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Forty Creek Heart of Gold

Canadian Christmas Whiskey

0 785

@DevoReview by @Devo

8th Nov 2013

0

Forty Creek Heart of Gold
  • Nose
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  • Taste
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  • Finish
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  • Balance
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  • Overall
    85

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Distribution of ratings for this: brand user

I'll preface these notes to say the praise Forty Creek is getting as of late is, in my opinion, over-stated.

As far as Canadian whiskey goes, I think there is very little to get excited about (and I'm a proud Canadian). Most that I've tried are either only palatable when drown in coke or ginger ale, or just plain uninteresting.

However...

Forty Creek "Heart of Gold" stands out as a bright light amongst throngs of rather dull contemporaries. It's the first expression from this distillery that, in my opinion, is a truly inspired success.

Notes on the packaging state the aim with this whisky was to produce a delicate, complex rye-forward whiskey which captured some of the subtle notes that get often lost in bolder ryes. (paraphrased)

Let's get to the tasting notes...

Nose: A fairly restrained nose on this at first--christmas cake and some sharp grain spirit. It takes warming in the hands to get a sense of what this whiskey has to offer. When warm, I'm getting bolder christmas cake notes, with chocolate, cinnamon wood, honeyed ginger, a hint of rose water, and a faint whiff of raisin cream pie.

Taste: Christmas cake drizzled with toffee and chocolate. Really nice mouth-feel. A creamy sweetness that gives way to the spices any rye-lover craves--predominantly cinnamon wood.

Finish: Surprisingly long for a Canadian blend. Cinnamon wood notes stick around without getting too bitter or dry. Faint clove in there too as the cinnamon recedes. Ends on a jammy note that solidifies my suspicions that there are some sherry casks at work in the mix.

A pleasant surprise, and a damned good step in the right direction for Canadian whiskeys!

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7 comments

@CanadianNinja
CanadianNinja commented

I'm ashamed to admit I would purchase a bottle of this solely because of it's name!

Neil Young... Legend ; )

10 years ago 0

@YakLord
YakLord commented

@CanadianNinja - I did purchase a bottle solely because of the name: the starship that Zaphod Beeblebrox stole. ;)

Well, that and it has been getting very good reviews, and I very much enjoyed Forty Creek's Copper Pot Reserve (Barrel Select and Double Barrel Reserve not so much, though).

10 years ago 0

@Victor
Victor commented

Your review certainly makes me eager to try some Heart of Gold. Nicely done.

10 years ago 0

@Devo
Devo commented

After further thought... the jammy notes in the finish are actually now reminding me more of a tawny port. If anyone out there has some insight on the casks used for this whisky, I'm very curious to know.

10 years ago 0

@Nozinan
Nozinan commented

@yakLord. Did you also buy a bottle of A'Bunadh batch 42?

10 years ago 0

@talexander
talexander commented

I love this whisky!

10 years ago 0

@paddockjudge
paddockjudge commented

@Devo - your preface is way off the mark. Your praise for Heart of Gold and your claim to be a proud Canadian do not compensate for your biased statements about the lack of top shelf Canadian Whisky (paraphrased). You post A harsh criticism as someone that has exactly how many Canadian whisky bottles in their cabinet (zero)?

10 years ago 0