Exciting new Canadian whiskies coming in September

@Nelom This is very exciting. Especially the Lot 40, which, if reasonably priced, will be purchased for my cabinet.

@Nozinan Yeah, very exciting indeed. As far as I'm concerned, there's never been a better time to be a Canadian whisky connosr. :)

I'll be getting three of the four as blind buys, provided they're not stupidly priced. The Pike Creek is the only one I'll hold off on until I've had a chance to sample it.

@Nelom I would expect the Wiser's 35 YO to be at the same quality level of the older AP bottlings (though I guess not 100% rye), and at 50% very promising. however, given the recent price increases, I can see LCBO selling it for $200 a bottle in which case it will not see the inside of my cabinet.

As for the Lot 40 CS, I would expect it to be in line with other CS 12 YO offerings so likely between $80-$110, at most (using as a gauge the Redbreast 12 CS). If they go higher, I might give it a pass. If they go lower...I might get 2. Plus I'm sure @Victor will want one as part of his 3 year dozen...

@Nozinan If you're right about the $200 then I'll hold off too. Crossing my fingers it'll be a bit less than that.

@Nozinan, @ Nelom,

I tried the 30+ years J.P. Wiser's. From what Don told me, a $200 price tag would be a gift. There is not a lot left in those barrels after 35 years and 50% abv will not help to drop the price. It will more closely resemble bourbon than Alberta Rye.

I also tried the "12" year old Lot No. 40 at cask strength. Sweet and chewy. I hope they don't jack the shit out of the price.

That is an exciting line-up. September no longer belongs to Forty Creek. Atta boy Dr. Don!

@paddockjudge That's unfortunate about the 35 YO, as $200+ is a bit too rich for my blood, but I'll still be looking forward to these releases. Hopefully at least some will be within my reach.

@paddockjudge I don't expect to see Wiser's 35 in the states. If it is a CA only release, I'd like 2 bottles. We can work out the details when it reaches the shelves.

@Nelom Using the Canadian Rockies 35 year, 50% ABV as a guide then @Paddockjudge is correct, it would be a gift. Saw the CR35 online at a specialty store in Vancouver for $900 CAD. That store was pricing everything about 100% higher then even the LCBO so the JPW 35 will probably be north of $300 minimum. I will be getting multiple bottles of Lot 40 CS for sure.

I hope SAQ will join the train. I am rarely excited by Canadian Whiskies but I am now. It's a bit as if the Canadians will get their own Antique Collection and the good part is that we will probably be the only ones to know for a few years and we might get good prices. If anything is closed to Paddockjudge's special Canadian blend, I may go even at 200$. This blend has the best whisky nose I have encountered, period!

@Robert99, Nice to see you posting, I know you have a busy winter season.

@newreverie,

I'll do my best based on availability and cost.

@paddockjudge Thanks. I'm happy to have some time to myself and to post . Can I count on you if those Canadian don't reach Quebec?

@Robert99, bien sûr! I would be pleased to harvest some new Wiser's releases for you.

I'm starting a list. You and @newreverie are both inquiring 8 months ahead of the release date...there will surely be more requests from others.

@paddockjudge You are a prince. It would be even better to drink those with you and a few others Connosr members. I am sure it will happen.

Count me in... depending on price. It's best to share the requests and duties to purchase as we don't know where they will be available...

I should be available to grab a bottle or 2 as well, also depending on price, just message me with instructions. I have a bad feeling on that 35 year JPW bottle. Over the next few months some of the reviewer's like Davin should post a review for Whiskey Advocate. Although he seems to rate all Canadian Whiskey like it was a Brora.

Wouldn't be surprised if the Lot 40 CS surpasses $100. Was astonished to see Writer's Tears CS for $180. With Lot 40 being Canadian I'm sure we can expect it to be lower, but still, that's substantially more than the standard offering.

@Mancub,

I was told by John Hall that retail price is impacted approximately $1.45 per additional degree of alcohol.

@paddockjudge By that do you mean each additional 0.1% is $1.45? We all better hope not, or Lot 40 will be similarly priced with Writer's Tears CS. Also, I just realized that the Lot 40CS will be accompanied by an age statement, I wonder how that will play a roll in the pricing on top of it being CS?

@Mancub I think the amount quoted by Hall (2 years ago at the last whisky weekend I attended) was per increase of 1%, not 0.1%.

I have no problem with paying that much more for something better. Considering Lot 40 is currently selling for 40 dollars, bottled at 43%, even if the CS ABV were 60% (I doubt it would be that high...more likely about 55%) a bottle shouldn't cost more than $65-70. Hall's special releases that were not CS were that price before the most recent jump.

Having tasted it, I would buy 2 bottles of Lot 40 CS for $70.

@Mancub, a degree = 1% abv. With an additional 10 degrees of alcohol and four more years of angel's share, that should put the price in the $60 range, but who knows what the retail price will be?! Don't encourage Wiser's to jack-up the price. Legacy was first released in 2010 for $84 per bottle at LCBO. Inventory was static and the price soon dropped to $50, and has stayed there for six years. While Wiser's was shooting high on their price, Alberta Distillers Ltd's. aim was true. Alberta Premium 30 Years hit the shelves at $50 per bottle. Anything is possible.

Cask Strength Lot No. 40 is reported to be 12 years. The Age statement will emphasize the fact that it is from the 2012 Batch and not the subsequent younger batch (green label) that has recently been released...disclosure is good...reasonable pricing is better.

@Nozinan,

you are thinking like a marketeer and not a consumer. The proof is 53% for the cask strength version.

@Nozinan, $70 is steep!

@Nozinan @paddockjudge Thanks for clarifying the "degree". $60 is most reasonable. The additional age statement, with what I assume will be a Limited Edition bottling, not to mention the caviler attitude of LCBO pricing, leads one to believe that $60 is a pipe-dream. I'm a fan though, and the release of a CS version among the other unique releases in the above photo lead me to believe that the people making the decisions are listening to their audience of connoisseurs. These are atypical Canadian releases, not meant for the LCBO target audience, that is for sure. I am always hopeful @paddockjudge, but I cannot help that the LCBO has left me the slightest bit jaded.

Hmm, maybe I was too hasty in suggesting that Lot 40 CS could exceed $100 - that does sound a little absurd. My guess would be more in the $60-90 range (hoping on the lower end). It was the Writer's Tears CS (NAS) at $179 that skewed my thinking, but I realize that apart from both being CS they have nothing in common.

@Mancub, we can dream a little bit.

A sampler four-pack of 200 ml bottles would be a nice treat.

@paddockjudge Now you're speaking my language. A sampler pack would be amazing.

And since I'm posting, I thought I'd mention that I just realized that the name for the G&W is probably a nod to the fact that the Gooderham & Worts distillery was originally located on Trinity Street in Toronto, and William Gooderham built the Little Trinity Church for his workers. Kind of a neat little tip of the cap I thought.

@Mancub The LCBO occasionally pulls prices from Left Field. The WT Cask Strength is good, but the Redbreast 12 YO CS is better, and was sold, until recently , for only $110.No justification for the crazy pricing. Has anyone noticed if it is selling?

Uigeadail is another example. You can get 2 bottles in Calgary (at Real Canadian Liquor Store - aka Loblaws) for the price you would pay here and still have enough left over for a light meal or a 6-pack of beer.

Sticking to Canadian Whiskey, I received an email to a comment I made months ago ranting about Canadian Rockies 21 not available at the LCBO and how inept they are in general. The email response was from Roland and Russell who I guess are wine/beer/spirit distributors.

Thy seemed very happy to announce that CR21 would be on the LCBO shelves very soon. Must be batch 002 or Fountana Group could not unload all of batch 001. Either way I will be in for 2. Hopefully the price is not too much more than the Alberta price of $68 + tax. I mean it's not that much better than Ninety 20.

The other interesting thing about Lot 40 CS is it may well be the last stock of 100% malted rye lot no. 40 (a guess). Recently, they switched to green bottles and this is indicative of a new recipe, in fact, mostly unmalted rye (some experts think they might be trying to get into the Alberta profile). All the malted stock, I've heard from Don Livermore, was from the same batch. It just aged longer - he just said that it doesn't change much in the barrels at that age. If in 2012 it was 6-8 years old, then it's quite possible the first CS batch might be from the 11-12 year old stock that is left. It's a theory, but I'm certainly interested to see if the future releases of Lot 40 CS are the same. I was pretty dissapointed with the one bottle of green label lot 40 I tried - it tasted relatively immature (but I need a retaste).