Forty Creek John's Private Cask No. 1

Thanks to @paddockjudge for the reviewed sample, which is taken from Lot 2011, bottle # 3486. The bottle has been open for 1 month

This review will be in non-sequential format (SQVH). For more info on this format see my review and comments on Royal Canadian Small Batch. I will also give separate scores within this review against all whiskies and within the category of Canadian whiskies only

John's Private Cask No. 1 was a special very limited release Forty Creek whisky, distilled and blended by John Hall, the Forty Creek Master Distiller and Master Blender

Strength: wine flavours are moderate in the nose, strong on the palate, and tapering down into the finish. Maple-style oak flavours are moderate in the nose, but strong on the palate and through the finish. There is plenty of very spicy rye throughout nose, palate, and finish. I would have preferred a stronger overall nose, and the wine a bit stronger into the finish, but overall the flavours are of good strength. This has a lot of flavour "punch" for 40% ABV Score 22/25 all whiskies 23/25 Canadian Only Category

Quality: The grain flavours are excellent. The rye is very strong, so, as things go with strong rye in the blend, you really can't taste the other grains. It doesn't matter, because the rye is top-notch. The wine flavours are very good, not super refined nor super delicate, but solid and quite serviceable. The wood flavours are solid and above average for Canadian whisky. There appears to be at least some new wood used for the aging, something which Forty Creek does far more often than do other Canadian distilleries. Score 22/25 all; 24/25 Canadian

Variety: John's Private Cask No. 1 provides great variety and complexity among the strong high quality rye, the solid, probably sherry, wine flavours, and the decent quality wood. This one keeps mind and taste buds busy and very active. Score 23/25 all; 24/25 Canadian

Harmony: this is a nice workable package. The spicy rye sits, as it were, on a nice bed of wine flavours and supportive wood. The contrast is great among the three sets of flavour components, but they form a delicious coherent whole when experienced together. It is always good to find a new whisky of high quality. For me rye and wine together is a combination which often doesn't work. This is one of those whiskies in which they not only work, but work very well in each other's company. Score 23/25 all; 24/25 Canadian

Score totals: 90 All; 94 Canadian Category

It would be nice if it were still possible to buy a bottle of John's Private Cask No. 1. I think that this issue has been sold out for a long time

From the description on the website, it is not immediately clear what sets John's Private Cask apart from other Forty Creek whiskies, or other Canadian whiskies in general. The impression I get is that this is a "reserve whisky", the distiller having set aside casks deemed to be of above-average quality. Also, no fancy wood finishing was implemented, allowing the grains to show their full character.

The nose is subtle. It is not the sweet toffee and vanilla of typical Canadian whisky. Rather you get toasted walnut, hints of fresh oak, dried fruit (dates, apricots). Definitely smells like Forty Creek.

The whisky is silky in the mouth but it quickly hits you with a bracing tartness and then a whole load of spice. The sweetness is mostly of a dried-fruit variety, as well as orange peel. The spices peak quickly and then fade, leaving toasty nut flavours. For a soft-spoken whisky there is a lot going on here.

The finish is long and leaves traces of that dried fruit flavour. There is not a trace of unwanted sourness or bitterness.

True to his word, John Hall showcases the component grains in this bottling. One gets the feeling that a higher than normal proportion of rye was used, but traces of creamy malt also make their presence felt. This is a different style of Canadian whisky; subtle and sophisticated.