Maker: Canadian Club, Windsor, Ontario, Canada. (Beam Suntory)
Distiller: Hiram Walker, Windsor, Ontario, Canada. (Corby)
Age: 20 y/o
ABV: 40%
Purchased at an LCBO store for $60 Canadian ($47 US). Not available in the US.
Appearance: Dark caramel.
Nose: Roasted corn, clove, oak, alcohol, dried flowers.
Palate: Full-bodied. Caramel corn, crème brûlée, oak, toffee.
Finish: Creamy and sweet with some heat.
Parting words: While the 8 y/o and 12 y/o expressions of Canadian Club have their own recipes, the 6 y/o and 20 y/o expressions share the same blend. The only difference is age and you can taste it. All the elements of Canadian Club are there but in much more mature form. It’s like seeing a picture of a your significant other in formal attire after looking at a picture of them as a drooling toodler. The spice, oak and sweetness are much better integrated than in baby CC. CC 20 manages to be both flavorful and very drinkable, an impressive feat at 40% ABV.
Like Scotland, Canada’s climate lends itself to long-aging periods for its whiskies. I wish there were more Canadian whiskies in the 20+ year range on the market.
It tastes even better when looking at the price tag. It doesn’t reach the dizzing heights of Wiser’s Legacy or special releases, but it’s better than it needs to be for $47. It blows away similarly priced Crown Royal expressions. If this were available in the states it would be on my regular rotation for sure. Canadian Club 20 is highly recommended.
Sipology 