Whisk(e)y

Distillery: Compass Box

Product Line: -

Product: Canvas

Aged: Vino naranja and American oak

Category: Blended

Nose: Delicate custards and marmalade. A citrus of bitter sort, with under-ripe figs.

Body: Rich honey over apricots and oranges. A light, English muffin sort of biscuit. As it goes on, a rich dark chocolate encroaches.

Finish: A bold, malty surprise. Loses nearly all the delicate fruit notes in favor of wheats and grains and fresh baked bread.

Activation: Really opens up some of the rich juicy fruits. Oranges, grapes, pears. Recommended.

Notes: I've always been fond of Compass Box, but they went through a phase for a while where seemingly every new limited release was (over) aged in a sherry cask. I'm glad to announce that Canvas breaks this pattern- in fact, there’s no sherry here at all! Just some Spanish orange wine, a beverage I didn’t even know existed until I picked up this bottle. It’s sweet and rich and creamy and endlessly drinkable, without that bitter or medicinal quality that can frequently come through with sherried casks. After such a fruit forward body, the malted finish is a welcome surprise as well. One of the best blended malts I’ve had in a while, though it is on the pricier side at ~$135.

Any hikers, climbers, or wanderers here? Where's the most exotic place you've had a glass of whiskey?

The Laphroaig was incredible if you like the peat and the sweet.

I am not normally a JW fan (the standard Green is the exception) but this Islay heavier Island version was very enjoyable even in the tropical weather.

They limited it to one case per person, you could make up that case however you wanted with their Act 10 and their limited release "The Encore" Act 1 Scene 1. I am not a reseller, I brought some back for friends and my partner.

What online retailers will ship to legal states that are good options to price shop or have things delivered?

I love bourbon, scotch, rye, and Japanese whiskey, but I can't seem to get into Irish much. I wasn't a big fan of Jameson when I've had it a few times, but I did like Proper Twelve when a buddy got me a bottle (despite the consensus that its mediocre, I honestly preferred it to Jameson). Even still, it's not something I would go out of my way to buy and would rather just drop the money in another bourbon or scotch. All the Irish I've had just doesn't seem to have much flavour or debth compared to a cask bourbon or islay. I've been thinking about trying Redbreast 12 since it gets so much praise and hype, but I wanted to get some other recs to give a shot.

Distiller: Bear Face

Product: Elementally Aged

Bottle: Triple Oak

Category: Canadian

Aged: 7 years in ex-bourbon American oak barrels, then finished in French oak red wine casks and air-dried virgin Hungarian oak.

Nose: Thick with caramel, butterscotch, and call me crazy but is that maple syrup?

Body: Buttery creme brulee with candied walnuts and pecans. Traces of campfire smoke and rum-like molasses.

Finish: Faint pine nuts and a mild biscuit.

Activation: Unnecessary.

Notes: For a long time I’ve considered the cheap Canadian whisky market to be good for fighting off the bitterly cold north winds and not a whole lot more. Couple that with a scammy sounding “Elementally Aged!” proclamation and suffice it to say that my expectations weren’t high for Bear Face Triple Oak. But let me immediately say this is a damn good whisky. It’s rich, full bodied, and complex. Seven years is a fair amount of time, and their silly name just means that it has been living in a metal shipping container in Canada and therefore exposed to extreme temperature swings, which serve to speed up the aging process. Factor in the low price and this is a fantastic hidden gem.

Sazerac and Age International have an unusual relationship

Im not even sure what the occasion will be that warrants opening it. Just like the great Justice Potter Stewart said, "I know it when I see it." I bought this bottle off the shelf prior to it being discontinued and I have held on to it ever since.