Category Archives: Canada

Shelter Point – The Collective 46%

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In our Whisky Ladies of Mumbai original group, we have three Canadians. Yes, that is completely disproportionate, however, it just so happened that when starting the group, I knew one fellow Canadian who, like myself, has long-term adopted India as home and another settled in Mumbai who heard of our group and was interested in joining.

Yet before you conclude this is a purely Canadian club, far from it! We have women from a range of backgrounds, ages, and experiences, from professionals to entrepreneurs, we are drawn together by a common interest in exploring a dram or two or three.

Over the years, we have had women drift in and out, circumstances change, people move away and others are found where such a small, private forum of dram devotees come together to discover, debate, and drive forward a collective understanding.

Why mention this context? As we enter the midpoint of our 9th year, it seems fitting that things continue to evolve. In our January session, we had a mix of early members and new, each bringing their distinctive approach and reactions.

Which is the sentiment of The Collective. It is a mix of five Shelter Point casks aged for at least five years. Each cask was selected by a working member of Shelter Point, brought together where the hope is that the sum is greater than its parts.

This was why I planned to share this whisky with the ladies… Then when the very folks most familiar with Shelter Point couldn’t join, I shifted gears and offered a Chorlton trio.

A few months later, I was back in Mumbai and decided – why not? So opened up the Shelter Point bottles starting with this one!

Shelter Point The Collective 46% (2020)

  • Colour – Bright gold
  • Nose  – Sunshine! Honey, like a super sweet baklava with sugary syrup and nutty pistachios and pecans. Delightful. It kept evolving… slipping into sweet lemon curd, then big red, lots of fresh red cherries. There was also a hard candy with mixed berries or a red raspberry covered in powdered sugar. After even more time, there was basil and bay leaf too!
  • Palate – Spice! White peppercorn. Then grapefruit. Rather than being candy-sweet, it was actually a bit salty. Contradictory and fun, not at all light.
  • Finish – Quite herbaceous – like a sweet herbal liqueur, stevia, a lovely long finish with bay leaf
  • Water – Amped up the sea salt, joined by a nutty nougat

It was an utterly enchanting aroma, light, sweet, and joyful. The palate was such a contrast, then it closed with a wonderful finish that circled back to the delicious nose. For most, the nose and finish were fabulous with the palate a little quixotic, not quite in harmony with the other elements.

We set it aside to sample the Shelter Point Double Barrel then the 10 year cask strength… we returned to find the palate a symphony of delight – where everything all came together. Perfection.

And what do the folks at Shelter Point have to say?

At Shelter Point we’re in together. Every one of our five local staff contributes to the character and success of the distillery, so we asked each one to choose a favourite whisky cask to include in this special release that celebrates our people. The result is a delicious blend of five specially selected casks that reflect the collective spirit and passion of our Shelter Point family. All whiskies selected are at least 4 years old.

Tasting Notes:

On the nose, The Collective has distinct notes of vanilla and cinnamon with bursts of fruity flavor. The palate is spicy and fruity leading to the satisfying finish that is long with an assortment of spices, cherry wood and salt.

Whisky Facts:

  • Still: Custom-designed copper pot still
  • Base: Barley, Rye and Wheat (That’s it. Nothing else)
  • Distillation: Small-batch, 3x distilled
  • Spirit: Natural colour and non-chill filtered
  • Alcohol Content: Bottled at 46% Alc.Vol

I purchased it in November 2020 for CND$34.78 + taxes + shipping for 375 ml.

What did we try in our Shelter Point evening in Mumbai?

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Shelter Point – 10 year, Double Barrel, The Collective

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Over the years, I remotely acquired some Shelter Point whiskies. First I had to get them from Vancouver to Winnipeg. Then from Winnipeg to Nurnberg. And then for some, from Nurnberg to Mumbai!

Why bring Canadian whiskies halfway around the world? We have a few Whisky Ladies who have followed their journey from the 1st bottle of their inaugural batch that Patrick Evans kindly gifted us in 2016. We were captivated by their Single Malts from this farm to cask distillery in British Columbia. So it was only fitting that I share more recent releases. I was all primed to offer a trio in January 2024, however then the original folks familiar with Shelter Point – including a fellow Canadian – could not join. So I decided to postpone for another opportunity.

It was tough deciding which three to bring… What did I pick?

Curious to learn more? Just click on the above links to read tasting notes about our collective impressions!

Spoiler alert! We found three distinctive elements in all the whiskies we tried: Sunshine, sea salt, a herbaceous quality. Delicious.

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That Boutique-y Whisky Co – New Core Range

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No Whisky Show is truly complete without the dynamic duo of Dave Worthington & Sam Simmonds. That Boutique-y Whisky Co is just a “must go”! 

At London’s 2023 Whisky Show, you could spend the entire day at their wee stall! This year, they introduced their new core range along with three different features:

  • Land of Oz
  • American
  • Cinema expressions

We somehow managed to stick with just a partial sampling of the Core Range, Oz, and Cinema… however that took rather a large amount of restraint!

Starting with the World Whisky Blend (fabulous and affordable!), the good folks at Atom Brands aka That Boutique-y Whisky Co, decided it was time to have something a bit more regular and dependable for fans. Shifting from 500ml bottles of unique expressions with sometimes only 100+ bottles in existence where you could “blink” and they are gone, their new core range can be found in “industry standard” 700ml bottles, all at a traditional strength of 45.8% in batches of approx 1,000 liters, with the intention of being much more accessible.

Naturally, there had to be something a bit cheeky about the approach with Emily Chappell’s labels! With a nod to traditional scotch whisky which often featured deer… in this case, the age of the deer was linked to the age of the dram… except of course for the Canadian whisky, it simply had to be a moose! Dave also shared the bottle colours are meant to reflect the northern lights too. 

Which was exactly where we began, the good Canuck that I am! 

Canadian Corn 8 year 45.8% (GBP 38)

Big bold and sweet aromas, caramel toffee sweetness, nutty, and more! And on the palate? Even more of that dramatic desert with some cracking ginger spice. Yet even with all the big bold aromas and flavours, it was in harmony and not overwhelming. A fun, fabulous sweet treat with a punch.

What more do we know? It was matured in 100% Oloroso casks. As for official tasting notes?

  • Nose – Fruity muffins, buttery oak, opening up into sherried goodness: raisins, prunes, dates, drizzles of runny toffee and toasted nuts.
  • Taste – Big, bold, and fruity! Toffee ripple ice cream, wafer, and popcorn join toasted almonds and cooked peach, white cracks of black pepper nestle in the depths.

Where did we go next? We then shifted to the oldest offering in this new core range – the 30-year-old blended grain!

Blended Grain 30 year 45.8% GBP 75

As bold and youthful as the Canadian corn was, we shifted to a genteel dame with the blended grain. On the nose, it was a friendly ‘breakfast dram’ with delicious buttery pastries, honey, and a hint of marmalade, some cream with vanilla. Then on the palate? Soft, even creamier, and far too easy to drink. This one was dangerous in its deceptively easy style. Yum!

What more do we know? It is a blend of refill casks of ex-Bourbon hogsheads and ex-Sherry octaves. As for tasting notes?

  • Nose – Honeycomb, red grapes, immensely buttery biscuits or shortbread, waxy orange peel, polished oak and a touch of floral spring breeze.
  • Palate –  Thick, textured with rich butterscotch, freshly baked cookies with still-soft chocolate chunks, hints of cedar and white pepper in the finish.

Next up was the Speyside….

Speyside 12 year 45.8% GBP 45

If the Canadian was big and bold, the Grain genteel and intoxicating, the Speyside was a sherry delight with substance!

On the nose, we found crunchy chocolate caramel with roasted nuts, some fruity sweetness too, and a puff of smoke. It had real substance on the palate – this was no lightweight! Warm and full of classic sherry dark fruits combined with a hint of salt. Far too drinkable too!

What more do we know? It is a combination of all-new Oloroso casks.. with the official tasting notes:

  • Nose – Caramelised nuts and chocolate mousse, flamed orange peel, cinnamon, earthy density, punchy cassia, and smoky oak.
  • Taste – Fruity, chewy and spicy. Tangy cranberry, salty jerky, oily walnuts, an absolute belter of a Speyside whisky. Complex and quaffable.

We held off on checking out the Highland 18 year and Islay 8 year. I’m sure they are equally worth checking out. Our overall conclusion for the trio we tried is that each is, in its distinctive way, simply too easy to drink. Which I supposed is exactly what they were aiming for with this more accessible range – bravo!

What next? Well… join me as we dive into a selection from Australia!

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Shelter Point – Canadian whisky stash!

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There I was back in November 2020… sitting in Nurnberg on a rather cool, miserable, overcast day… missing being ‘home’… both my India home with my amazing spouse (especially as it was our birthday week!) and my Canadian home with family and friends.

So what’s a gal to do? Buy a whisky birthday present, of course! That’s exactly what I did. A Shelter Point trio that was patiently waiting at my parent’s place in Winnipeg ever since…

  • Shelter Point 5-year “The Collective” (2020) 46% (375 ml)
  • Shelter Point 7-year Single Cask, Triple Grain (unmalted & malted barley, rye), 5th Edition (2020) 43%, Bottle 205/288 (750 ml)
  • Shelter Point Montfort District Lot 151 Single Grain Whisky (2020) 46% (375 ml)

At the time, I never imagined it would take until late May 2023 for me to finally make the trip to Canada! By that point, the initial trio were joined by a further quartet:

  • Shelter Point “Smoke & Oak” (2021) Batch #1 46% (375 ml)
  • Shelter Point 6-year “Double Barrel” (2021) 6th Edition 46% (Coastal Black’s Blackberry Wine) (375 ml)
  • Shelter Point 6-year “The Forbidden” (2021) Batch #2, 47% (375ml)
  • Shelter Point 10-year Artisanal Cask Strength (2021) 57.8% (750 ml)

Now I have a problem of plenty! It was a tough call to select which made the final cut for the journey to Germany. Will some or all of these eventually continue their journey to India for the Whisky Ladies of Mumbai? And how long will we need to wait to hold a session? Will it be another year (or more) til some of these beauties make their way into a glass?

When I have the answer, you will have the answer. Til then… Slainthe!

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Canadian Connect – Two Brewers

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Founded in 2015, our Whisky Ladies of Mumbai were only temporarily disrupted by international exits and COVID. And while I’ve missed many a session since moving to Germany, some kind ladies set aside samples so I’m able to partially follow their whisky adventures.

That’s what I love best about this remarkable group of women – we each come with different backgrounds, passions and persuasions yet combine together over good drams and bad, committed to discovering and uncovering what the world of whisky has to offer!

This brings me to the 2nd part of the Whisky Ladies of Mumbai’s March 2022 session which had a decidedly Canadian theme, courtesy of a fellow Canadian’s trip back in late 2021. Our 1st half featured:

These experiments were followed by two whiskies from the Yukon – which til this experience I had no clue was even producing whisky! Two Brewer‘s Innovative and Peated completed our quartet of experimental Canadian spirits.

1st up was Two Brewers Innovative Release No 27 46%

  • Colour – Bright copper
  • Nose – It started with peculiar almost soapy quality, then quickly shifted into a very malty aroma, chased by a nutty edge, astringent then resinous
  • Palate – Hmm… more of that nutty element – very strong, joined by a sharp spice, heavy like a dark chewy stout
  • Finish – Not much… a bit bitter and beery

So I must confess, this sample was in a small plastic bottle, meant to be transferred to a glass bottle. But then I got back to Germany and, well… didn’t. This probably means what I tried isn’t exactly representative of the dram straight from the bottle.

What do they have to say?

Two Brewers captures the core of beers malt character builders; a dense and complex spirit with distinctive character barrel aging, tempting and engaging.

TASTING NOTES:
Deep malt aromas rise as misty wafts, quelling the taunting spirit. The cereal weight is evident, rich as buckwheat honey, nuts and nougat engage the palate. Oak and smoke, remnants from peated barrels, brace the continuing composition, absorbing for the attentive listener.

And what about their Peated Release No 22 43%?

  • Colour – Bright straw
  • Nose – Surprisingly light at first, sweet, malty, smoky-sweet grass, then malt chocolate
  • Palate – The peat comes through more here, however, there is a soapy malty element too, spice
  • Finish – Dry and dusty with a curl of smoke

To be honest, I paused a moment to speculate – there was a distinctly different quality that I couldn’t quite pin down. Not remarkable, but not half bad.

What more do we know? Not much as tasting notes are about other Releases… Which is part of the charm of the Two Brewers – experiment with every release…

So there you have it! A quartet from Canada… starting with two hybrids and ending in a duo from the Yukon.

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Additionally, there are the two ‘off-shoots’ with:

Whisky/Gin Crossovers – Endeavour Gin and Forager Botanical Whisky

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In the world of spirits, there are some curious cross-overs…. whisky with beer finish or beery whisky come to mind, however to the best of my knowledge, these two whiskied gin and gin botanical infused whisky hybrids – Endeavor and Forager – from Canada were our first brush in such combinations.

So…. did they work?

Endeavour Gin “Old Tom” Barrel Aged 45%

From The Liberty Distillery on Vancouver’s Granville Island, I was surprised to learn there is a German connection – via their copper pot stills.

Typically one doesn’t do tasting notes in quite the same way with gin… however here goes:

  • Nose – Mmmm… oh now that is a lovely enticing gin aroma – subtle juniper and a really nice interplay with the oak, refreshing…. teasing with fresh mint, citrus peel and coriander
  • Palate – Yum! The berries and botanicals really come forward together with a peppery spice, oak and a curiously compelling perfume, piquant yet sweet and savoury all at once – a surprisingly delicious combination

This is one dangerously drinkable gin that has quite a happy ‘nod’ to whisky with the cask influence. Some ‘hybrids’ simply don’t stand up, whereas this one works!

I couldn’t resist the temptation and simply had to try it with some chunks of ice and a splash of soda – delightful!

What more do we know?

Endeavour Old Tom Gin begins with our 100% organic BC triple-distilled wheat spirit. (10) traditional botanicals are slowly infused during re-distillation in our single copper pot still. The gin is then further macerated with a blend of (5) additional local and traditional botanicals before resting in 220-litre French Oak barrels for several months, to slowly gain character, complexity and colour.

What do they have to say about the gin itself?

Endeavour Old Tom is a taste of history based on records dating back to the 1850’s. It is a full-flavoured, full-bodied, mahogany-coloured gin with a rich, intense nose. On the palate there is a pronounced spicy fruitcake character with notes of juniper, mint, orange blossom and mulberry, all intertwined with the oak to produce a mouth filling assortment of enticing flavours. The finish is long, powerful, spicy and compelling. Liberty’s Old Tom will delight adventurous gin enthusiasts; Old Tom is the gin for Whiskey Lovers.

The Forager 40%

In another hybrid cross-over, we have a botanical whisky…. how did it compare with the whisky barrel-aged gin?

  • Nose – A peculiar almost perfume-like sweetness, I also get subtle notes of spruce and a hint of tea together with Juniper, sage and something else I couldn’t quite place… a curious varnish, vanilla
  • Palate – More pine, a bit salty.. whisky but not entirely whisky…
  • Finish – Nothing much, a prickly spice

Overall… not nearly so successful as the gin, I’m afraid.

What do the folks at Forty Creek have to say?

The Forager is the world’s first botanical Canadian whisky. Foraged from the Canadian wilderness, searching far and wide to respectfully and responsibly hand pick the finest natural botanicals to steep into world-class whisky. A lighter style whisky with intricate, interwoven flavours and Ultra-silky texture.

And their tasting notes?

  • Aromas – Bright citrus and light toffee, pine needles and straw
  • Flavour – Lively white pepper, flares of sandalwood and pine evolve on the palate
  • Finish – Great minerality, herbs and baking spices dominate the finish with diminishing acidity

Both interesting hybrid’s from Canada, with one clearly

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Shelter Point – Vancouver to Nurnberg

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Life sometimes brings you an interesting twist. Such as a Nurnberg based friend managing even in these strange COVID times to travel to Vancouver to see her family… offering to bring back something and my shamelessly asking for whisky! Which wasn’t so easy as it isn’t like a small craft distillery on Vancouver Island has whiskies widely available… However she is a determined lass and made the “quest” an adventure, integrated with other activities, and came home triumphant!

Have I opened it yet? Nope! I know what to expect – having enjoyed previous batches of this Vancouver Island single malt – starting with their 1st Batch in 2016), then again in 2017 and 2018. So I plan to keep this precious Canadian import tightly shut awaiting the right occasion and company!

What else do I have “waiting in the wings” from Shelter Point?

In Winnipeg I have a Shelter Point trio patiently waiting since November 2020 for a return to Canada.

And by spring 2021, it was clear I wouldn’t be back anytime soon… So I decided to add to my wee Canadian whisky collection two more expressions that are at the distillery for shipping or collection in the coming months:

This was followed by something I’m hugely looking forward to – their oldest single malt yet as Shelter Point celebrates a decade of producing sunshine in a bottle!

Who knows when my next trip to see family and friends in Canada will make sense. But in the meantime, I have some “sheer joy” in the Shelter Point Single Malt to look forward to here in Nurnberg!

PS – These whiskies made it to Germany and India respectively, for tastings held in 2024!

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Vita Dulcis 13 – Canada’s J.P. Wiser’s 18 year 40%

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A nice surprise in my international Advent Calendar was a chance to ‘virtually’ take a trip to Canada shortly before Xmas!

As I had some catching up to do, I speed tasted a few sips of four drams… one after the other… with this one the last. Good thing as it was a clear departure and one that needed time to settle into…

Here is what I found!

Canada – JP Wiser’s 18 year Blended Whisky 40%

  • Nose – Initial hit was acidic, almost varnish or glue, but then it immediately mellowed, became sweeter, light tart fruits like a crisp apple, pine sol… and after the 1st sip reminded me of dried sour plums
  • Palate – Smooth, rounded…. tamarind… dried sour plum – a bit tart, a bit salty, a bit sweet and overall tangy
  • Finish – Long finish… which continued with the dried sour plum theme

Sometimes you come across a whisky that has a single predominant quality. Or at least once you catch that dimension, all senses become fixated on it. In the case of this J.P. Wiser’s 18 year, for me it was dried sour plums – Li hing mui (旅行梅) – specifically the red ones. This quality activated my taste buds with its combination of sour, salt and sweet. It also struck me that it might make an interesting addition to a cocktail.

While Canadian, this one reminded me of Asia. During my tasting, I was on a video chat with a friend in Canada and she immediately knew exactly what I meant.  She shared one of their favourite summer drinks is lemonade over ice with sour plums – the best part is how the sour plums help cut the sweet, add another element and then after soaking up the lemonade are delicious to eat.

Bottom line…. the more I sipped, the more I enjoyed this one… It was distinctive, interesting and a good shift in character after some less than stellar whiskies.

Distillery official tasting notes? I couldn’t really find… this is all they have to say:

Aged to perfection over 18 long years and blended with exacting care to deliver a premium whisky with the smoothest of finishes. This multiple award-winning spirit is something you’ll want to have on hand to serve and enjoy on special occasions.

Taste profile: Autumn florals, green apple, fresh pine, caramel, spice, oak 

Funny thing is… as I sat down to write up my notes, I discovered the Bombay Malt & Cigar lads and I had tried this whisky a few years ago during a special Canadian focused evening. When I read my old tasting notes, I could see the similarities but after fixating on sour plums, it was like a broken record… all I could ‘hear’ (taste/smell) was that!

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Missing Canada…. Shelter Point’s new expressions

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It is hard to believe, but I was last ‘home’ to Canada the summer of 2019 – a rushed trip triggered by needing a new passport pronto then race back to India to apply for both my German work visa and Indian long term visa. I was successful with the passport, also with the German visa but alas not the India visa – which remains elusive and further complicated by our tricky COVID times.

But I digress… While in our neighbourhood Liquor mart, I was thrilled to see that Shelter Point is now available in Manitoba. So naturally what I brought back from Canada was two bottles of Shelter Point‘s core single malt – one for my ‘new’ home in Germany and one for my ‘real’ home in India.

So in November 2020, when I saw online that Shelter Point had yet another really interesting looking limited edition expression, I was determined to not miss out!

A few clicks of a button later, an order was placed.

And what did I buy in anticipation of some very future trip to collect in Canada?

  • Shelter Point “The Collective” 4 year (2020) 46% – A blend of five casks chosen by Shelter Point’s five local staff to reflect the collective spirit and passion of their Shelter Point family. 
  • Shelter Point 7 year Single Cask #5 (2020) 43% – A blend of malted barley, unmalted barley and rye whisky, aged in an ex-bourbon cask, then finished in French oak. 
  • Montfort District Lot 151 Single Grain Whisky (2020) 46% – Montfort 151 is the lot in which the single-grain barley was grown. We’d tried the Montfort DL 141 before so was curious how the 151 contrasts and compares.

I truly have no idea when it will be possible to gather this bounty and bring it back to either Germany or India. However I know these beauties are waiting patiently with family. For now, that is enough… and I hope maybe by next summer?!?

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Advent Minis – Heaven Hill 8 Year Old 2009 63.5%

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While Heaven Hill hasn’t directly featured in prior tasting experiences, we’re no stranger to their brands like Pikesville and Elijah Craig from their distillery stable.

This particular sample was originally bottled by The Higginbottom, which traces its whisky roots to the late 1800s, when Henry Albert Higginbottom supplied whisky for British troops. The brand was recently revived by Higginbottom’s great great grandson Leo Scott-Francis.

It was part of a cool relaxed evening in Nurnberg sampling minis from my advent calendar. What did we think?

Heaven Hill 8 Year Old 2009 (May 2009 / November 2017) Cask 152736 63.5% – The Higgbottom Revival 

  • Nose – Bourbon banana caramel with a sharpness, honey oats, a granary, wheat husks, unripe
  • Palate – Whoosh! What spice! Dry but with a nice depth
  • Finish – Full spice
  • Water – Now this one cried out for some water. And wow – how fabulous with it. Suddenly out came a cornucopia of fruits with banana, pineapple, green apple, throw in a generous dash of Demerara sugar, the flavours were fuller, colourful with an exceedingly nice after taste

This was definitely an example of a dram that grew on you… the more we sniffed and sipped – particularly after water was added – the more we enjoyed it. We clearly wished there was more than the wee 3cl!

Particularly for my companion, there was a clear new world over old world vibe – she loved the Rye and also this Bourbon vs the Dalmore or Caol Ila. Which is part of the magic of such minis – an opportunity to discover tastes and preferences with a wee nip rather than investing in a full bottle.

What do the chaps at Master of Malt have to say about this Heaven Hill?

  • Nose: Honeyed fruit and fresh florals. Spicy cedar and nutmeg.
  • Palate: Quite punchy at full strength, with clove, menthol and black pepper. A drop of water helps to bring buttered corn and sponge cake notes forward.
  • Finish: Coffee bean, dark chocolate and oak.

Here are a few others we tried from my advent calendar minis:

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