Pike Creek Canadian Whisky Finished in Port Wine Barrels

Nose: Wine and typical corn-whiskey aromas, and not much more. Maybe a hint of rye and oak. It's ... soft and inoffensive. Palate: An uninspiring arrival with a little raisin and brown sugar, then turning sharply ginger-spiced and peppery in the development. Some sour bitterness like over-brewed tea that has been watered down, but also a sweetness around the tongue. Not completely unpleasant, but strangely out of step with itself. Finish: Fairly short, with some metallic sugary flavours, but it is a crisp finish. The nose is thin, but not bad, however the palate is not integrated. There is the spicy base of a fairly ordinary whisky in parallel with a thread of wine, but there is no collaboration happening. It’s like two actors on stage at the same time, but performing parts from different plays. An “also ran” whiskey - perfectly drinkable and immediately forgettable - but wildly overpriced for what it is. "Average" : 75/100 (2.5 stars)

[This review is of the 10-year-old age stated Canadian version.] While Pike Creek is head and shoulders above the typical Canadian whisky, here's the problem: Canadian whisky as a style is already quite sweet, and port finishing tends to add sweetness, so what you've got here is sweet upon sweet with not enough rye character to really bring it back from the edge. Flavour is a cross between a typical Canadian and a port- or sherry-finished Scotch: vanilla, oak, holiday spice, a bit of rye and dill, some breadiness. Berries. Nuttiness, dark fruits and brown sugar. Not bad, but Alberta Premium Dark Horse pulls off the "wine-finished Canadian whisky" trick a lot better, and both Lot 40 and Wiser's Legacy are better exemplars than Pike Creek of the so-called "new breed" of Canadian whisky.

All the looks of an unchilled Manhattan in the glass; deep dark caramel with shades of red when caught in the light. A nice old wood nose. Roasted pecans came to mind on the palate, as well as dark cocoa, descending into dried cherries on the finish. Slightly unctuous mouthfeel, with a satisfying spiciness that lingers, but doesn't overstay its welcome. For a $30 whiskey (in the U.S.) this is definitely worth collecting to diversidy a home bar, even if it is a little sweeter than what I, personally, seek out. Canadian Whiskey's image is still in stages of recovery, and hopefully whiskeys like this can improve upon the damage more well-known Canadian blends have inflicted upon the our perceptions of everything coming from our neighbors to the north.

A creamy, small batch double-distilled blended Whisky produced by the Corby Distillers in Corbyville, Ontario matured between 7 & 8 years in unheated warehouses, then finished in port barrels. It has a sweet birth with notes of dried tropical fruits, citrus & caramel cake; while life adds notes of grain, baked peaches, orange blossom, honeysuckle, cedar, maple syrup, roasted nuts, pepper & vanilla; that leads to a warm & smooth finish with notes of port, cinnamon & a hint of smoke. September 2018/ January 2019

This should be a 4 star Canadian. This should be a full, rich, beautiful port-finished whisky abounding in berry and dried fruit character, with a hint of nuttiness and sweet vanilla. And, in fact, those things are there on the palate...which, at 40%, is so damn thin that it wastes what could be a outrageously good whisky for the price. I'd kill to have this at 46-48%. Really frustrating to be able to see the Promised Land of whisky perfection from here, but to be kept from crossing over the river.

Nose is almost entirely rubbing alcohol with just a bit of fruit. Luckily the palate brings more to the party, with a creamy vanilla and round fruitiness. Moderately sweet, medium finish with the tiniest bit of salt as it lingers, which leaves you wanting the next sip. A splash of water dulls the astringent nose and smooths out the vanilla nicely. A nice one to add to the collection, but not a regular sipping whisky. Definitely going to try it in cocktails, should make a nice Manhattan.