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Georgian Bay Whisky

Room for improvement

4 372

@MegawattReview by @Megawatt

17th Jun 2021

1

  • Nose
    ~
  • Taste
    ~
  • Finish
    ~
  • Balance
    ~
  • Overall
    72

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Distribution of ratings for this: user

  • Brand: Georgian Bay
  • ABV: 40%
  • Batch: 2

This new small-batch whisky from the Georgian Bay Spirit Company is a blend of single-grain corn and rye whiskies. Age and cask type is unknown.

Soft on the nose, slight grainy. Wet stone, vanilla, and caramel. Slight hint of orange. All very typical blended Canadian aromas.

On the palate it is medium-bodied, somewhat creamy, dryish with an alcohol kick which speaks to its youthfulness. Not much in the way of flavour development. The finish is a tad bitter with some light oak notes.

Overall this whisky doesn't bring anything new to the table in the realm of Canadian blended whisky. Which would be fine if it excelled at what it does, but it lacks the finesse of more mature blends like Alberta Springs or Centennial, as well as the complexity of established favourites like Crown Royal or Canadian Club 12 year old. All of which, I might add, can be had for cheaper than this bottle. There is a nice moment of grainy goodness mid-palate but an underdeveloped nose and slightly bitter finish really hold it back. A few more years in oak, and perhaps a higher rye content, should elevate this brand to a higher status.

3 comments

@OdysseusUnbound
OdysseusUnbound commented

Is there any indication as to the whisky’s origin? Is there a Georgian Bay Whisky distillery or is it sourced product?

2 years ago 0

@Megawatt
Megawatt commented

@OdysseusUnbound Great question! The side label states that it is "locally crafted", which sounds promising, and the other side says "Produced by Georgian Bay Spirit Co." followed by their address. So there you go. The interesting thing to me is that it doesn't taste like a young craft whisky. Craft whiskies often have a sort of funky quality to them, which can be a good or bad thing depending on how it is handled. This one tastes more like a mass market whisky from a major producer, which again could be a good or bad thing. Closest comparison, from memory, would be Centennial 10 year old but that one has the benefit of age as well as a smooth wheat base.

I don't regret buying this one, for the record. It was cheap enough. I just wish it had more to offer. Hard to justify when Lot No. 40 is on sale for cheaper! But I'm a sucker for new things.

2 years ago 1Who liked this?

@Megawatt
Megawatt commented

Just to follow up on this review, now that the bottle is almost gone:

Sometimes it is better to wait a bit rather than rush out your first or second impression. This whisky has improved over time. Still rather simple but the body seems fuller and the flavour richer than before. Also the bitterness is less noticeable. An enjoyable blend. I would probably raise the score to at least 77 now. It compares favourably to Crown Royal LE, though that one is far more complex and rye-forward.

2 years ago 0

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