Whisky tasting on Thanksgiving, what a great idea! Jet-lagged on the way home from my flight returning from Paris this past Monday, my husband and I made a stop at Forty Creek Distillery in Grimsby, which began in 1992.
Forty Creek Barrel Select Whisky is the fastest growing whisky in North America, rated #1 winning many awards. Since this is already in our bar at home, we opted to try some of their other whiskies and learned a few things at the Distillery from Shari who lead our tasting:
Forty Creek Double Barrel Reserve
The rye, barley, and corn whiskies are aged in their own barrels before being placed into “seasoned” bourbon barrels sourced from Kentucky for finishing. Whisky Maker John Hall likens his method similarly to that of a Meritage - think Bordeaux blend, the blending of up to five varietal wines which result in the final product. Released in 2009, Double Barrel has notes of vanilla, spice, and nuts.
Forty Creek Confederation Oak Reserve
Referenced as an iconic, this Canadian Whisky was aged in Canadian white oak barrels made from trees which rooted in Brantford over 150 years ago near the time of Confederation. Released in 2010, Confederation Oak is complex and full-bodied with a long finish - a great sipper!
Forty Creek Heart of Gold Reserve
This 2013 special release is a limited edition with individually numbered bottles of which 9,000 were produced. Made predominantly with Canada’s noble rye grain, florality was brought to the forefront of this whisky with aromas of violets, rose petals, and orange blossoms. With an unusual yeast selection - a wine yeast, and a lot of heart, this whisky has been described as complex yet delicate in character.
Thinking about whisky, can’t help thinking about wine. What’s happening in Oakville? The Oakville Wine Enthusiasts Club (OWEC) has a few wine tasting events coming up:
Monthly Tasting: Sprucewood Shores on Friday, October 25th.
Opa! Special Event: Greek Dining, Wining and Entertainment on Wednesday, November 6th.
Annual Christmas Gala on Friday, December 6th.
So there you have it: Rye, Barley, Corn (and Wine!)