Introduction:
Canada’s whiskies are made from blends of different grains, the greater proportion of each brand on an original mash that combines rye, corn and malted barley. They nearly always contain some spirit, however, that is produced entirely from the heavier tasting rye, but it usually accounts for less than a tenth of the final blend. As a result they have the reputation of being among the lightest classic whiskies of all, even more so than the triple-distilled Irish.
History:
The whisky industry in Canada dates back only to the last century, when it arose as an offshoot of the agricultural production of grain. It was quite common at one time to pay the millers in kind with some of the grain, and distillation has long been a traditional way of using up surpluses the world over. The earliest producers---and, despite the country’s size, there are still only a handful—were Hiram walker, Seagram’s and Corby’s, all in the province of Ontario.
The continuous process, in gigantic column stills, conducts distillation. Different spirits produced from different mashes, or fermented from different yeast strains, are painstakingly blended by the distiller- before the maturation in some cases, afterwards in others, All whiskies must be stocked at least for three years in the barrels, which are of new wood, but there is noble tradition of aged products in Canada for that are 10, 12 even 18 years old in release. As elsewhere, the standard blends are sold at 40% ABV, but speciality aged bottling may be somewhat stronger.
The speciality of Canadian whisky is that the regulations permit the addition of a tiny quantity of other beverages, such as sherry or wine grapes or other drinks made from other fruits. While this may account for no more than a hundredth part of the finished product, it makes its presence felt in the fleeting suggestion of fruitiness in the flavours of some whiskies.
Most of the distilleries are situated in the eastern province of Ontario and Quebec. The leading label is Hiram Walker’s Canadian club, which was first blended in the 1880’s and is supported by the Burke’s and Wiser’s ranges from Corby’s McGuiness’s Silk Tassel, Alberta Springs and Seagram’s Crown Royal.
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