Canadian Whisky — Canadian Whisky

JP Wiser Legend or Myth ?

Myths about JP Wiser continue to proliferate: For his 200th birthday here are the facts to refute four of them.

1 From the beginning JP Wiser was a co-owner of the Prescott-based distillery, not his uncle’s employee.

2 Wiser distillery first produced Wiser’s Red Letter Rye in 1906, not during the Civil War

3 Wiser was not first to bottle whisky

4 Wiser’s sons, not Albert Whitney, took over the distillery; it was destroyed in 1912 and never made whisky again; Corby bought the land in 1920.

Blog, Distilleries, HistoryDavin de KergommeauxSeptember 29, 2025JP Wiser, Wiser's Red Letter Rye, Whisky Myths, Albert Whitney, Averell and Egert, James Averell, Wiser Fire 1912, Consolidated Distilleries, Corby Distillery, Distillery No 1, Distillery No 2, industrial alcohol

Corby Park Lane Whisky 1945

Corby’s Park Lane 1945 tasting from Whisky Wonderland 2025. The earliest mention of Park Lane Canadian whisky I came across while researching my book, came from a Consolidated Distilleries file dated 1924. Consolidated Distilleries was a subsidiary of Canadian Industrial Alcohol Company, and comprised the Corby distillery (referred to as Distillery No. 1) in Corbyville, and a new/rebuilt distillery (called Distillery No. 2) at Wiser’s former location in Prescott.

Blog, Whisky ReviewsDavin de KergommeauxFebruary 20, 2025Corby Park Lane, Corby, Park Lane, Canadian whisky, 1945 whisky, Wiser's distillery, Corby Distillery, Consolidated Distilleries, Canadian Industrial Alcohols Company

Crown Royal Single Malt Canadian Whisky

Crown Royal Single Malt Canadian Whisky first produced at Valleyfield Quebec, spring 2024. Rich, with nutty cereal notes, hints of caramel and vanilla, then sweet fruits, soft peppers and bracing spices showing herbal tones and soft oaky notes.

Whisky ReviewsDavin de KergommeauxJune 18, 2024Crown Royal, Single Malt, Canadian whisky, Valleyfield, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Canadian whiskey

CBC’s History of Canadian Whisky according to me

Whisky expert Davin de Kergommeaux talks about the history of Canadian whisky and does a taste test with Canada Tonight’s Travis Dhanraj.

BlogDavin de KergommeauxJune 16, 2024CBC TV, Davin de Kergommeaux, Travis Dhanraj, Canada Tonight

Two Myths about Canadian Whisky

Why is Canadian whisky called rye? Did the Scots introduced whisky making to Canada? More on whisky history within.

HistoryDavin de KergommeauxFebruary 5, 2024

Canadian Club Invitation Series 15-Year-Old Sherry Cask

Dark fruits, pitchy wood and sweet red fruit on a complex nose.Good weight, lovely structure and sherryish influences in a gentle warm spiciness. Lush, rich and beautifully balanced. A masterpiece of craft.

Whisky ReviewsDavin de KergommeauxDecember 12, 2023Canadian Club, Sherry Cask, Invitation Series, Canadian whisky, canadian whiskey

Crown Royal Noble Collection Barley Edition

With its recently released Barley Edition, the seventh and final whisky in this award-winning and much-sought-after series, Crown Royal’s Noble Collection concludes on a triumphant crescendo of cereal and malt.

Whisky ReviewsDavin de KergommeauxMay 18, 2023Canadian whiskey, canadian whisky, crown royal, barley edition, noble collection

Reifel Rye

The astonishingly rich flavours of Reifel Rye demonstrate why Alberta Distillers is the world’s leading producer of 100% rye grain whisky. Peppery but not overly so, in the glass, its broad swaths of flavour transform into a single complex entity with sweet, creamy, fruity, floral tones and that finishing touch of bitter pith that defines great rye.

Whisky ReviewsDavin de KergommeauxOctober 25, 2022Reifel Rye, Canadian Whisky, Canadian whiskey, Rye Whisky, Canadian Rye, rye, high rye, deep character

Crown Royal Winter Wheat 45% alc/vol

Canadian Club Nobel Collection Winter Wheat is Canada’s Best Whisky for 2022

Crown Royal wins Canadian Whisky Awards

Whisky ReviewsDavin de KergommeauxJanuary 14, 2022Canadian whiskey, Canadian Distilleries, canadian whisky awards, canadian whiskey, crown royal

Canadian Whisky Awards 2022

Crown Royal Nobel Collection Winter Wheat is Canada’s Whisky of the Year in the 2022 Canadian Whisky Awards

News & UpdatesDavin de KergommeauxJanuary 13, 2022Canadian Whisky Awards, Canadian Whisky, Canadian Whiskey

Howitzer Canadian Whisky

Howitzer’s aromatic nose shows toffee, caramel, mild wood, a flash of gunpowder and hints of oranges. Bold, sweet and peppery on the palate, with creamy toffee. Lovely bitter pith early on turns spicy, along with more sweetness and something almost citrus. A medium glowing finish fades back into cleansing bitter pith. Not overly complex. A good solid classic Canadian whisky with a bit of oomph.

Whisky ReviewsDavin de KergommeauxSeptember 5, 2021Howitzer, Howitzer Canadian Whisky, Canadian Whisky, Canadian Whiskey, Canadian Military, Hockey

Shelter Point Double Barrel Batch 6

A rich, fruity nose with hints of grape skins jumps right out of the bottle when you pull the cork for the first time. This is single malt whisky and just loaded with undisguised barley malt notes. Then finally, after a few sniffs those luscious Vancouver Island blackberries surge to the fore. Do yourself a double barrel favour and get one today.

Whisky ReviewsDavin de KergommeauxAugust 3, 2021Shelter Point, Double Barrel, Shelter Point Whisky, Canadian Whisky, Canadian Whiskey, Artisanal Distillery

Forty Creek Foxheart

Sweet and peppery with tropical fruit and dark molasses. Citrus notes underlie creamy banana while hot spices add a glowing ember of zip. Red wine, burly tobacco, fragrant floral notes and dark fruits meld into slightly tannic barrel tones with sweet spicy toasted oak on a longish, sweetish finish.

Whisky ReviewsDavin de KergommeauxJuly 18, 2021Forty creek, Foxheart, Canadian whisky, Canadian whiskey, Caribbean Rum, 9.09, whisky review, Fox Terrier, Wire Fox Terrier, Wirehaired Fox Terrier

Molson’s - Wiser’s Common Bond Beer

Common Bond will have its dedicated followers this 2021 beer-drinking season. And as those hot summer evenings slip behind the horizon, this sweet and malty beer will satisfy the Molson fan who likes a little oak in their brew.

Whisky ReviewsDavin de KergommeauxMay 11, 2021Wiser's, Molson's, Whisky, Beer, Hops, Hopped Whisky, Dry Hopped, whisky beer, hopped whisky, kingston, Molson's Brewery, Molson Coors, JP Wiser, J.P.Wiser

Stillhead Rye Whisky – Small Cask Finish

Even before we sip, the massive nose on this expressive dram tells us that Canada is once again expanding the flavour profile of rye whisky in ever so delicious directions. Sweet mashy notes evolve into roasted grain, light rye bread and mild herbal tones. Hints of mint early on disappear in hard taffy, berries, and then strong sweet fruits, eventually resolving into over-ripe verbena fruit. All works well together, and that’s just the nose.

Whisky ReviewsDavin de KergommeauxApril 14, 2021Stillhead, Vancouver Island, Duncan, Rye, Rye Whisky, Canadian Distilleries, Whisky, Whiskey, Canadian Whisky, Canadian Whiskey, Canadian Rye

Canadian Whisky Awards 2021

Canada’s oldest whisky is also its best. On February 25, 2021, nine independent whisky experts named 43-year-old Canadian Club Chronicles - The Speakeasy - as Canadian Whisky of the Year at the eleventh annual Canadian Whisky Awards.

News & UpdatesDavin de KergommeauxFebruary 25, 2021Canadian Whisky Awards, Canadian Whisky, Canadian Club, Canadian Club Whisky, Canadian Club 43 Years Old, Canadian Club Chronicles, The Speakeasy, Canadian Club Speakeasy, Best in Canada, Best Canadian Whisky, Best Canadian Whiskey, Canadian Whisky of the Year, Canadian Whisky of the Year 2021

Odd Society P49 Old Boy Single Malt Whisky 46%

Parallel 49 Brewing mashed the grain for P49 Old Boy Single Malt Whisky, based on a recipe for its Old Boy Classic Brown Ale. Odd Society distillery then fermented, distilled and matured into a whisky that shows single malt flavour markers along with those distinct toffee and chocolate tones that denote Parallel 49 Old Boy Ale.

Whisky ReviewsDavin de KergommeauxJanuary 20, 2021Odd Society, Parallel 49, P49 Old Boy, Old Boy Ale, Odd Society Spirits, Canadian Distillery, Canadian Distilleries, BC Distillery, BC Distilleries, BC Spirits, Canadian Spirits, Whisky, Whisky Review, Microdistillery, Vancouver Distillery, East Vancouver

Kinsip Coopers Revival Whisky 42%

A combination of great spirits and careful blending, Cooper’s Revival whisky, from Kinsip House of Fine Spirits, amuses the nose and delights the palate with wild herbs and flowers, creamy strawberries and ice cream, bold, spicy rye notes, and a slathering, buttery mouthfeel.

Whisky ReviewsDavin de KergommeauxJanuary 14, 2021Rye, Rye Whisky, Canadian Rye, Whisky, Canadian Whisky, Whisky Review, Kinsip, Kinsip Distillery, Microdistillery, Ontario Distillery, Canadian Distillery, Canadian Distilleries, Canadian Spirits, Ontario Spirits, Prince Edward County, Coopers Revival, Ontario

Eau Claire Rupert's Exceptional Canadian Whisky 40%

This flavourful blended whisky, rich in malty cereal notes, takes the palate on a journey from one end of the flavour spectrum to the other. Prune juice, fruity pipe tobacco, vanilla, maple sugar, ripe red apples raspberries and scorched applewood saturate the nose, which soon turns to dried fruits, grapefruit juice, sweet sherry and wine gums.

Whisky ReviewsDavin de KergommeauxJanuary 8, 2021Whisky, Canadian Whisky, Whisky Review, Eau Claire, Eau Claire Distillery, Microdistillery, Alberta Distillery, Canadian Distillery, Canadian Distilleries, Canadian Spirits, Alberta Spirits, Turner Valley, Ruperts Whisky, Ruperts Exceptional Canadian Whisky, Alberta

Shelter Point Ripple Rock Whisky - 47%

Ripple Rock, the latest whisky release from Shelter Point Distillery, celebrates the Ripple Rock explosion admirably as peppery spices burst through a solid caramel vanilla crown, clearing the way for the grainy, malty, almost herbal delights that follow. Non-Chill Filtered, 47% ABV and 100% TNT.

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