Norther Border Collection / CC 40yo

@Nozinan I haven't given up yet on the Lot 40 CS, we'll see! And I will certainly share my stuff as well.

Aaaaaaaand I just scored a Lot 40 CS from the pop-up. 'Tis a lucky, lucky day! Now, to find that elusive CC40............

@talexander Well done! The more of my friends who score it the less I stress about finding for others (since it would be hard to justify buying one for myself if others go without given the 2 I have waiting in Calgary)

@Mancub _ I hate to fuel the fires of paranoia (FOMO) that looks like a set-up for an insider...probably a Lot No 40 cache for a well stocked commercial bar....nah...just a glitch in the system

@OdysseusUnbound _ my lucky day indeed! Another Habs fan to add to my torture list. Things are looking up!

What does the Northern Border Collection rare release and a Montreal Canadiens' Stanley Cup Victory have in common?...neither one has been spotted in the last 25 years. Budda-boom budda-bing!

@paddockjudge A Leafs fan commenting on the last time the Habs won the Cup? That’s rich! Kind of like Dr Nick Diageo talking about openness and honesty in whisky marketing.

@OdysseusUnbound _ Nice try brother. I'm a hockey fan. I follow the great defencemen of the game. The last time I cheered for the Leafs Randy Carlyle had yet to be traded to Pittsburgh. Toronto hasn't had a stud on the blueline since then. My heart goes out to you...one of the teams I'm watching is Nashville.

@paddockjudge Our GM Marc Bergevin took an interesting approach with defensemen. Let’s see what happens when a team has zero defensemen who can skate or make a first pass. Fascinating to watch. As a former d-man, I’m not impressed.

@OdysseusUnbound I always liked to play defence. I didn't have to prove what everyone knew-I couldn't score...

@OdysseusUnbound That lack of speed and finesse didn't come easily. He had to trade the flashiest D-man in the game to totally divest the Habs of any top-notch blueline talent. I raise a glass of Dickel No. 12 to commemorate the blockbuster deal he made with the Predators. À la vôtre!

@paddockjudge @OdysseusUnbound Do you know What an Ontario whisky fan and the Montreal Canadien scouting team have in common? Neither are able to find what they are looking for. I, personnaly, wouldn't trust the Canadiens scouting team to spot a Lot 40 CS bottle in Wiser's warehouse.

@OdysseusUnbound

While we are Leafs bashing_ it was 50 years ago that Jim Pappin of Copper Cliff ON scored the winning goal for Toronto's last Cup victory.

@paddockjudge I seem to recall Copper Cliff for a more recent more interesting event...

@paddockjudge The Vegas Golden Knights are going all the way.

Guys, what would be your best couple of choices from these Canadians:

Caribou Crossing Single Barrell; 40 Creek Heritage Edition; Gooderham & Worts Little Trinity; Lot 40 Cask Strength; Pike Creek 21 year old Double barrelled.

These are some of the Premium Spirit Releases for this year. There are also Wiser's 35 year old and CC 40 year old at prices beyond my leftover Scotch budget.

Also, is the regular strength Lot 40 any good?

Cheers.

@BlueNote I think the regular Lot 40 is fantastic. I gained a whole new respect for Canadian Whisky with that one.

And I’d like to wager money on your Stanley Cup prediction. I listen to the Fan590 (a total Toronto/Rogers homer station) and they’re pretty sure the Leafs are going all the way, Auston Matthews is better than Gretzky, Lemieux, Crosby and McDavid combined, oh, and the Leafs apparently don’t get ENOUGH media coverage. Add in the Lot 40 CS fiasco and you might understand why people hate Toronto.

@BlueNote

My two cents: Wiser's 15 YO. Corby's LOT 40. The new FORTY CREEK HERITAGE. Stay away from the list you mentioned.

@BlueNote Lot 40 CS or the standard Lot 40. The CS is amazing but the standard is very good. I really like CC 20 too but there is batch variation.

@paddockjudge You've tried the FC Heritage? And?

I thought FC had lost its soul...

@BlueNote, my advice on best Canadians would be ones you probably can't get: Forty Creek John's Private Cask No. 1, Wiser's Red Letter, Highwood 25 yo 100th Anniversary of the Calgary Stampede, Alberta Premium 25 yo. If you include Canadamerican whiskeys, then include WhistlePig Rye, especially the $ 200-300 dollar Boss Hog, and Masterson's Rye.

And I am a big fan of Union 52.

@Victor Red Letter is for sale at World of Whisky in Calgary for $100. I think FC Hear tof Gold is superior to PC #1, but as unobtainable.

@Nozinan, I have one each of Forty Creek PC#1 (thanks to our mutual friend) and also of Heart Of Gold. I prefer Private Cask #1, but I have only tasted HOG once, and my bottle is still sealed.

For the purposes of our friend @BlueNote, Calgary is not exactly Unobtainium, but it is not down the street, either.

Thanks for the tips guys. I think I will try for the Lot 40 CS. I can get the regular strength version anytime. Competition is crazy for some of these annual premium releases. The lineups at the big stores starts in the middle of the night. I've got a pretty long list on my wish list (mostly Scotches), and as I live outside Vancouver it's always a bit of a longshot.

@BlueNote I acknowledge your pain. I hope you can get what you are looking for.

@Nozinan Cheers mate. I'll be happy to get what I need.

@Victor_ That would be a fun line-up of Canadians. Perhaps we could do that at one of our multi-day events.

Forty Creek John's Private Cask No. 1 (and Heart of Gold for @Nozinan)

Wiser's Red Letter (and Union 52 because it is 96% Red Letter)

Highwood 25 yo 100th Anniversary of the Calgary Stampede...this one is incredible!!

Alberta Premium 25 yo (and naturally AP 30 for comparison)

WhistlePig Rye (Boss Hog if available)

Masterson's Rye.

@paddockjudge, sure, you know that I will be in for that tasting. Those are most of my Canadian top favourites, and those are mostly the ones I have less frequently sampled to date. I find that Highwood 25 yo to be kind of haunting, because I like it so much and when your bottle is gone I don't expect to see or taste it again. And I like whiskies named after rodeos, especially those named "Stampede".

@paddockjudge @Victor I wonder if the tasting would be complete without some Wiser's Dissertation, Highwood 90/20 and Lot 40 CS...

@BlueNote _

I was hasty in writing my response to your query - it was a 5:30 a.m. post from my driveway at launch time for work.

Forty Creek Creek Heritage Edition....paddockjudge stamp of approval. I tried this at Spirit of Toronto/May 2017 and was impressed_ especially so because this was the last dram of the evening (at the event) for me after a long list of very nice armagnac and whisky. It has some older/mature whisky in the mix ... unlike FC Harmony and FC Founder's... both of which had poor balance and were young whisky-forward.

Caribou Crossing Single Barrell...good luck with this one. I've had a couple of good bottles and a not so....40% abv. expensive water and glass...I won't be buying this one again.

Gooderham & Worts Little Trinity and Pike Creek 21 year old Double barrelled....nice whiskies_ 'nuff said.

Wiser's 35 year old ...paddockjudge stamp of approval

Lot No 40 Cask Strength ...paddockjudge stamp of approval

I agree with your assessment of CC 40 year old "at prices beyond my leftover Scotch budget."...40 YO corn whisky for $250_ let somebody else be the judge.

You asked "Also, is the regular strength Lot 40 any good?" ** Yes it is!**

Highwood Ninety 20 YO is a nice change of pace especially the white label version.

What's in my glass tonight? A 10:1 vatting of Wiser's 15 YO and Lot No 40 (2012/malted rye)...paddockjudge stamp of approval

@Victor_ that could be a new thread: Whiskies Named After Rodeos.

...could be interpreted in more than one way.