It’s not everyday that Canada’s foremost reviewer of Canadian whisky drops a guest review for our little website.
In typical Davin de Kergommeaux fashion, it’s eloquent, supremely articulate, and kinda makes you want to run out your front door to hunt down a bottle.
This time he’s reviewed Canmore, Alberta’s Wild Life Distillery Single Malt Canadian Whisky.
As always, Davin’s got a lot going on. He recently bestowed annual accolades to some of Canada’s best whiskies at the 2024 Canadian Whisky Awards at the Victoria Whisky Festival (which he founded). He has also packed even more Canadian whisky history, knowledge and tasting notes into his popular book, Canadian Whisky: The Essential Portable Expert, Updated and Expanded (Third Edition), which drops March 12th, 2024.
With a refeshed design, maps of Canada’s whisky distilleries, and up-to-date research and reviews, the new edition is a must-own item for anyone who’s serious about Canada’s wonderful world of whisky.
WILD LIFE DISTILLERY SINGLE MALT WHISKY
SHELF APPEAL RATING (Note: does not count toward final score, out of 5): Packaged in a beautiful black bottle with the colour of the whisky revealed through clear glass for the bottom ¼ of the bottle. Cork closure. Bottle feels good in your hand and is easy to pour.
APPEARANCE: Bright rich apple juice.
NOSE: Floral and fruity with apricots, peaches, strawberry smoothie, yellow raisins, and maybe some barley sugar?
PALATE: Simply gorgeous mouthfeel: sweet and weighty with peaches, some bitter grapefruit pith swelling into peppery spice, burley tobacco, and hints of Welch’s grape juice. Quickly gains lovely long-lasting spiciness, barrel tones and vague hints of milk chocolate. Lots going on here.
FINISH: Medium-long on hot spices, wood notes and bitter pith, then softens into peachy yellow fruit with hints of wood, and late on more flashes of milk chocolate.
ABV: 47.5%
AGE: Minimum of 5 years
CASK(S): Ex-Bourbon barrel
ENJOY: Neat, with ice, or in a cocktail.
RATING:
This is a fine example of authentic whisky flavours not hidden behind finishes.“
Conclusions
Wild Life c-founders Matt (Widmer) and Keith (Robinson)’s commitment to wildlife, adventure, authenticity and friendship shines through in this singular single malt. Good on them for waiting five years for it to be truly ready, as no rough patches or immature tones remain.
This is a fine example of authentic whisky flavours not hidden behind finishes. It takes a little longer but is well worth the wait as seen here. At 5 years, the whisky is sweet, fruity and spicy and way more quaffable than its abv might suggest.
Having spent one summer hanging kiln on a southern Ontario tobacco farm, I find its restrained but lovely dry tobacco tones beguiling. I’m reminded of rough tobacco, but not sand leaves, newly dried to leather and still on the stick.
Sweet, fragrant and soft.
-Davin de Kergommeaux
…And For Those So Inclined: A Recommended Cigar Pairing
Pair the Wild Life Distillery Single Malt Whisky with the Perdomo Reserve 10th Anniversary Champagne Series cigar.
The Champagne 10th Anniversary cigar features a triple-fermented Connecticut shade wrapper and delivers the rich layers of complex flavorsover a subtle, mellow-bodied profile, which pairs well with the spicy, fruit-forward profile of the whisky which also presents whisps of sweet tobacco.
When matched with the whisky, the mellow Perdomo masterpiece offers notes of rich tobacco, nuances of milky coffee, creamy undertones, and a delicate hint of honey.
– Kurt Bradley
Whisky reviewed by Davin de Kergommeaux in February 2024
For over a quarter century, Davin de Kergommeaux has been reseraching and writing about whisky, presenting whisky seminars and leading tasting workshops on six continents, as well as judging international whisky competitions such as the World Whisky Awards and the Malt Maniacs Awards.
His most recent book, titled Canadian Whisky, Updated and Expanded (Third Edition) dives into Canada’s rich history of whisky making, legacy distilleries, and contemporary artisans. It also includes over 100 new tasting notes for Canada’s top whiskies.
