and perhaps for some slightly bigger flavour, this whisky is bottled at 41.6%. It was originally released for the 2018-2019 hockey season but there are still bottles to be found in the Wiser's online boutique, with shipping available across Ontario. If you can find a bottle, I recommend picking it up, this is terrific rye at a great price point.

J.P. Wiser's Alumni Series - Wendel Clark

41.6% alc./vol.

$45 at J.P. Wiser's online shop

On the nose, the Bourbon cask influence is pronounced. There's sweet corn and lots of oak. Bright fruit notes, particularly red apple come up with dry grain and spice notes; caraway and dill foreshadow the palate. I also find some subtle dry fruit, particularly apricot amidst the smooth oak and grain.

The palate is the grainy, herbaceous type of rye rather than the white hot spice you might expect from the 'bold and tenacious' description on the label. The much-loved rye bread (or akvavit) profile of caraway and dill from Lot 40 are prominent, with the spice restrained underneath. There is a pleasing, acidic sourness like fermenting bread. Herbaceous flavours continue; black liquorice, molasses, and a very subtle bitter citrus. This is like drinking a loaf of bread - delicious and without any discernable off-notes or rough edges.

Restrained spice rises on the medium-long finish along with pronounced mint. There is rich tobacco, oak, and loads more rye bread as the finish slowly fades. 

What a fantastic sipper. Though I wouldn't necessarily call it tenacious, this rich, quite flawless whisky tastes like a trip to the bakery with its big grain profile. Making liberal use of Hiram Walker's grainy column still rye distillate, this is the liquid equivalent of a freshly baked loaf. 

Of course you want to drink this as a Leafs fan, but the quality and big, grainy flavours will be enjoyed by any whisky drinker. This is quality rye at a great price, and a champion on any bar.

Heatseeker Score: 88

Category Score: 93

Characteristic: Grain forward