Grace Bay is a glorious stretch of white sandy beach in Turks & Caicos. It is typically hailed as one of the most 5 beautiful beaches in the world. Having been to Grace Bay, I concur wholeheartedly – it is a spectacular sight.
It is also the body of water that is said to “reflect the flavours imparted by the Caribbean rum casks that are home to this whisky for so many months” and thus serves as the name for this Canadian whisky which was borne from a collaboration between Toronto-based Something In The Water Brewing Co. and Niagara Falls Craft Distillers.
It features 100% rye whisky made from locally produced Ontario rye that has been finished in Caribbean rum casks.
SHELF APPEAL RATING (Note: does not count toward final score, out of 5):
APPEARANCE: Clear. Maple syrup.
NOSE: The nose can be described collectively as “traditional Canadian rye whisky with ‘a little something different”. The “different” of which I speak, appears to come from the rum cask finishing. Rich maple syrup and cinnamon candy lollipop arrive first and are followed by, green grapes, clove, oak, and sponge toffee.
PALATE: Soft, delicate mouthfeel. The essence of molasses and char meet vanilla, bran cereal, clove and rye spice before evolving into cinnamon and coffee.
FINISH: A medium length finish that is slightly drying. Coffee and char are accompanied by caraway and oak before gently fading.
ABV: 40%
AGE: 4 years
CASK(S): American oak, ex-rum
PRICE: $49.00 CAD
ENJOY: Neat or in a cocktail.
RATING:
Conclusions
100% Canadian rye whisky sprinkled with a little Caribbean flavor and coming it at under $50 CAD? Yeah mon.
The result is a great value whisky with plenty of character, perfect for sipping neat, or even as a rum substitute in a classic or modern rum cocktail.
At only four years old, the Grace Bay Rum Cask Canadian Whisky yeilds a surprising amount of depth and complexity, most likely brought forth by its rum-cask finishing touches.
Canadian whisky lovers who are known to dabble in rum are likely to appreciate this release, as the rye spice coupled with the trademark sweet characteristics of Canadian whisky get on swimmingly with the subtle rum notes achieved from time in the final cask.
…And For Those So Inclined: A Recommended Cigar Pairing
Pair the Grace Bay Rum Cask Canadian Whisky with the La Flor Dominicana (FFD) Chapter One cigar.
Box-pressed in a (patented) shape called “Chisel”, the LFD Chapter One features a blend on Dominican filler tobaccos underneath a Connecticut Broadleaf bonder and Brazilian Oscuro leaf wrapper. The cigar evolves between sips of the Grace Bay whisky, shifting from white pepper and earth to chilli spice with cinnamon and earth.
Despite being a full-bodied cigar, the 40% abv Canadian whisky holds up very well with molasses and cinnamon flavors being accentuated by the cigar.
– Kurt Bradley
Reviewed March 10, 2022
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.
