Collingwood, Ontario, is a small town at the southern end of Georgian Bay. There is a big ski resort there, Blue Mountain; and a Canadian Whisky distillery, Brown-Forman's Canadian Mist Distillery. In addition to Canadian Mist, the distillery makes Collingwood Canadian Whisky, a small super-premium line extension. Now they are releasing a Collingwood limited edition, a 21-year-old whiskey made from 100% malted rye.
When it was distilled, the small unnamed batch of malted rye whisky was identified only as lot 41-06-91. It has now become Collingwood Rye 21-Year-Old. The spirit was matured in seasoned oak barrels and as a finishing step, rested with toasted Maplewood.
Maplewood finishing is the Collingwood brand's trademark. It is a final step before bottling. Maplewood finishing should not be confused with the maple flavoring added by Crown Royal and others. Maplewood finishing does not impart a maple syrup flavor. It is a true wood note and subtle. It doesn't taste like maple syrup at all.
Although the regular Collingwood is a Canadian blended whisky, this is a straight rye by U.S. definition.
Collingwood Rye 21-Year-Old is bottled at 80° proof with a suggested retail price of $69.99. In Canada it will be available only in Ontario. In the U.S. it will be sold in Alaska, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, New York, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming only.
Have you had a chance to try it yet? Just wondered if it is worth the sticker price.
ReplyDeleteNo, I haven't tasted it yet.
ReplyDeleteI'm intrigued but I always think about deodorant when I see those bottles.
ReplyDeleteChuck-I know that this is subjective, but how do you feel about 80 proof? Even in Jack Daniels, I feel that 80 proof doesn't have the taste or body of 86 or 90. What does the proof add to the taste? Just wondering.
ReplyDeletenice bottle of cologne.
ReplyDeleteIs it all flavouring whiskey, as an all-malted rye origin would suggest? If so, why the maple wood treatment, especially after that long a time in barrel..? I can understand the fillip when applied to the usual Canadian blend, but I'd have thought it unnecessary and possibly a distraction for an all-striaght Canadian taste. Will I buy it? Of course.
ReplyDeleteGary
Dammit, ChainWhip!! you beat me to it with the "deodorant" thing!
ReplyDeleteDo you ever go to the Victoria Whisky Festival, chuck?
ReplyDeleteNo. I'd like to go to more events like that, but I need a sugar daddy, I mean, sponsor.
ReplyDeleteI picked up a bottle in MD today. I like Collingwood - so I figured to give this a try.
ReplyDelete