Canadian Whisky Awards 2010 - Connoisseur Whisky, Multi-Market

Connoisseur Whisky of the Year – Multiple Markets: Forty Creek Confederation Oak ReserveThis quintessentially Canadian whisky was matured in Canadian oak barrels made from trees that sprouted at the time of Canadian Confederation. Made in a winemaker’s fashion, by John Hall, Forty Creek Confederation Oak Reserve earns this award for its creamy, rich and robust flavours. Confederation Oak had originally been intended as a Canadian release only, but persistent demand in the U.S. led Kittling Ridge Estate Wine and Spirits, which makes Forty Creek, to release it to selected U.S. markets as well.John Hansell, publisher and editor of Malt Advocate Magazine, calls Confederation Oak an outstanding and very distinctive whisky, perhaps the finest Canadian whisky he has ever tasted.Whisky maker, John Hall is a patient man. The months he thought it would take to polish his already mature whisky in Canadian oak eventually turned into years. Nevertheless, he waited for new flavours to emerge, to balance themselves, and to mature. His patience paid off. The creamy corn-whisky body, spicy rye top notes, and pastoral barley flavours of the constituent whiskies remain distinct, while being neatly integrated into a whisky that is unique, and at the same time, classically Canadian.Only 16,800 bottles of Confederation Oak Reserve have been produced, and like all Forty Creek special releases, when these bottles are gone, they are gone. But never fear, if history repeats itself – as it has for the past 3 years – John Hall and his team will be back with something equally spectacular for whisky lovers in 2011.Kittling Ridge Estates and its Forty Creek range of whiskies already have a list of awards as long as your arm, including Whisky Magazine’s Icons of Whisky award earned in 2008. To these it now adds: Connoisseur Whisky of the Year – Multiple Markets for 2010.Forty Creek Confederation Oak Reserve is reviewed here.All Canadian Whisky Awards winners for 2010 are listed here.