This 2018 limited-edition release from Ontario’s Forty Creek Distillery started out with a blend of Canadian whiskies created by Master Blender Bill Ashburn that then received extra maturation with so-called “high-mocha” wood staves and was blended with some of the distillery’s 10-year-old corn whisky and a small amount of Portuguese-style Starboard wine that had spent 15 years maturing in casks used previously for Forty Creek.

The nose is warm and inviting with notes of toasted caramel, honey, crème brûlée, toffee, and dark fruits. The taste has toasted oak and caramel notes, along with vanilla, black coffee, and hints of dried fruits for a slightly astringent, peppery, and intense taste. The finish is very long, with a robust pepperiness that is not typically characteristic of Canadian whiskies. It fades and evolves gradually to a nice oakiness for a complex and well-rounded dram. (November, 2018)