Forty Creek Resolve

I acquired this at the British Columbia special release, adding to my collection of annual limited edition Forty Creeks. I've sampled small amounts of the prior two years, Unity (2018) and Victory (2019), for comparison with this year's offering. It has a rich amber hue with syrupy legs, resembling Victory and appearing much thicker and more viscous than Unity. Nose: A sweet wine note is prominent initially, followed by a strong port presence, which isn't always my preference in whiskies, so we'll see. I detect notes of raisins and dried apricots. Unity offers a more pronounced butterscotch or caramel quality, while Victory has a similar character but with slightly less upfront wine and a bit more oak. Returning to Resolve, I begin to notice hints of damp cedar or freshly cut wood. After tasting it and the others, caramel notes start to emerge on the nose. Palate: The initial mouthfeel is a bit thinner than anticipated, though it does develop after a moment, but not as full as I'd prefer. It avoids being overly sweet, unlike some previous versions that bordered on it, and the wine flavors are present without being excessive. Tart cherries and more dried fruits are accompanied by subtle oak. Unity has greater sweetness and a more forward rye spice. Victory sits between these two. Despite some shared characteristics, they each possess distinct flavor profiles. Revisiting Resolve, I feel something is missing in the flavor, but I'm not quite sure what. Finish: This offers a pleasingly long finish, likely aided by lingering tannins on the sides of the tongue. This tartness and mild acidity transition into a persistent bitterness and warmth, akin to chili-infused dark chocolate. I find this lingering warmth to be a really excellent feature of this whisky. Victory's finish has more sweetness and a sensation on the top of the tongue. Resolve's finish seems longer than either of the other two samples, though Unity is quite close. In summary, another well-crafted, enjoyable release from Forty Creek. As I've noted, certain wine cask influences or additions aren't always to my taste, which might slightly reduce my overall rating here, but it's not a reflection of the product's quality. I'd be interested to see a significantly different approach in next year's release. I believe all three I sampled share some form of port treatment or addition, and while they are distinct, exploring a completely different direction would be great. The finish, I believe, is potentially the strongest aspect of this one, leading to a very good and enjoyable drink, and I don't regret the purchase.

Resolve surpasses Unity, offering more fruit, spice, and overall flavors. Unity presents a more typical Canadian whisky profile with caramel on the nose. Resolve's aroma clearly shows a wine influence. The conclusion of Resolve is its highlight. Immediate spice is followed by a fleeting fruitiness – a blend of brown sugar and either grape or sour cherries. This lengthy finish is the most remarkable I've encountered from a Forty Creek annual release. Quite pleasing.