Beginning in 2017, Canadian Club – the biggest selling brand of Canadian whisky in the US – chose to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Dominion of Canada in 1867 by releasing a 40 YO whisky.

The oldest Canadian whisky ever put into a bottle.

The 42 Year Old – the third consecutive release in the series – is also called ‘The Dock Man’. This title pays homage to the famous bootlegging Hiram Walker Distillery dock men who “consistently delivered quality whisky to bar owners and drinkers when counterfeit whisky ran rampant during the Prohibition era”. Such whisky was famously ferried across the Detroit river to happy US recipients from Windsor, Ontario Canada.

At just a little over $300 CDN (roughly $275 USD) the CC 42 YO is unquestionably a well priced item, and sips exceptionally smooth for a whisky that is so chronologically advanced.

And there’s a reason for that.

APPEARANCE: Clear. Golden honey. 

NOSE: Aromas of sweet honeysuckle floral, cantaloupe melon and vanilla show up first, and are followed by oak, corn syrup, Rockets candy, poundcake, and a hint of black pepper.

PALATE: Exceptionally smooth and elegant. Medium sweetness. The palate is full of toasted honey, oak, rye, English sponge toffee and more melon. Some caramelized banana surfaces after it has breathed beyond the 5 minute mark. 

FINISH: Fairly long, warming and mouth tingling with cinnamon that evolves into burnt brown sugar and a final touch of oak. 

ABV: 45.0% 

AGE: 42 Yr

CASK(S): NA

ENJOY: Neat.

RATING:

At just a little over $300 CDN (roughly $275 USD) the CC 42 YO is unquestionably a well priced item, and sips exceptionally smooth for a whisky that is so chronologically advanced.”

Conclusions

Given it’s age, you’d think that the Canadian Club Chronicles 42 Year Old would be so dark in color that it’d almost be opaque. But it’s not. It’s a clear and golden syrup-like in color upon visual inspection.

Strange for such an old whisky, no?

Well, to those unaware of 9.09% blending rule within Canadian whisky legislation, this particular rule stipulates that a blended whisky may contain up to 9.09 % of ‘another liquid’ and still be legally defined as whisky. For example, a blender may add wine, cognac, bourbon – heck, even tequila if he or she so chooses – and it doesn’t even have to come from Canada (this would obviously be the case with bourbon, Cognac and tequila).

To some whisky enthusiasts (even some Canadian whisky enthusiasts), this spells sacrilege.

In the case of CC 42 YO however, the folks at Canadian Club have carefully chose to blend the super-aged corn base whisky – initially barrelled in 1977 – with a younger 16 year old rye, 12 year old pot-distilled rye and a pinch of brandy in a concerted effort to effectively balance out the powerful oak-forward notes that would most likely dominate a whisky that has spent over 4 decades within the confines of a single barrel.

The end result is a very smooth, elegant and delightfully robust spirit that shows off much complexity in it’s maturity – but is not at all hindered at all by it’s excessive age.

A prime example of a very effective use of resources in whisky blending.

After trying it on it’s own first, try pairing Canadian Club Chronicles 42 Year Old with an Ashton Symmetry Belicoso cigar. 

See more Canadian Whisky Reviews

– Kurt Bradley

Kurt Bradley is the founder of The Gentleman’s Flavor, to which he is also a contributing editor, host and curator.

Kurt is a certified Whisky Ambassador accredited by The Scotch Whisky Association and has achieved Level 2 Award in Wine & Spirits Education Trust with distinction.

He loves a good smooth, yet complex Canadian whisky.