Our list of the Top 10 Canadian Whiskies of 2022 feature a selection of whiskies that were deemed the very best of everything that we encountered in the calendar year 2022 from a variety of sources.
CRITERIA:
This is not merely a list of whiskies that were released in 2022, rather, it is comprised of expressions that were available for purchase in Canada in the year 2022, either via in-province purchase, onsite at the distillery, out-of-province shipping to our home province of Ontario, or obtaining samples.
To feature whiskies that are affordable to the average enthusiast, we also set a price ceiling of $250 CAN (roughly $182.5 USD at the time of writing).
We obviously cannot drink our way through everything that’s available in Canada – that’s downright impossible (and downright dangerous). Thankfully, in 2022 we were able to get our hands on a lot of Canadian whisky; many different expressions from across the great Canadian expanse.
We hope you enjoy our list of the Top Canadian Whiskies Of 2022, and try some for yourself (for your convenience, links are included to the brand and product).
1.
Laird Of Fintry Single Malt, Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery, Kelowna, British Columbia
42.0% ABV/NAS/$90 CAD
Single Malt With A Canadian Fingerprint
A Canadian Single Malt Whisky produced in small batches using 100% B.C. malted barley. Released once a year through a lottery (additional unclaimed bottles became available after the lottery). After being aged for 5 years in custom deeply toasted white-oak casks, it is double-wood finished in freshly emptied fortified foch (wine) barrels.
This was the perfect example of how sophisticated a single malt whisky can be when made on (and from) Canadian soil. A nod to our Scottish heritage, but also very different than a Scottish single malt.
2.
Canadian Rockies 21 Year, Highwood Distillery (Released by the Fauntana Group), Richmond, BC
46% ABV/21 Year/$110 CAD
Big & Bold, Yet Smooth
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.
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.
3.
Stout Whisky, Last Straw Distillery, Vaughn, Ontario
45.0% ABV/NAS/$75 CAD
A Rich And Robust Stout In Whisky Form
The un-carbonated “essence” of a Lake Wilcox Irish stout was used to create this double-distilled whisky that was aged in re-charred American oak that previously held red wine. Although still quite young (3 years old), it is the further aged and evolved liquid that was used for Last Straw’s ‘Stout Spirit’ release (which was released at a mere 4 months old).
This is a wonderfully rich, yet balanced whisky that will appeal to those who enjoy whisky with dark, chocolatey notes with dark fruit.
4.
18 Year Jerez Brandy Cask Finish, Great Plains Craft Spirits, Calgary, Alberta
54.5% ABV/18 Years/$110 CAD
The Elegance Of ‘Finished’ Canadian Whisky
The Jerez Brandy Cask Finish 18 Year features a 17 year old whisky sourced from the now-defunct Old Potter’s Distillery in Kelowna, British Columbia (a blend of 91.5% Corn, 8.5% Rye), that’s been custom finished by Great Plains for “12 Long Months” in select vintage Brandy de Jerez casks from Spain.
Bottled at cask strength and un-chill filtered with no coloring, this is a sophisticated, elegant liquid. It definitely drinks like it’s at a lower proof that 54.4 – a testament to exactly how complex, yet utterly smooth it is.
There’s a wonderful slippery, coating mouthfeel to this liquid that you just have to experience for yourself.
5.
Wiser’s Red Letter Distillery Edition, Wiser’s, Hiram Walker Distillery, Windsor, Ontario
45.0% ABV/15 Years/$99.95 CAD
A Timeless Recipe
Reintroduced to the Canadian public in 2007, Wiser’s Red Letter was originally created by John Phillip Wiser circa 1857 to hand out around Christmastime to friends and family.
Aged in ex-bourbon barrels and then further mellowed in virgin white oak, Wiser’s Red Letter is a 15 year old (the youngest in the blend is 15 years) blended whisky that is non-chill filtered and bottled at 45% abv.
This was available online from Wiser’s for about half of 2022, and then sadly it disappeared.
Hopefully, Master Blender Dr. Don Livermore will procure some more in the very near future. Hungry fans (like us) eagerly await.
6.
Ninety “Decades Of Richness” 20 Year Old, Highwood Distillers, High River, Alberta
45% ABV/20 Years/$80 CAD
Showing Its Age
Though it is referred to as “Rye Whisky” on the bottle, it is actually made of 100% corn whisky. The decision to use the word rye spells out some misleading nomenclature for what is ultimately a wonderfully rich and complex Canadian whisky. The Ninety shows it’s prolonged years spent in oak with a slight rancio character that accompanies a tobacco note.
A surprisingly short finish is all that kept this whisky out of potentially claiming top honours in this list.
7.
Shelter Point Double Barrelled Whisky, Shelter Point Distillery, Campbell River, British Columbia
50% ABV/6 Years/$80 CAD
The Magic of A French Cask Finish
Shelter Point’s Double Barreled Single Malt Whisky is a special collaboration with BC’s renowned Quails’ Gate Estate Winery. A blend of selected malted and unmalted whiskies were finished in French oak wine barrels, previously home to Quails’ Gate Foch Reserve. Aged in our American oak for 4 years, and then finished for 152 days in the flavourful French oak.
This is the second whisky to make this list to incorporate Foch wine barrels into its finishing (also from BC – surprise, surprise). It is also 1 of 2 single malts to make the list. An elegant, multi-layered whisky with the unmistakable (but not overpowering) character of dark fruits.
8.
Confederation Oak, Forty Creek Distillery, Grimsby, Ontario
45% ABV/20 Year/$90 CAD
Canadian Oak Hard At Work
After marrying together three individually aged grain whiskies, Forty Creek Master Blender, Bill Ashburn ages the resulting liquid in barrels made from Canadian oak for up to 2 years. The flavour of the whisky is further highlighted by the tighter grain of the barrel due to Canada’s colder climate.
In our opinion, this is Forty Creek’s crowning achievement, and the quintessential 40C release that is thankfully readily available across the country.
Great whiskies needn’t be always be higher proof. Confederation Oak Reserve shows how well 40% abv can perform, and is the only 40 percenter on this list.
9.
Lot 40 Dark Oak 100% Rye, Hiram Walker Distillery, Windsor, Ontario
48% ABV/NAS/$62.95 CAD
Canadian Rye: Second To None
Distilled in both column and pot still, the Lot 40 Dark Oak 100% Rye is barrelled in new oak casks. Having first spent maturation time in a No. 2 Char barrel, it then receives its finishing treatment within a more heavily charred No. 4 barrel. The end result is an expression that is bolder than its original Lot 40 counterpart.
Though rye is a stubborn grain to work with, many Canadian distillers have it down to an art. This is an excellent example of how Canadian distillers (like Hiram Walker or Alberta Distillers for example) are second to none when it comes to (100%) rye whisky.
10.
Canadian Heritage Series 19 Year, Paradigm Spirits Co., London, Ontario
67.9% ABV/19 Year/$154.82 CAD
The Kentucky Influence
A 19 year single grain (corn) whisky bottled at cask strength and presented in a truly elegant tall decanter-style bottle (limited to 2500 bottles). Non-chill filtered with no added colour, it bears the name Canadian Heritage Series 19 Year Old Whisky and clocks in at a hefty 67.9% abv.
Lovers of cask-strength bourbon whiskey will appreciate this release. A Kentucky influence is all over this one. We found that the super-high proof was the only strike against this rich, thick & syrupy whisky. A little water effectively tamed it however, unlocked more flavor and ushered in more balance to the whisky.
We believe that this whisky wants to live at around the 60% mark.
We hope you enjoyed our 2022 list of The Top Canadian Whiskies. It was almost as fun to narrow down and assemble as they were to drink!
Cheers. TGF
