66 Gilead Crimson Rye Whisky

This is produced at a Canadian craft distilery, 66 Gilead, in Prince Edward County, and this whisky is finished in wine casks, most of which are pinot noir. As 66 Gilead is in wine country in Ontario, wine casks are pretty accessible. The whisky itself has a light reddish-brown hue from the casks, and it comes without added colouring and is non-chill filtered.

Nose: That pinot noir adds quite a bit of complexity to this. Strawberries, mushrooms, a light bubblegum-type candy, some dried mango, some oak, maple, dried apricot, roasted tomatoes, with some of the youthfulness still showing. There's a light astringency in the mix which isn't enough to detract but rather adds sort of a spirity-spicy edge to this. Dates and raisins in the mix- the nose is very nice. Complex, for sure, and I like the mix, but it's a bit over-jumbled at times. Still, however, quite solid. 83%

Taste: Spicy and fruity, with some of the grains providing a bit of the structure for this one. There is a touch of that rancio oxidized wine taste too, but it is quite slight and lingers in the background - though it comes through a bit more on the finish. Raisins and figs here too, and a touch of smoke from the casks too. The wine takes up quite a bit of this one in flavour, I find, and at some times feels like drinking really high strength wine rather than whisky. 82%

Finish: Some earthy-like pinot noir notes (sort of like mushrooms), raisins, lychee, strawberry, pine needles, and light grainy notes. Even just general notes, without breaking them down, that remind you of a bit of an earthy pinot noir. A touch of mint too, and some chocolate! A bit of a spicy bite on the finish too. The complexity of this just shines on the finish. 90%

Intrigue: The wine casks are very nice, though they have drowned out quite a bit of the rye so I find it difficult to assess the actual rye whisky underneath. Though this is good, I'd be interested to see more age to this, so the rye has a bit more voice than just the cask. Easy to drink, though! Nice to sip, but the fruity-spicy character with the complexity of this would make it quite intriguing as a mixer as well. This one is definitely higher up in my books than their Wild Oak Whisky. Without a doubt, it is full of intrigue. Also, a really fun taste with friends who are into wine and understand that portion of this drink. 88%

Weighting the nose 25%, taste 35%, Finish 15%, and Intrigue 25% the overall grade is 86.