Canadian whisky is a type of whisky produced in Canada. Most Canadian whiskies are blended multi-grain whisky containing a large percentage of corn spirits, and are typically lighter and smoother than other whisky styles.
When Canadian distillers began adding small amounts of highly-flavourful rye grain to their mashes, people began demanding this new rye-flavored whisky, referring to it simply as "rye". The terms "rye whisky" and "Canadian whisky" are used interchangeably in Canada and as defined in Canadian law refer to exactly the same product, which generally is made with only a small amount of rye grain.
Canada’s Food and Drugs Act gives the following minimum conditions that must be met in order to label a product as Canadian Whisky:
- The whisky must be be mashed, distilled and aged in Canada
- Aged in small wood vessels for not less than three years
- Contain not less than 40 percent alcohol by volume
- May contain caramel and flavoring
Canadian whiskies can vary considerably, given the allowance that it may contain additional flavoring. However, there is an additional requirement that a Canadian whisky possess the aroma, taste and character generally attributed to Canadian whisky, so this can be a limiting factor when adding additional flavor.
Base and Flavoring Whiskies
Two common distilling methods are used when creating a Canadian Whisky. The first are base whiskies and the second are flavoring whiskies. Base whiskies are normally distilled to a high alcohol content and then aged in used barrels. Base whiskies can be highly flavorful and span a wide range of ages. Flavoring whiskies are distilled to a lower alcohol content in column or pot stills and then subsequently aged in virgin oak, ex-bourbon or rye re-fill casks. The base and flavoring whiskies are then skilfully blended to create a delicious whisky.
The base whiskies are distilled to between 180 and 190 proof and creates a lighter taste. By comparison, an American whisky distilled any higher than 160 proof is labeled as "light whiskey". The flavoring whiskies are distilled to a lower proof so that they retain more of the grain's flavor. The relative lightness created by the use of base whiskies makes Canadian whisky useful for mixing into cocktails and highballs. The minimum three year aging in small wood barrels applies to all whiskies used in the blend. As the regulations do not limit the specific type of wood that must be used, a variety of flavors can be achieved by blending whiskies aged in different types of barrels. In addition to new wood barrels, charred or uncharred, flavor can be added by aging whiskies in previously used bourbon or fortified wine barrels for different lengths of time.
Canadian whiskies are most typically blends of whiskies made from a single grain, principally corn and rye, but also sometimes wheat or barley. Mash bills of multiple grains may also be used for some flavoring whiskies. The availability of inexpensive American corn, with its higher proportion of usable starches relative to other cereal grains, has led it to be most typically used to create base whiskies to which flavoring whiskies are blended in. The flavoring whiskies are most typically rye whiskies, blended into the product to add most of its flavor and aroma. While Canadian whisky may be labeled as a "rye whisky" this blending technique only necessitates a small percentage (such as 10%) of rye to create the flavor, whereas much more rye would be required if it were added to a mash bill alongside the more readily distilled corn.
For beginners
I must admit that I have only ever tried one Canadian whisky before so I can’t make any other recommendations. However, I enjoyed the one I’ve tried, it doesn’t break the bank and I can definitely recommend it:
- Canadian Club Classic 12 year old: This is the 12yo variant of the standard release, with extra maturation in charred, ex-bourbon barrels.
Conclusion
As I said earlier, I don’t have a lot of experience with Canadian whiskies myself. I am making a conscious effort to explore this category further and will expand on this article as time goes by. What Canadian whisky can you recommend that I should carry with me in my Whiskey Carrier?
