Ensign Red Black Canadian Whisky

Nose: cherry, butterscotch, pecan, mint, corn, black pepper, vanilla, apple, cinnamon, clove, grass, sharp oak, moderate alcohol sting. Taste: mint, apple, cherry, caramel, vanilla, corn, black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, grape, ginger, walnut, almond, moderate alcohol burn, finishing medium-short with earthy mint, caramel, black pepper, and spicy oak notes. As this is the companion to the standard Ensign Red, I'm reviewing them side-by-side. In general, I find the Black version to be richer, spicier, and more intense than the other. The oak is also noticeably more prominent. However, the same drawbacks persist. It's young, intense, and excessively sweet. Despite this, I would still much prefer to drink this over most other Canadian whiskies I've encountered, especially the Crown Royal Black, which is dreadful. Overall, I enjoy this slightly more than the standard offering, but not enough to elevate its rating. It remains below average, though perfectly drinkable if one has low expectations.

A rich Canadian blended Whisky, aged longer and finished in American oak ex-bourbon barrels. It begins aromatically with notes of grains, wood, dried fruits, herbs & spices; a rich middle adds notes of sweet toffee, oak, & maple; leading to a long & complex end. September 2017 / 2022

Not bad, quite smooth when sipping, not as good as Crown Royal but similar, with a slight burn at the end.

An educational tasting... sweet. It's a sharp sweetness, but the aroma isn't strongly sweet.

Corn presence. Some vanilla notes. It's alcoholic and dry.