My brief summer Hiatus is over (almost, a few days here and there). It’s been a nice relaxing week, with some whisky, beer and chilling by the pool with kids and family (and friends), and it’s time to continue the summer dramming sessions with some whiskey (a few of those this week). The first one is a Canadian sample that was waiting patiently for some time now, and comes from Pike Creek. Pike Creek comes from the Windsor, Ontario suburb where the Hiram Walker warehouses are located, and is quite unique as it’s double distilled in small copper column stills the spirit is matured in first-use white oak bourbon barrels then finished in vintage port pipes. The maturation process takes place in warehouses which are not heated or controlled for temp (no electricity there), so the temp. variation is quite large (cold winters, and hotter summers), this makes the wood express itself more strongly. Apparently there are two versions of the whisky, one for the Canadian market (called Double barrelled) and one for the US market called Port Finish. I’ve inquired about that, and Davin (the best resource about anything CA whiskey) says they are slightly different in terms of the mash bill, but the end product is quite the same (and having tasted them both, he’s quite right , again).
Many thanks to two of my Canadian Whisky friends Johanne, and Davin for the samples.
Pike Creek 10 yo Double Barreled Whiskey (Port finish) , 40% , $39.95 (CAD)
Nose: Sweet red fruit in sweet nectar. Doughnuts. Some winey notes too. Butterscotch. Thick and sweet on the fruity side.
Palate: Rich sweet and fruity. Stewed red fruit. Pepper. Toffee and spice. Mildly hot with ginger oak and a touch of bitter grapefruit.
Finish: Grapefruit pith and pepper.
This is a lovely sweet, thick dram. Very approachable, and enjoyed even in summer with an ice cube or two (Pardon my French). Not ultra complex, but at that price, it’s a worthy purchase.
I believe it’s a whiskY, not a whiskey