Average

Old Hickory Hermitage Reserve Barrel Proof Whiskey

58.5% ABV
$55-60
Website

We would like to thank RS Lipman for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

Intriguing aromas of vanilla bean, banana brioche, marmalade, and sweet corn brulee with an essence of sandalwood. Graceful on the palate featuring flavors of caramel corn, toffee, and orange zest with a hint of cocoa, all gently wrapped in warm, subtle notes of oak. The extended aging lengthens the taste profile and results in an incredibly smooth, approachable barrel-proof whiskey, matured in 18-year-old ex-bourbon barrels.

A quote from Robert Lipman, owner of RS Lipman:
“We are extremely proud of the recipe and mash bill we developed with our distiller partner using whiskey that was laid down back in 2008. Our goal was a barrel proof whiskey that is nicely balanced with color coming only from the ex-bourbon barrels. Sam used his expertise to bring this vision to life by creating a 117-proof whiskey that is mellow, easy to sip and natural in color. We could not be more pleased with the results.”

Aged 10 Years*
Mash Bill: 99% Corn 1% Malted Barley
Limited Release
*The bottle is age stated at 10 years old, which indicates the youngest whiskey included in the batch. Per their website, the majority of the whiskey is 13 years old.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich vanilla custard with banana, creamed corn and toasted oak.
Palate:  Caramel corn, honey, toffee, bit of orange zest and pepper.
Finish:  Moderately long with honey, corn and pepper spice.
Comments:  If they’d had asked me, I’d have suggested NOT using 18 year old bourbon barrels. 18 years is a long time, and while used bourbon barrels go off to give life to other whiskies, I think that they’ve given up a lot of their flavor over 18 years. This is interesting, but I’m just not a fan of really old corn whiskey. I bought a bottle of Heaven Hill Select Stock: 14 Yr Corn Whiskey several years back (paying $100) and thought that was a complete waste of money and time. Granted, this is just over half that price, and honestly tastes much better. If you’re a fan of corn whiskey, and have wondered what it might be like with more age than you typically see, this won’t break the bank (and is a unique offering in that respect). Corn just doesn’t take on a lot of complexity with age in my experience, or maybe it is the use of tired barrels.

Rating: Average/Stands Out

Macaloney’s The Peat Project Series: Single Cask Portuguese Red Wine STR Cask with Washington Peat
Canadian Island Peated (54 ppm) Single Malt Whisky

46% ABV
$135
Website

We would like to thank Macaloney’s Island Distillery for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

Distillery smoked using Washington Peat and carefully crafted in a premium Portuguese Red Wine STR Cask

This single cask release comes from a select re-charred red wine barrique, with a peat ‘terroir’ from Washington State (Canadian and Islay peat coming soon).

The nose has medium peat smoke, wood ash, floral notes, fruit, heather, lemongrass, juicy malt, nutmeg & cinnamon. The palate is creamy, very smooth and pleasantly warming, with big peat and waves of peat smoke, heather brush fire, wood wash and tropical fruits. Finishes with floral nectar, a dry malt sweetness, coconut milk, hint of salt and lingering smoke.

Natural Colour & Non-Chill Filtered

What Gary Says

Nose:  Earthy peat, minerality, salty sea air, caramel, subtle fruit, nylon rope, lemongrass and cinnamon.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, fruity with peat smoke, earthy mineral note, pepper, caramel and ashy.
Finish:  Moderate in length, drying with red berries, peat and sale.
Comments:  The peat is turned up in this cask, and for my palate maybe too much? Or at least too much for this particular cask? Just not as well balanced as the others and a bit one dimensional for my liking.

Rating: Average/Stands Out

An Aba Canadian Island Lightly Peated Single Malt Whisky

46% ABV
$130
Website

We would like to thank Macaloney’s Island Distillery for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

An Aba, our Whiskymjaker’s lightly peated ‘sherried’, signature expression was crafted from a select marrying of Kentucky Bourbon casks, Spanish Oloroso barriques, Portuguese shaved-toasted-re-charred (STR) red wine barriques, virgin American oak casks, and Spanish Pedro Ximénez casks.

Nose: Complex and layered whisky with light peat on the nose, including fresh pine and oak, orange liqueur, lemon sherbet, rum and raisin fruit cake, liquorice, vanilla sponge cake, ripe banana, gooseberry, red currant, dried mango and milk chocolate.

Palate: It has a lush creamy mouthfeel, medium peat, burnt heather and bonfire embers, leading to prunes, dried figs and apricots. Also on the palate there is malted milk, stewed apples, peaches, blooming heather, lavender and daffodils, developing to linseed oil, marzipan, lingering oak and a dry, light peat finish with an essence of the seaside, befitting our island location.

11 PPM*
ABV: 46%
Natural Colour & Non-Chill Filtered

What Gary Says

Nose:  Sea breeze with lite peat smoke, grilled peaches, tropical fruit, cedar, pine and vanilla.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, fruity and smokey with a bit of oak and pepper, honey, toffee and a slight spice.
Finish:  Moderate in length, damp with earthy peat and light fruit notes trailing.
Comments:  This is a nice, although I hate to say – kinda boring dram. The nose has quite a bit more going on than the palate for me. I’m not someone who thinks when it comes to peat you have to ‘go big or go home’, there’s plenty of lightly peated whiskies that I really enjoy. The palate for me just fell short of what the nose was setting me up for. And at this price point – I expect more than I got here, although your mileage may vary. I do appreciate the non-chill filtration and ABV.
* NOTE: Their website lists this as 11 PPM, and the sample I was sent had 11 PPM on the label, although in other press I’ve read 12 PPM (not that 1 PPM is going to make a noticeable difference, just pointing this out in case you saw something different as I did!)

Rating: Average/Stands Out

An Loy Whiskymaker’s Signature Selection
Canadian Island Single Malt Whisky

46% ABV
$125
Website

We would like to thank Macaloney’s Island Distillery for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

An Loy, formerly known as Glenloy, is our ‘Whiskymaker’s Signature Selection’ whereby we carefully selected our classic single malt whisky from a combination of 60% first use Bourbon casks for a delicate, clean presentation, 15% from Dr. Swans wonderful Portuguese STR red-wine barriques for pronounced oak and sweet red-berry contribution, and 15% Oloroso / 10% PX Spanish Sherry casks for wonderful, rich and delicate fruit cake and plums. Together they compliment the tropical fruits and creamy presentation of our new-make house style (which garnered a Gold Medal at the prestigious World Whiskies Awards) to create the following tasting notes for this, our inaugural release whisky:

Nose: Fruit, floral and Sherry notes followed with oak, vanilla, malt, and sea breeze.
Palate: Creamy, caramelized orange, vanilla, potpourri, fruit cake, blackcurrant, honey, wood spices, and lingering oak.

Our An Loy whisky has been ‘dressed up’ befitting the quality of the spirit. Each bottle and carton are individually numbered. The carton has an image of Vancouver Island that wraps around all four sides, befitting the fact that this is an ‘island whisky’, and in addition to the gold foil and embossing, there are notes encompassing a bit of history, why it was named An Loy, house character and tasting notes, etc.

Natural Colour & Non-Chill Filtered

What Gary Says

Nose:  Sweet with peaches, pears, honey, porridge, subtle apricots, raisins, baking spices, berries, grapes, floral notes, red wine and heather.
Palate:  Sweet with honey, grain, fruity with peaches, pears, grapes and a bit of chili spice.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length with pepper.
Comments:  Quite a pleasant, easy to drink single malt. I get the sherry and red wine cask influence, and the nose has a lot going on. The palate is a bit less complex, although not objectionable in any way. Just didn’t find anything that stood out to me at this price point.
NOTE: This whisky had been released previously under the name Glenloy, and has been renamed/relabeled as part of a settlement with the Scotch Whisky Association (see CBC coverage here). I bring this up to point out that it had won Best Canadian Single Malt in the 2021 World Whiskies Awards under the former name (and if you’re looking for other reviews/coverage – check for that as well as the new name).

Rating: Average/Stands Out