Surprisingly, Canadian Rockies, which is produced by Highwood Distillers in High River, Alberta, was originally released at 40% ABV and was made to be shipped exclusively to Taiwan. Thankfully, this is no longer the case, as at the time of writing, it is available for purchase within Canada (and elsewhere) and has been brought up to 46% ABV. Made of a blend of 100% corn whiskies and golden straw in colour, Canadian Rockies 21 Year Old Whisky is a is an extremely elegant, rich Canadian expression that is much bolder than meets the eye (and the nose and palate for that matter).
The original 40% bottling made exclusively for the Asian market
APPEARANCE: Clear. Golden straw.
NOSE: Floral and bright. Powdered vanilla, lavender, sweet honeysuckle, shortbread. Peaches & syrup, lemon zest and a hint of rose (the scent of nail polish remover is a small detractor and is the lone strike against this wonderful whisky).
PALATE: Exceptionally smooth and surprisingly bold (given it’s light colour and floral nose). Medium sweet. Oak, vanilla and cantaloupe melon with an effervescent tingling mouthfeel that smacks of cinnamon and honey.
FINISH: A long, lingering finish with a pleasant residual mouth-coating leaves you with elements of ginger snaps, wine tannins, cinnamon and lemon.
ABV: 46%
AGE: 21 Years
CASK(S): NA
ENJOY: Preferably neat – but also with ice.
RATING:
Conclusions
Don’t let it’s light colour and initial bright, powdered, floral nose surprise you – this is a very bold, rich, yet very balanced Canadian whisky – and is truly unique in it’s own right. It has a wonderful complexity that will appeal to lovers of smooth varieties of whiskies, as well as those who like their whiskies more robust and forceful. An exceptional example of a bold Canadian release that does not sacrifice the trademark smooth character of a Canadian whisky.
For a heightened experience, try pairing the Canadian Rockies 21 Year Old Whisky with a Joya de Nicaragua Clasico Torpedo cigar. The mild, creamy character of the Clasico and it’s cigar heat amplify the cinnamon character and effervescent mouthfeel of the Canadian Rockies.
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 lives in Toronto, Ontario.
