Canadian Club Whiskey: description and reviews

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Canadian Club Whiskey became famous in the second half of the 19th century thanks to its creator, American Hiram Walker. This hardworking man, through long experiments and innovative methods, created a unique elite Canadian whiskey. Currently, the brand has received worldwide recognition and has a lot of awards among recognized experts.

A trip to history

The history of the creation of Canadian Club whiskey began in the second half of the 19th century, when the owner of a grocery store, Hiram Walker, after numerous experiments with creating his own kind of cider, decided to start making whiskey.

To do this, the American decides to move to Canada, in the province of Ontario, and buy a piece of land there on the banks of the Detroit River to build a distillery. The move was fully justified, which was explained by a significant difference in the price and quality of raw materials for the production of whiskey, and at that time in America, preparations were underway for the introduction of the so-called "dry law".

Own enterprisein the manufacture of whiskey, the American decides to name "Hiram Walker and Sons". It is worth a separate note that the distillery eventually becomes a city-forming enterprise and exists to this day. Hiram Walker not only brewed excellent bourbon, but also was engaged in the improvement of the city. He built a mill for the needs of the townspeople, arranged roads and maintained a farm. Thanks to joint efforts, the city already had its own infrastructure very soon.

This photo shows Canadian Club Whiskey in a traditional bottle.

In the beginning of its existence, whiskey was consumed mainly in closed men's clubs in the USA and Canada, and the drink was called "Walker's Club". In the future, after the introduction of a law requiring the presence of the country of origin on the label of imported goods, Hiram decides to change the name and this is how the famous "Canadian Club" appeared.

Enterprising American conceived his business as a family business, so after him it passed to his sons and grandchildren. But at the moment, the Walker family no longer owns the distillery. The rights to it belong to the large holding Beam Suntory.

Beverage production technology

Hiram Walker's innovative idea was to age the drink in oak barrels for at least five years, which was not customary in those years. Whiskey then kept only a year and sent to the counter.

It is worth noting that the Canadian Club contains several grain crops at once: corn, barley and rye. Mixing these spirits for a long time gives that very soft and balanced taste of the drink, and also gives off a tart woody aroma, which is so to the taste of true connoisseurs of whiskey.

Thanks to an enterprising American, bourbon aging in oak barrels for five years or more has now become a tradition.

Types and description of Canadian Club whiskey

Whiskey of this brand is distinguished solely by the years of aging of the drink, which ranges from five years (the most popular whiskey) to twenty (collection). Let's talk about all types and characteristics of Canadian Club whiskey in more detail.

Canadian Club Five Years is the most popular type of whiskey of the entire line. It has a mild taste and a slight aroma of meadow herbs.

Canadian Club ten years old - this whiskey has a darker color and a rich taste, dominated by woody notes and spices. The aroma of the drink has a creamy tinge.

Canadian Club twelve years old is a beautiful dark color drink with a light woody aroma. In taste characteristics there are spicy shades of vanilla and cinnamon. The aroma of this whiskey is tart, woody with creamy notes.

Canadian Club Whiskey Sherry Cask - This drink was released to a female target audience. But quickly became popular among whiskey connoisseurs. This drink is aged for eight years and is produced in a limited edition. The color of the whiskey is golden amber, there are pronounced fruity shades in the taste and aroma.

Also among the products of the distillerythere are obviously collectible products, for example, the Canadian Club twenty and thirty years old, which are produced for the anniversaries of the enterprise and are usually bought by residents of the Far East and Asian countries.

In general, whiskey of this brand has become widely known not only in America and Canada, but also in the world. The Canadian Club drink has won numerous awards among experts, including such eminent persons as Queen Elizabeth II, King George V, Queen Victoria and many others.

Canadian Club Whiskey Reviews

Canadian Club is the first bourbon to have its rich history in Canada. Among the obvious advantages of this elite drink, consumers distinguish a noble rich taste, which is revealed gradually. At first, notes of spices are felt, then a woody shade appears, and at the end, notes of rye complement the composition.

All connoisseurs of Canadian Club whiskey invariably highlight the softness of taste and the long dry and tart finish that are characteristic of this brand.

In general, the drink makes a favorable impression on consumers with its consistent quality and taste characteristics. Some connoisseurs note that they enjoy the smell of this whiskey more than the taste, but they definitely highlight the virtues of this bourbon.

Interesting facts

There is an interesting episode in the rich history of Canadian Club whiskey. Rumor has it that the great Italian himself, Alfonse Gabriel Capone, who operated in America in the first half of the 20th century, was engaged in smugglingthis famous bourbon during the so-called "dry law". It is known that whiskey was transported from Canada to the USA. For safety, all labels on the bottles have been re-glued. On this basis, the famous mafia had many skirmishes with other clans.

Also, among the interesting facts, one can single out a whole museum, which is located on the territory of the distillery. It consists of more than one and a half thousand copies of fake bottles of whiskey of this brand. Employees of the enterprise willingly show it to everyone.

Using culture

The famous whiskey of this brand with a rich history and a noble mild taste, experts advise to use it in its pure form, without the addition of ice. Just pour the drink into a glass and let the bouquet open up, for which you can add a drop of mineral water to the bourbon. But, if you really want to experiment with cocktails, then the five-year-old Canadian Club is most suitable for this purpose.