Forty Creek Double Barrel Reserve

Review by: TOModera

And here it is, Canadian review number 10. I’ll take my Canadian flag. I’ll still be reviewing Canucks on here, however I’m thinking I should aim for 10 Aussies or Irish next, just to add one of their flags to my profile.

This is also review #14 overall for World Whisky and #2 for my ongoing, no one is going to follow, Forty Creek review series. Today we’ve skipped past the next step up for Forty Creek and jumped to the third step, the Forty Creek Double Barrel Reserve. This one is made by aging corn, rye, and barley whiskies in their own special barrels, and then mixing them and aging them in their own Kentucky bourbon barrels.

Bold Strategy Cotton, let’s see if it pays off.

Distillery: Forty Creek Distillery.

Bottler: Distillery Bottling.

Region: The Great Grand Mother’s Lands, where the lakes pool and the politicians skim the top (Ontario, Canada)

ABV: 40%.

Age: Unknown

Cask type: Bourbon Cask

Price: $59.95 (CAD) for a 750 ml

Color: Stained Oak

Nose: Light cedar, menthol, lemon, rosemary, fennel, cooked jerky, nail polish, steak spice.

Very, very light nose. You really have to let it breathe, as any more water will remove the flavour on this one. After it gets going, it’s quite nice, though the menthol/nail polish starts fouling things up. There’s something starting here that’s nice though, almost Islay-ish.

Taste: Chocolate, wood chips, BBQ chicken, pepper, rosemary, cheesecake, toffee, paprika

This has some smoky, sweet areas, though not as sweet as other Canucks, which is a relief. And it’s the first time I’ve really had that herbal, smokey flavour. The taste is the better part of this one.

Finish: Pine forest in spring, grapes, herbal liquor, yeast, fleur de sel caramel

Medium length, okay finish. I mean, it’s mostly herbal, and I was hoping for some more smoke. Let’s char those bourbon barrels a tad more guys, this one could use it.

Conclusion:

I was more out of a Canadian whisky that costs $60. Dark Horse, Lot 40, and Pike Creek all have more interesting notes, yet this one is less sweet, so I wanted it to grow on me. The nose needs some work, and the finish is rough. I’d almost wager that there’s some problems with the low Abv or perhaps some colouring that’s causing some issues.

End of the day, this is better than the Barrel Select, not a bad whisky, but needs improvement to really start fighting the good fight. Perhaps if the Alcohol laws get changed, and companies can afford to sell higher Abv, this one will come out swinging and put us on the map.

Final Score: 78.

Scoring Legend:

  • 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
  • 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
  • 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
  • 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
  • 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
  • 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
  • 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
  • 50-59: Save it for mixing.
  • 0-49: Blech.

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