Canadian Club 9 Year Reserve

Canadian Club Reserve, 40% ABV, aged 9 years. Imported and bottled in the US. The aroma is somewhat alcoholic with little discernible scent. Taste: a moderate amount of unusual Canadian sweetness, with some vanilla and mild rye spice. A slight hint of used/charred white oak on the finish, tasting very mediocre and immature, making it hard to believe it's 9 years old. Very smooth and easy to drink. DEDUCTIONS: The metal screw cap wouldn't seal properly, which is incredibly annoying since the plastic cap on the regular Canadian Club worked perfectly. It cost $19.99 plus tax, five dollars more than regular Canadian Club. Overall Grade: C range. Note: I find regular Canadian Club to be just as good or slightly better.

Sadly, there's not much to discuss regarding Canadian Club Reserve 9 Year. The scent is weak, mostly coming across as chemical and solvent-like. It resembles an open bottle of rubbing alcohol, with perhaps a faint trace of charcoal briquettes. The flavor consists of caramel and sugar, but it's overly sweet. It almost tastes like cola, which likely explains why it's usually mixed with Coke or club soda. The finish is decidedly unpleasant: bitter, like burnt cookies. A hint of cinnamon spice. Vanilla Coke. There's a nutty quality, but even that seems artificial on the tongue. If you're buying this as a budget option, you'll probably try it neat once, then hide the rest in cocktails.

Aroma: leather, cinnamon, spice cake. Taste: slightly diluted...cherry...and a spiciness that carries through to the finish. Adding water nicely complements the aroma, sweetening the taste and enhancing the spice. Overall: a decent value, but not intense enough for my preference. For just a bit more, I suggest Canadian Club's "Classic 12" expression.

Not overly complicated; the fruity notes are pleasant. It starts sweet then the spice appears. It's quite good on the rocks. Nothing exceptional, but you can't beat the price of $28 for a 1.75L. This is always a good choice to keep on hand for backup and for sharing with friends who drink a lot.

The nose has a nutty fruitiness. It's very smooth with hints of citrus and, oddly, a touch of roasted marshmallow. The aroma is pleasant. Like most Canadian whiskeys, the palate is very mellow, slightly sweet with almond notes. It's definitely not complex and becomes uninteresting after the initial sips.

Surprisingly decent in my search for affordable spirits to save money. The aroma is harsh and stings the nostrils, but then a vanilla scent emerges. It wasn't remarkable when tasted neat, but on ice, it seemed to become sweeter, with a caramel-like flavor.