Whisky Myth: Is Canadian Whisky "boring"?

[@scotchrocksred]

as much as i've always really liked your whisky reviews, these "subject" or "topic" videos that you've put out lately have been incredibly entertaining. it shows great imagination and diversity. thank you for the great content!

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

Thank you! That is really encouraging, and I'm so glad you found them fun. Cheers!

[@onewomanswhisky]

We need a whole week just to cover 1/2 of what's available in Canadian whisky these days. No longer your old style 'gut rot' of years gone by! Well presented, and VERY well argued... Glad to see you're taking some downtime to combat the dreaded lurgy. Rest up! Marian 🇨🇦

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

Agreed! I need to figure out how to celebrate our whisky more often. So many good things are happening!

[@thewhiskyenthusiast]

Thanks for sharing these Jon, the myth has certainly been busted for me but also you made me very envious and feel massive fomo! These whiskies all sound super interesting and I want to try them all but unfortunately all we can get here in Turkiye are : Canadian Club (🤢), JP Wisers 10 (ok), Pike Creek 10 (very muted), Whistle Pig (12 is fantastic but way too expensive) and Lot 40 which is a good rye whiskey. I would love to try more Canadian whisky in the future. It's cool that you mentioned Mad Lab as one of the owners is Turkish and a very close family friends' brother so I did try their whisky and will do a review of it soon 😃 It's nice to see that you're very proud of Canadian whisky, again thanks for sharing 🥃

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

The list you share is fairly typical over seas. It's also rather typical in many stores or in restaraunts. It's surprising how, with these other releases around, how many people drink sweet and cheap. That said, I'm glad Lot 40 is around. As you said, solid rye. Very cool connection with Mad Lab! Wild, I can't wait to hear your thoughts. Cheers!

[@livewithaffection6905]

I was watching Whiskey Vault and they went through the various whisky categories: scotch, bourbon, Irish. They left out Canadian! First off, Canadian saved the Americans during prohibition so how quickly they forget! As well, Canadian has a smooth, rounded and sweet flavour and they are missing out if they don’t include. I can’t imagine enjoying all whisky without them.

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

@@livewithaffection6905 They really left out Canadian? That surprises me. Even if you don't enjoy it, it is a massive category. I will have to work harder this year celebrating it!

[@jimreichel1466]

Thank you Jon for educating us on Canadian whisky. This topic could (I think should) be adapted for American, Japanese, Irish, etc. and even Scotch. Drew, from Whiskey Lore, has podcasts from different distilleries worldwide and has interviewed owners of smaller distilleries doing unique things, such as you described with Canadian whiskies. Please don't abandoned these insightful conversations once you are back reviewing whiskies. Being educated about whisk(e)y only allows us to appreciate the pours that much more. Cheers!

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

@jimreichel1466 Thanks again for the encouragement. I never really thought of shooting this type of show, but it was fun! Lots of good ideas there!

[@SeawayWhiskyWire]

Integrity releases and IT KEEPS GETTING BETTER! Great video and Happy Canadian Whisky Week Jon! Cheers.

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

Thanks! I hope everyone is enjoying a great Canadian dram this week!

[@NoteworthyWhisky]

I totally agree! Cheers, John!

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

Cheers!

[@DonnerPassWhisky]

Another great topic. Thanks to a years long sample swapping relationship with Andy/foodquig before he sadly passed away too soon, I have been able to try a lot of different Canadian Whisky. The big legacy distilleries that put out a very large variety of diffrent bottles. Macaloney's, Shelter Point and Two Brewers with their new fantastic malt Whisky. Cheers Jon

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

@DonnerPassWhisky so awesome you and Quig had that. Certainly too soon, cheers to Andy.

[@dramgoodwhisky]

Great conversation Jon 👍🏻🥃

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

Thanks!

[@ClaudeJolicoeur-zd6ju]

Hi Jon. I agree, canadian whisky is anything except boring. By listening to your channel and with your help in interviewing many distillers, I was able gain knowledge in that area, and in the end ordered from SOV, Bridgeland, WLD and more recently from Last Mountain. I am still waiting for the Boldur’s straight wheat and straight rye. Should be receiving them shortly. I also bought from the LCBO, LOT 40 rye, regular, dark oak and cherry finish. I had a chance to get the Shelter Point Ripple Rock at the SAQ. All these whiskey’s are very good and different. SOV is probably my best presently. I am looking forward to the next release of Realm of Rye. I was lucky to get the 1 and 2 release. Thanks Jon form making us discover the Canadian distilleries. Looking forward to other videos on the subject. Keep up the good work please. Take care of that cold. Best regards.

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

@ClaudeJolicoeur-zd6ju that is a wonderful list! Great variety and across many styles. I am loving the SOV series too, and can't wait for the next one. I am feeling a bit better today, just need a good night to beat it I think. Take care!

[@jtf2dan]

The wiser's 23 year old cask strength is still one of my favorites!

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

Ah yes, that was a wonderful release.

[@danahead7806]

I still have an Open and Unopened bottle of the Lot 40 11 year. One of the whiskey’s that started my whiskey journey

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

That is awesome! So good to know you have one for some future time. Cheers!

[@dondimonte8690]

Great lineup!!

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

@@dondimonte8690 Thanks!

[@forlornHope]

Cheers 🥃

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

@@forlornHope Cheers!

[@thewhiskyfriend]

great job Jon. NO Whisky can be boring.....EVEN CANADIAN....cheers fella

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

LOL! Thanks Alan! Even Canadian ;)

[@jasonwest9425]

Wow! Thanks for this Jon, such a great education on Canadian whisky. Unfortunately other than Two Brewers none of these seem to be very available even in Canada. I'd love to see a similar video on ones that are. Among ones that are available, I'd suggest Shelter Point (you didn't mention it?) and the regular Lot 40. Also among the big distillers Wiser's 15 and Gibson's 18 Venerable do the traditional Canadian style in ways I really enjoy (though without a craft presentation). Also Wiser's triple cask Rye is pretty decent for a budget offering.

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

@jasonwest9425 great ideas! I should have mentioned Shelter Point for sure and others. I'll blame my foggy mind. It would be harder to find big available releases that are also trying to be transparent with consumers, but a list worth building.

[@kevinjaworenko6779]

Great synopsis of Canadian whisky. As Raphy would say though, let's also not forget the malt-turnatives like some outstanding rum's also made here. Romero distilling and the cask strength sherry finished is as good as any complex whisky I've ever tasted.

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

I agree there are some excellent malt-turnatives! I am certainly no expert in Rum, but I recently thried thier cask strength sherry finish and wow!! It's fantastic!!

[@Easthateagent]

What would be your top 5 must try/buy Canadian whisky?

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

Subject to what you enjoy in whisky, but Two Brewers, Macaloney's, Bridgeland are killing Single Malt. Sons of Vancouver and Last Straw make insanly good Rye and LMD or Baldur's if you like creamy Wheat. Certainly many, many more but those are some of my current favourites.

[@richard9045]

Well done Jon for showcasing Canadian whiskies, too bad they don't show up here in the UK. Slainte

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

I do wish these more interesting and quality releases would reach more people, hopefully soon. Thanks for dropping in!

[@Maltmeister1]

Canada has come a long way from the early days of limited selections like Crown,RR and CC,take care friend and hopefully you can shake the sickness sooner then later.

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

So many amazing people are creating exciting whisky! Thanks, I hope I can shake this too. Cheers!

[@joeappleton6849]

Nice whisky collection

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

@joeappleton6849 I am fortunate to live where we can get so many different, small releases. I hope distribution improves with time so more people can try!

[@chrisvesk816]

There are over 45 micro distilleries in Quebec alone, making outstanding and innovative products.

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

@chrisvesk816 Amazing! I hope their products make it out West. I would love to some of these new releases. Thanks for sharing!

[@ironmantran]

Agreed. in my op, all 40% abv CAD "ryes" are boring, i dont buy them since 2000 ! ! But the limited releases are great !

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

@@ironmantran Glad you can find them! Cheers!

[@johnbolster2459]

I have never seen most of these but in Texas we can get Alberta Premium and it is an outstanding whisky

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

I love the AP cask strength series. Thanks for dropping in, Cheers!

[@Watchman999]

Canada is making inroads for sure. We need better rules and we need to find a hook that differentiates us. Although it is great from a revenue point of view I don’t want the US to say Crown Royal when they think Canadian whisky. We should be better champions of the rye moniker for example. Anyway, small steps. Maybe we should start a top 10 Canadian Distilleries page. Would de Kergommeaux get behind it?

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

@@Watchman999 he might! I certainly love the idea!

[@johnbolster2459]

Hard to beat JT Malleck from Louisiana for rice whiskey

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

I've never had it. This one certainly has some interesting roasted flavours.

[@WalkerKlondyke]

Canadians make whiskey?’

[@briansimpson4310]

No, we make whisky.

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

OK, that was very well done sir. Cheers!

[@kleinster99]

When I think Canadian Whiskey I think of sticky sweet Canadian Mist or Crown Royal. Just not my thing. I’ll stick to American Whiskey and single malts from Scotland.

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

@kleinster99 I totally understand that reaction. What I am sharing here are whiskies that are not sticky sweet. If you get a chance to taste a cask strength Lot 40 , I would hold that up to many cask strength American ryes. Strong, bold, spicy, with interesting fruit and oak backing. Not the typical Canadian you have identified.

[@NikFleury]

Considering US tariffs coming our way soon, we should be putting our money on our side of the border. Probably will pick up some Shelter Point actually. Cheers to that!

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

Cheers to good Canadian whisky!

[@canadianpeaches1678]

We never wasted our time making whiskey…. Home brew but it’s illegal such as good pot

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

Lol! I've been tempted to distill a bit myself, but so far, just buying much better stuff from people who know how. Cheers!