While many of us are feeling the pinch of the exchange rate with the Canadian dollar at a low, there’s one thing that we can continue to enjoy at a great price — Canadian whiskey.
In the past Canadian rye has had a reputation of lacking the same quality as that of Scotch or Irish Whiskey. It was a drink “drank by our grandparents” and often mixed with Gingerale or Coke. However, in the past two decades, there has been a transformation in the industry; the number of Canadian rye distilleries and micro-distilleries has grown substantially and the quality of products has improved dramatically.
What Canadians may not realize is that many of these ryes are only available in Canada and with incredible price points and flavour profiles like this, they are certainly something to boast about. Below I present you the top 9 Best Value Ryes, which can be picked up at your local government liquor store for under $30 a bottle (except maybe one).*
1. Alberta Premium Dark Horse ($26.99) — 45% ABV
As described on the bottle, Dark Horse rye is definitely made for whiskey connoisseurs who prefer a bolder, richer tasting Canadian Whiskey. Personally, when I first tried this whiskey about a year ago, it was a Canadian rye game changer for me.
90% of the blend is made with a mix of two types of Canadian rye — a high proof rye that’s been aged for 12 years in used barrels and a low proof pot still rye aged 6 years in new barrels. To add some additional sweetness, 8% of the blend is made with a well-aged corn whiskey which is made bourbon style and arguably the most unique element, 0.5% — 1% of the mix is sherry. Take this unique mix, throw it into heavily-charred American oak barrels, aged some more and there you have it, pure perfection.
PS — Why is the 8% corn-whiskey strategic ingenuity? Find out here.
5 Phrases to Describe It
Vanilla. Smoke. Sweet Oak. Blackcurrant. Distinctive>
Best Served…
Neat with one ice cube
If This Whiskey Was a Person…
It would be Katy Perry. Yes, she does have a song called Dark Horse, but back in the day circa 2001, Katy Perry, who was then known as Katy Hudson, was an unstylish, undiscovered Christian rock singer. But she was a diamond in the rough. Similarly, it’s only a matter of time before this Dark Horse hits the big time in popularity.
2. Canadian Club 100% Rye ($22.49) — 40% ABV
Released in 2014, Canadian Club’s Chairman Select 100% Rye surprised and delighted many critics. The second Canadian rye to be made and released with 100% rye mash, and while it’s made by Canadian Club, its taste is unlike any other Canadian Club offering. Although the bottle has no age statement it’s been said by Canadian Club reps that the spirit is distilled then aged for 7 years.
5 Phrases to Describe It
Smooth yet spicy. Toasted Grains. Vanilla. Caramel. Oak notes.
Best Served…
Neat, or in a Rye + Ginger
If This Whiskey Was a Person…
It would be Justin Trudeau. Backed by the longstanding reputation of his father, Justin rose to prominence fairly quickly, announcing his intention be the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, winning the leadership seat, then going on to win a majority government in the recent federal election all within a few years time. Similarly, Canadian Club has a long standing reputation and their new Chairman’s Select blend is quickly reaping the benefits. That being said (and note, these are not my words) while Trudeau and this whiskey’s approval ratings are generally high, critics feel like they’re a bit watered down + lack substance at the end of the day.
3. Alberta Premium ($21.49) — 40% ABV
Sure the branding, bottle, plastic cap and low price point may make this product seem like just another unmemorable whiskey, but think again. This Canadian classic is consistently rated by Jim Murray’s Whiskey Bible as the top Canadian Whiskey (2006, 2007, 2008 + 2009), and highly scored.
As one of the few Canadian ryes that’s actually made out of a 100% rye blend, Alberta Premium is a flavour-forward secret wonder that should have a place in every home bartender’s liquor cabinet.
5 Phrases to Describe It
Sponge toffee. Roasted Nuts. Candied Orange Peel. Cedar. Tobacco Notes.
Best Served…
Mixed in a Cocktail
If This Whiskey Was a Person…
It would be Alicia Cuthbert. Originally from Alberta herself, Alicia has played a number of key roles in a variety of well-known, critically acclaimed shows over the years. You may not know who she is by name but you would definitely recognize her when pointed out. Similarly, Alberta Premium may be unassuming to many but is critically acclaimed by many connoisseurs.
4. Gibson’s Finest Rare 12 Year Old Whiskey ($24.49) — 40%
Aged for 12 years, this is one of the few whiskies aged for this duration at this price point. Owned by William Grant + Sons, the owners of such whiskey brands as Glenfiddich, Balvenie and Tullamore Dew, Gibson’s Finest Rare 12 Year is a great introductory rye, especially to use in mixed drinks.
5 Phrases To Describe It
Sweet toffee. Toasted Oak. Vanilla. Hint of Black Liquorice. Smooth finish.
Best Served…
Mixed in a Cocktail
If This Whiskey Was A Person
It would be Helen Mirren. Always put together, stylish, versatile, dynamic, sweet and gets better with age.
5. Collingwood ($31.99) — 40% ABV
From the specially selected water of the Georgian Bay, (often said to be the sixth Great Lake) t0 the maturation which occurs in toasted maplewood staves, a great attention to detail is paid to each part of the distillation process when making Collingwood rye. Hand made and triple distilled the resulting flavour notes are unique and mellow. The spirit is presented in a beautifully branded bottle which is almost as defining as its taste.
5 Phrases to Describe It
Graham-cracker. Butterscotch. Creamy. Marzipan. Toasted maple-wood finish.
Best Served…
Neat
If This Whiskey Was A Person
It would be Emma Watson. Sure her career started as a Hermione in Harry Potter but her acting, style and activism have grown immensely over time. Like Emma, Collingwood is focused on the utmost quality. Both beauties not only have a certain sweetness that everyone enjoys but is also complex and stunningly put together.
6. Forty Creek Barrel Select ($23.49) — 40% ABV
Many people believe that the turning point in the modern history of Canadian rye was with the launch of Forty Creek in the 1990’s. Prior to this Canadian ryes had a reputation as being great for “mixed drinks” as their taste was less desirable to that of Irish Whiskies or Scotches.
When winemaker John Hall began creating Forty Creek’s Barrel Select blend, he decided to focus intently on flavour, pot still distillation and the highest quality of cooperage. The resulting rye has won countless awards and has helped to reinvent the reputation of the Canadian rye industry.
5 Phrases to Describe It
Honey. Vanilla. Toasted Oak. Black Walnut. Baking spices.
Best Served…
Neat
If This Whiskey Was A Person
It would be Elon Musk. With the utmost attention to detail, quality and innovation, Barrel Select is a product that was disruptive for its time. Sure it may not be Space X or Tesla but like these companies it has helped to redefine its respective industry and drastically change consumer perceptions.
7. Forty Creek Copper Pot Reserve ($24.99) — 43% ABV
Introduced in 2012, Forty Creek’s Copper Pot Reserve is the answer to those who enjoy the Barrel Select but yearned for a deeper and richer taste profile.
Made with barley, corn and rye, what’s unique about Forty Creek is that each grain is distilled and matured separately in oak barrels and then is married together as opposed to mashing and distilling all three grains together in one big mishmash — or perhaps mixedmash? For the Copper Pot Reserve, the master distiller selects the best quality of each of these grains to blend together and bottles it at a slightly higher ABV to allow the complexities to evolve on the palate.
5 Phrases to Describe It
Baking spices. Toffee. Nuts. Dried stone fruits. Hints of Marmalade.
Best Served…
Neat with one ice cube
If This Whiskey Was A Person
It would be Martha Stewart. Forget the whole jail thing for a second and bear with me here. Martha Stewart has built an empire that is predicated on quality products that are accessible and affordable for the “everyperson”. Similarly with Forty Creek Copper Pot Reserve, this whiskey is made with the top notch quality and taste in mind, is priced affordably and is multi-versatile for usage straight up, in highballs or in cocktails.
8. Crown Royal Regal Apple ($25.49) — 35% ABV
Sure Crown Royal’s Northern Harvest Rye Blend has been the media darling of the year, however, due to it’s unanticipated popularity it can be extremely hard to find. Crown Royal Regal Apple on the other hand, is abundant and ripe for the picking. How about them apples.
Made with Crown Royal’s signature blend and infused with Regal Gala Apples and apple flavours, this spirit in intriguing to say the least. While many whiskey enthusiasts would scoff at the idea of drinking a flavoured whiskey, Crown Royal Apple is fantastic in mixed drinks, especially for those looking to ease in to the world of whiskey.
5 Phrases to Describe It
Crisp apples. Spice. Caramel. Vanilla. Slightly Tart.
Best Served…
As a shot (chilled).
If This Whiskey Was A Person
It would be Justin Bieber. In his younger years Justin was scouted for his singing talent by Usher and built his career on this foundation. Similarly, Crown Royal’s longstanding reputation has helped Crown Regal Apple to take off quickly. Like Justin, Crown Apple has a reputation of being sweet and therefore attracts the ladies but not-so-secretly many men like it too (they just don’t want to admit it). Nevertheless, the general consensus for both Justin + Crown Apple is a love-hate: some people are die-hard fans while others are disgusted by it’s inauthenticity (as a flavoured rye), leaving them with a bad taste in their mouths.
9. Spicebox Pumpkin Spiced ($13.99 for a 375 ml) — 35% ABV
If you like desserts and you like whiskey this one is a twofer. This whiskey while very sweet, provides a plethora of flavours in your mouth — it’s like drinking a pumpkin pie while enjoying the warm, smooth finish of whiskey. The 100% rye base for this whiskey’s mash bill helps to add an extra element of “spice” or rather spiciness to this spirit.
5 Phrases to Describe It
Rich pumpkin pie. Allspice. Nutmeg. Butterscotch. Vanilla.
Best Served…
On the rocks with club soda, coffee or eggnog.
If This Whiskey Was A Person
It would be Michael Buble. Sure it can be appreciated year round, but everyone is on board to enjoy it during the holiday season.
*All prices are based on the list price at the BC Liquor Store.
