Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye (2021 Release)

Rating: 16/23 Nose: There's a genuine richness here, along with a prominent sweet layer. I detect cherry, malt, spearmint, mild baking spices, and vanilla, forming a pleasant core profile. Palate: Rich, full, and decadent. Abundant cherry flavor, but also considerable heat that tastes high-proof without being harsh. Some malty richness and hints of dark chocolate are present. An intriguing note of mushroom earthiness, reminiscent of Noah's Mill but in a positive way. It's decadent, though not particularly exciting. Finish: Slightly bitter, flat, and lingering, but with some flavors worth noting. Cherry is clearly present, balanced by what seems like orange, contrasting with an existing bourbon character. - Conclusion - It doesn't quite come together, but it is quite decadent and needs something to unify it. I find it comparable in quality to Whistlepig PiggyBack (16/23). There are some similar pronounced rye notes, which I appreciate, although this expression takes a more decadent, less complex path. If anything, I might lean towards favoring this one, potentially making it a 17. Pikesville (16/23) has a sweeter body with nice character from other grains, but it lacks the pure rye essence found here. Nevertheless, I don't consider this superior to Pikesville. Russell's Reserve Single Barrel rye (17/23) is also in a similar quality range. Both emphasize richness. Alas, this seems to be another 16 for Rye. It could be a 17, however. I have plenty, so I'll revisit it later, but for now, it's a 16.

COLOR: Old copper still. LEGS: Thin; tiny beads joined into larger drops on the side of the glass; after a long time, they slowly rolled down the glass; they took forever to fully drop -- I lost patience and moved on to the aroma. AROMA: Moderate (3/5); sweet, spicy & grassy; vanilla, honey & maple syrup; sour green apples & citrus; a faint acetone (Sharpie marker) scent; herbal, hay & oak. WITH WATER (10 drops into 15mL): perhaps a bit sweeter and dustier. Score 7/10 TASTE: Very thick and rich; oily, wet drying; powerful (5/5); very sweet, very spicy rye; vanilla, caramel & honey; pepper, cinnamon & leather; herbal & oaky; some hints of salt near the end; WITH WATER: much juicier, sweeter, creamier, and dustier; significantly better; I increased the score by half a point. Score 8.5/10 FINISH: Long and sweet, with a lot of hot rye spice; a little dusty grain at the end upon burping. WITH WATER: longer and sweeter. Score 7.5/10 OVERALL: Quite strong and harsh without water; very sweet and delicious with water. Excellent in a tumbler with an ice cube, but be sure to finish it before the ice cube fully melts and dilutes the rye too much. Weighted Score 8.0/10 IMAGERY: I'm browsing a small-town candy store, smelling all the candy dust in the air.

The aroma provides immediate heat, perhaps too much if you're not careful, but it brings floral rye, caramel apple, and a hint of charred oak and leather. It's unmistakably rye and gives the impression that it's very robust and at a sweet spot with its age. The taste is dry yet chewy and immediately coats the mouth with intense baking spices mixed with a bit of dark chocolate. Sweet caramel apple emerges as you chew, offering very nice fruity notes on the back end. This whiskey remains strong as it breathes, staying intense and full flavored without any concern of it weakening. The aroma carries over to the taste pretty directly and while the flavors may seem rather simple, it is the intensity of the flavors which makes this shine. The finish is long, but not excessively long, with the intense spice giving way to lingering green apple which feels almost refreshing. The rest of the palate can be revealed with some chewing, making this an almost never-ending experience. This is absolutely remarkable when it comes to floral, rather than earthy, rye.

Golden brown with thin legs. The aroma carries notes of burnt brown sugar, grape must, and grassy spice, along with some ethanol. The palate offers intense burnt sugar, followed by light dill pickle and a robust ethanol presence, though not overwhelming for its proof. Flavors include sweet, sour, grassy, chocolate, pepper, and baking spice. The finish presents chocolate, sweet grass, and a spicy mint tingle, fading quickly. It has a light, Canadian-style mouthfeel with minimal oak and tannins, leading to a compact finish. The profile is clean and focused. Adding ice tempers the ethanol, reduces the sweet and sour notes, smooths the rye flavors, and accentuates the chocolate and mint. I'll continue to evaluate this. While I generally don't favor the Canadian whisky style, this expression warrants consideration.

This bottling was a genuine surprise. My previous experience with the initial batch was not favorable, leading me to approach this bottle with low expectations and no preconceptions. The packaging initially struck me as somewhat low-end, featuring plastic wrap and a screw-top closure. However, I proceeded with the tasting. After allowing the whiskey to rest for fifteen minutes, I began the nose. Initially, I detected sweet melon, followed by vanilla and apples. As I explored further, a strong cinnamon aroma emerged. The nose is excellent. The taste revealed notes of vanilla, apples, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The finish was long and warming, primarily characterized by baking spices. Despite my general dislike for Canadian whiskey, this cask strength Rye offers exceptional value. I wish more Canadian whiskies possessed these qualities.

A personal favorite, this is my second experience with Canadian whiskey, and it's considerably better than a certain brand that rhymes with 'thistle rig'.