Canadian Whisky Awards 2010 - Canadian Whisky Profile

Award of Excellence – Canadian Whisky Profile: Canadian ClubViewers of AMC’s Emmy® and Golden Globe®-winning television series, Mad Men will not be surprised by the winner in this category. Canadian Club is Don Draper’s whisky of choice, and features prominently throughout the series, attracting the attention of a new generation of Canadian whisky consumers. Canadian Club, affectionately known as “CC,” reached yet another new audience in 2010 with its featured role in the HBO series Boardwalk Empire.But long before advertising moguls quaffed their daily “CC”, and the likes of Nucky Thomson made fortunes quenching Prohibition-induced thirst with Canadian whisky, Canadian Club had firmly established its reputation for excellence on both sides of the border. Hiram Walker introduced his “Club” brand in 1882. It was a 7-year-old whisky, and success came quickly. So much success, in fact, that American counterfeiters were soon claiming their whisky was made using the "Canadian Process" and in some cases slapping bogus Canadian Club labels on their own hastily concocted knock-offs.However, the feisty Walker was not prepared to sit back while inferior products sullied his reputation. Instead, in 1892 he mounted a very successful counterattack in the form of an advertising campaign, identifying counterfeiters by name, and daring them to challenge him in court. None ever did and for the most part, the counterfeiting ended.Eventually, Walker settled on a 6-year ageing process for Canadian Club and this remains the standard today. In more recent times 8, 10, 12, 20, and even 30-year-old versions have also been released. No matter their age, each version is blended before it is put into barrels for the appropriate number of years, just as Walker had done with the original.Although the U.S. remains the largest market for Canadian Club whisky, “CC” can be found in bars and liquor stores in over 160 countries around the world. And now, judicious product placement in two award-winning television series brings Canadian Club to a new generation of whisky drinkers (and potential whisky drinkers). An internet search for “Don Draper’s whisky” regularly sends googlers here to canadianwhisky.org.Accordingly, to its already long list of accolades, Canadian Club now adds a 2010 Canadian Whisky Award of Excellence – Canadian Whisky Profile. Fitting that the inaugural award should go to a true Canadian icon.Canadian Club Reserve 10 year old is reviewed here.Canadian Club 20 year old is reviewed here.All Canadian Whisky Awards winners for 2010 are listed here.