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Gooderham & Worts Four Grain

3 Canuks - Part I

0 1174

@talexanderReview by @talexander

15th Nov 2015

0

Gooderham & Worts Four Grain
  • Nose
    18
  • Taste
    19
  • Finish
    19
  • Balance
    18
  • Overall
    74

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Distribution of ratings for this: user

  • Brand: Gooderham & Worts
  • ABV: 44.4%

I have a few new Canadian whiskies lying around, so let's go through them. Our first one is an odd duck. Gooderham & Worts is an old Canadian distillery, established in Toronto in 1832, that closed down in the 1980s. In its day it was the largest distillery in the world! Now it is a retail commercial area, noted for its cobblestone pedestrian walkways, with restaurants, a brewery, coffee shops and condos. Note: no distillery at present.

And yet, all this bottle tells me is that it is from Gooderham & Worts (est. 1832), is Blend No. A.A1129 (whatever that means) and is blended from whiskies distilled from corn, wheat, rye and barley (hence, "Four Grain"). No website mentioned either. Those not in the know may think that the historic distillery has somehow re-opened and that this came from there, but it did not. (It actually comes from Corby, makers of Wiser's, Lot 40 and Pike Creek). Seems rather misleading. Customer confusion for the sake of branding?

The colour is a medium-to-dark amber. On the nose there is thin honey, savoury herbs, a bit of spice and a vague sourdough note. Some rye with a little vanilla and Mackintosh toffee. Water adds more herbs and a slight umami note. Some interesting elements but overall a rather bland if traditional Canadian whisky.

A little syrupy on the palate, and very smooth - lots of buttery corn but otherwise we just have a touch of rye spice and more packaged toffee. Water adds a little welcome viscosity. Not bad at all, but not distinctive.

The finish is medium length, a little chalky with some wet slate and a hint of grapefruit pith. This is one of those whiskies that has nothing really wrong with it - it tastes nice, is easy to drink and works just fine as a mixer. But there's nothing to really recommend it, other than to say it is a standard whisky at a decent price. 'Nuff said.

11 comments

@Nozinan
Nozinan commented

Given that I'm reading this as part of your 2 part series "three Canuks " (I am assuming you are the third Canuk):

I have to say I have preferred this to the 3 grain Harmony also reviewed.

I've been struck with a cold each time I've tried either of them, so I'm not ready to throw the towel in (especially since I have a few numbered bottles of the Harmony, but I find this one sippable and much brighter on the nose and palate, whereas the other one has a mushroom flavour and otherwise mostly muted baritone notes.

8 years ago 0

@talexander
talexander commented

Hm I never got mushroom on the Forty Creek - but I get more "savoury" notes on the G&W. Which on one hand make it interesting, but on the other, don't totally work for me. By the way, I just posted Part III of "3 Canuks" (time lag between Part II and Part III due to life getting in the way for a few hours)!

8 years ago 0

@newreverie
newreverie commented

Have you had any of the g&w naturally small batch? I have several bottles of batch 4 and they are sublime and yet similar to your review. I think the difference is that all of the flavors in mine really pop.

8 years ago 0

@talexander
talexander commented

I didn't know there were any other "Gooderham & Worts" on the market except the Four Grain...interesting - so no, I haven't had that one. Would love to try it one day, will look for it!

8 years ago 0

@newreverie
newreverie commented

I wouldn't quite call it on the market. It was a limited distribution that came out around the same time of the 2012? Lot40 and Pike Creek, but possibly even earlier. I believe it may also have been put out by Corby, but the notes on the label have McCormick as the distributor and Hiram Walker as a source, but also that it is from genuine G&W stocks.

8 years ago 0

@talexander
talexander commented

Wow @newreverie...very interesting! I'll have to research that.

8 years ago 0

Astroke commented

Don't mind this one at all. Not sure why, just find it extremely drinkable I guess.Not Legacy but worth a flyer.

8 years ago 0

@Nozinan
Nozinan commented

Got wet dog hair on first pour tonight. This one's a real shapeshifter. Not at all what I was expecting tonight. I remember it being sweeter and grainier (in the mouthfeel). I wonder if it was the vanilla cupcakes with vanilla icing that the kids made that altered my taste tonight.

7 years ago 0

@talexander
talexander commented

Ha - vanilla cupcake may have had an effect! I should add, I like this much more than I first did when I wrote this review. I buy it fairly often now. If I wrote this today, I would probably score it mid-to-high 80s. Also, now that I have some old bottles that are from the original G&W distillery, I will have to do a side-by-side one day to see how close it is.

7 years ago 0

@paddockjudge
paddockjudge commented

...and I have a bottle of the 1998 release G&W Naturally Small Batch (from a trade with @newreverie). Change that to a side-by-side-by-side-by-side.

7 years ago 0

@Nozinan
Nozinan commented

@paddockjudge Add a few more sides and that will be a real horizontal tasting... as in you'll both be horizontal!

7 years ago 1Who liked this?