My wife gave me a cool whisky tasting glass made by Nova Scotia Crystal for our anniversary last week. Though no stranger to a splash or two of scotch; with Canada Day coming up I thought I owed it to the country to break it in with some of our own homemade spirits.
While Canada certainly has a reputation for making fine libations (think beer and wine) the fact that we create darn good whisky seems to have fallen off everyone’s liquid radar.
Considering my new thistle-shaped receptacle has its origins in the Maritimes; filling it with a wee dram from our nation’s only single malt whisky maker seemed poetic. Glen Breton Rare ($79.99 – $89.55) made by Cape Breton’s Glenora Distillery is a light, heathery 10 year old with a relaxed, creamy flow of soft, sweet malt.
If you like your hard liquor with more oak-influenced flavour Danfield’s Private Reserve Small Batch Whisky ($24.95 – $26.48) tastes like an American bourbon but with all the smooth, mouth-filling sweet grain character of a classic Canadian.
A touch of spring water added to each will help reveal more of their rich aromatics no matter what glass you choose to use.
Prices reflect the range across the country. Some products may not be available in all provinces.
Peter Rockwell is the everyman’s wine writer, working in the liquor industry for more than 25 years and travelling the globe looking for something to fill his glass and put into words.
