Whisky: Dave Keon Limited Edition NHL Alumni Whisky Series

Producer: Pernod Ricard

Distillery: Hiram Walker

Whisky Type: 100% Canadian Rye

Region: Windsor, Ontario

Age: 14-Year-old

ABV: 45%

Aged in Cask: Ex-bourbon, ex-Speyside malt, Canadian oak, and Virgin oak

Release: 2019-2020 Edition

Price Range: $

Dave Keon Canadian Rye is my second whisky review from J.P. Wiser’s Alumni Whisky Series. Similar to Wendel Clark (check here), this whisky aims to reflect the style of play of the Hall of Famer, labeled as Well-Rounded.

Dave Keon

Born: March 22, 1940

Birthplace: Noranda, Quebec, CAN

Jersey #: 14

Shoots: Left

Position: Center

NHL Career: 1960-1975 and 1979-1982

Team: Keon played most of his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs

Playing Style: Keon was considered one of the fastest skaters in the NHL, and one of the best defensive forwards of his era.

Awards: 

• Four Stanley Cups Championships with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
• Rookie of the Year 1960-1961 (Calder Memorial Trophy)
• Two time NHL All-Star Team (1962, 1971)
• Eight NHL All-Start games.
• Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1986.
• In 2017 Keon was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in NHL history.

Notes for Dave Keon Limited Edition Canadian Rye

Dave Keon is a 100% rye whiskey bottled at 45% ABV for Dave’s 45 points scored in his first season. This whiskey is aged in four different barrels, one for each Stanley Cup he won with the Toronto Maple Leafs (ex-bourbon, ex-Speyside malt, Canadian oak, and Virgin oak)

Nose: Vanilla, caramel, and oak notes are the dominant aromas.

Palate: Sweet arrival. Vanilla, ginger, cereal note (malt) and plenty of oak spices. There is a noticeable bitter sensation from the oak throughout the entire experience.

Finish: The finish long, very spicy and bitter.

Conclusion: There is no doubt that Dave Keon Canadian Rye is a more complex whisky than Wendel Clark. A great nose and a sweet arrival are my favorite parts of the experience, but I find Keon’s bitter note from the oak too strong for my taste and not very pleasant. The four casks obviously had something to do with this, especially the Virgin oak casks, which might be responsible for the bitter sensation in addition to the ginger, and vanilla notes. Overall, this is a good whisky.

Next week I will review Mark Messier Canadian Rye from J.P. Wiser’s Alumni Whisky Series and compare all three whiskies.

Score: 3/5⭐

Check here for more info on Canadian whiskies.

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