So normally I don't do tastings on my inexpensive, mixing whiskies, but I saw some reviews on this one and felt the need to stand up for this whisky because it is one of the best value Canadian whiskies. Nose: Nice and rich. Some very typical Canadian whisky aromas here - lots of vanilla, maple, butterscotch, caramel... Despite this being rye and winter wheat not a lot of rye is coming through on the nose. Palate: Immediately rich and very creamy. I suspect the creaminess is from the winter wheat? More butterscotch and caramel here. Certainly not an overly spicy rye but mid-taste some cinnamon and pepper starts to come through. Somewhat light on flavour but very smooth and little burn despite what other tasters have noted. Finish: Light and relatively short. However some raisins/prunes on the back of the palate linger a little. Overall for the price point ($22.99 CAD) this is excellent! I will always have one of these on hand and although I probably won't drink neat due to the fact that it is a little light on flavour, it is still a great whisky and one I regularly use in cocktails. It's creaminess with some mild spice makes it particularly good in an old fashioned.
About this bottle
Highwood Distillery distilled this whisky using soft prairie winter wheat. It’s then aged 10 Years in charred oak barrels. Winter wheat is planted in the fall where it germinates before the growing process is frozen during the winter. In the spring it picks up where it left off meaning it’s ready to be harvested to make whisky that much sooner. Note: This is not currently available in the U.S.
How it tastes
Measured across 14 flavor axes. Tap a note to find other bottles that lead with it.
Reviews
Showing the most detailed of 12 parsed reviews.
On the nose, vanilla, butterscotch, neutral ethanol, straw, and coriander. Oily and somewhat angular in the mouth. Palate shows more vanilla, ethanol, butterscotch, and straw, plus pepper and hazelnut. Medium-length finish. Lacking intensity. 2.50/5.00 – Acceptable (neat)
Smooth when sipped on ice. I think I can detect the taste from the barrel char where it aged. (Note that my bottle does not say "limited edition" but there is no other Centennial version of CC with NAS.)
The absolute best of the bottom shelf of Canadian whiskies. Give me this over Crown or Alberta Premium any day. This is a cheap and rough around the edges. But it knows exactly what it is and owns it!
Pleasant, somewhat subtle flavour. Not harsh at all. You don't really get the strong rye notes like Lot 40, so that's missing. For the price though, it's a great option.
I can only describe it as cheap Canadian whisky. Nothing especially interesting, but a whole lot of ethanol on the nose and palate. At least it was a good price.
6 more reviews were collected for this bottle. The longest ones are shown first.
Tastes like this
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