Collingwood Blended Canadian Whisky

Nose: Vanilla, caramel, oatmeal cracker, cinnamon, a brittle, spirity aroma behind a faint oak note. It gets a little better as it rests and yes, maple sugar does appear. Interestingly, a drop of water opens the nose both dispelling the spirity quality and uncovering a distinctly perfumed note rather like faint musk. Palate: Prickly and hard, bitter pine resin. Faint suggestions of marzipan and liquorice. The texture is thin and sharp and simultaneously limp and lifeless. That takes some doing. Adding water helps and over time with dilution some caramel can be noticed, but this is just not a great sipping whisky. Finish: Short. Bitter and sour. With water it’s just a little less bitter. Periodically I try a new Canadian whisky and every time I’m disappointed. Maybe I’m being too cheap and only buying the dross but it would be so nice to occasionally taste one that is at least average. This is thin and what aromas and flavours do show through are not engaging. I can’t believe that this is the best Canada can offer at this price point. For the same money I can buy Cutty Sark Prohibition, Glen Grant 12, Tamnavulin Double Cask, Teeling Small Batch, Glenfiddich 12, Jim Beam Bonded and even our own home-grown Starward Twofold ... the list goes on and on and every alternative can simply thrash this poor devil of a whisky into the ground. The only value I can see in this whisky is as a mixer, and it’s not so great in that role either. You can’t cook with bad ingredients, so why mix with inferior spirits? The official review notes are on target for this one but the score is too generous. I get the distinct feeling this whisky may have been better a few years ago. “Inferior” : 67/100 (1.5 stars)

My high scores streak is over. A very un-enjoyable whisky, not the kind of sweet you hope in a dram. a cinnamon shot is not something pleasant for me. Bottled at 40%abv, with a russetmuscat color. On the nose is sweet but and not that bad but it is an omen of what you are going to get on the palate. Nosing notes i found: strong alcohol note for a 40%abv. Liquorice, brown sugar, toffee and cinnamon. On the palate is just lame. Liquorice, Cinnamon, Mild spicyness, Pine or some herb, Not pleasant at all seems like those whisky fire editions (like jack daniel's fire), Young oak. Finish is short and way too sweet to be good, so it is bad. Overall i give this a very generous 59 over a 100 and i really think of this as a 2.5 over 5, but my scoring system tells me 2.9. Not recommended at all.

My high scores streak is over. A very un-enjoyable whisky, not the kind of sweet you hope in a dram. a cinnamon shot is not something pleasant for me. Bottled at 40%abv, with a russetmuscat color. On the nose is sweet but and not that bad but it is an omen of what you are going to get on the palate. Nosing notes i found: strong alcohol note for a 40%abv. Liquorice, brown sugar, toffee and cinnamon. On the palate is just lame. Liquorice, Cinnamon, Mild spicyness, Pine or some herb, Not pleasant at all seems like those whisky fire editions (like jack daniel's fire), Young oak. Finish is short and way too sweet to be good, so it is bad. Overall i give this a very generous 59 over a 100 and i really think of this as a 2.5 over 5, but my scoring system tells me 2.9. Not recommended at all.

Serving: 1.5 fl. oz. shot, neat. Nose: Low aroma. Low grassy/herbaceous notes with some cereal undertones. Alcohol slightly more predominant than necessary. Palate: Low sweetness, slightly dry. Grassy/herbaceous notes. Nice peppery character (would go nicely with a Boursin cheese/goat’s cheese with cracked black pepper). Low acidity. Low citrus. Finish: No bitterness, but still some aggressive character. Pleasant caramel and vanilla tones developing more as sipping continues and lasting through finish. Overall: Comparison against the double-barrel is difficult because of double-barrel’s additional intriguing complexity. Descent value for money, but overall prefer their “Town Collection” double-barrel whiskey.

Canada has a growing amount of what I like to think of as "dessert" whiskies. Not because they are cloying sweet, but because they have treat-like notes and they're far to easy to enjoy (and likely overindulge on). Luckily, this one won't increase your waistline too quickly! Collingwood Toasted Maplewood Stave Finished blended whisky has a polite Canadian maple syrup nose with a smooth wood, spice and vanilla flavour. Straightforward short finish, which makes it easy to drink quickly. Flexible for cocktails and refreshing with ice. I also admire their unique and elegant bottle. 7/10.

Nose- heavy caramel, vanilla and wood spice. Similar to crown royal but maybe slightly more intense. Taste- Toffee with hints of black pepper and oak. Mild alcohol burn. Rather smooth. Finish- spicy on the finish with more of the peppery notes coming to the top. More vanilla, toffee. Overall- not a bad sipping whisky at all to be honest. Really similar to crown royal and at a comparable cost. For everyday sipping when you want to spare the more expensive stuff it will do just fine. I would buy it again.