Whisky: Lot 40 Rye
Producer: Pernod Ricard
Distillery: Hiram Walker & Sons
Whisky Type: Canadian Rye (100% Rye)
Age: Non-Age Statement (NAS)
Region: Windsor, Ontario, Canada
ABV: 43%
Aged in Cask: New American oak
Price Range: $
Canadian whisky is a very underrated category in the United States. The best brands of Canadian whisky do not leave the country. Premium brands such as J.P. Wiser’s Legacy (read the review here), Canadian Rockies 21 Year Old, or Gooderham & Worts Little Trinity are not easy to find.
Canadian whisky (except for Crown Royal) does not have strong brand awareness as sipping whisky in the United States. Alberta Distillers, for example, provides the rye whisky for the award-winning Whistle Pig brand bottled in the Whistle Pig farm in Vermont. Many consumers do not know the quality of the rye from Alberta Distillers because there is little interest in promoting the brand.
A good portion of Canadian whisky sells in the United States as a blended whisky, a category lacking the reputation of single malts. There is also the misconception that there is Grain Neutral Spirit in Canadian whisky. GNS is a spirit high in alcohol content, lacking flavor and character that is never part of the recipe of Canadian blends.
What makes Canadian whisky different?
Canadian whiskies are composed of two types of whiskies:
Base Whisky
· Distilled at relatively high alcohol levels (approximately 94% ABV, 188% proof), results in light flavor whisky. Most distilleries use corn for the base whisky.
· Typically aged in used barrels to allow the light and delicate flavor of the base whisky (grain) to come out without being overpowered by the oak.
Flavoring Whisky
· Distilled at relatively low alcohol levels (approximately 65% ABV, 130% proof), results in bold flavors of fruit and spices. Rye is the grain of choice for flavoring whisky.
· New charred oak, first fill bourbon or second fill rye barrels typically mature flavoring whisky.
Regarding the process of making Canadian whisky, mashing (cooking the grain), fermenting, distilling, aging, and finally blending occur separately to create the desired flavor profile of the final whisky and style of the distillery. Canadian whisky must always taste like rye, which provides flavors of hot peppers, cinnamon spices, and fruit.
Lot 40 Rye is made at Hiram Walker & Sons (HW) in Windsor, Ontario. The distillery is on the other side of the Detroit River. It is the largest distillery in North America and one of the most prestigious spirit producers in Canada. HW is part of the first generation of traditional distilleries known as the “BIG EIGHT” with names like Alberta Distillers, Black Velvet, Canadian Mist, Forty Creek, Highwood Distillers, Valleyfield, and Gimli.
Corby Spirit & Wine Ltd. owns the Lot 40 brand and operates the Hiram Walker Distillery on behalf of Pernod Ricard, which owns the distillery. Lot 40 refers to a plot number of the farm where distiller Joshua Booth used to make whisky back in the 1700s. The whisky was revived for the first time in 1998 by Master Blender Michael Booth to honor his forefather. Lot 40 was discontinued during the 2000s and brought to life again with the 2012 release under the direction of Master Blender Dr. Don Livermore.
Lot 40 Rye Tasting Notes
Nose: Great nose. Aromas of brown sugar, fruit, baking spices, cinnamon, and rye bread.
Palate: The entry is fruit evolving into pepper and spices. I love the transition from fruit to hot pepper because it is seamless and well-integrated. Flavors are full and rich. Wood notes appear as well. This whisky is complex even at a young age (I am guessing 3-5 years)
Finish: Short and spicy.
Conclusion: This is a clear winner, a signature expression of Hiram Walker, and a great ambassador of Canadian whisky for the world. Do not hesitate to grab a bottle at your nearest store wherever you are. For those living in Georgia, Lot 40 should not be hard to find for a modest price. This whisky won the gold medal- Canadian Rye/World Whisky Awards in 2020. Cheers!
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Score: 4/5 ⭐
Legend
$50 or less $
$51-$100 $$
$101-$150 $$$
$151 or more $$$$
