Schenley Golden Wedding

Why not do another Canadian review? I picked up this bottle when I went to the St. John's International Women's Film Festival. It turns out that Schenley Golden Wedding (a brand which has existed since 1856) is a huge seller in Newfoundland, easily the biggest market for the whisky. Wonder why? It is distilled in Lethbridge, but bottled in St. John's - but don't worry, you can get it in Ontario.

The colour is a rich gold. On the nose, a mix of tropical and berry fruits (papaya, kiwi, raspberry, green banana) laced with the usual light caramel and vanilla. The rye spice in the background cuts through the sweetness. A light, floral character with some savoury herbs. A touch of rum raisin. Water dries it out a bit - an improvement. Not complex but very harmonious.

A bit too sweet on the palate, with slightly cloying toffee and artificial vanilla. With time more tropical fruits emerge and, again, the rye spice prevents it from being too sweet. Water gives it a bit more bite. Very drinkable - and enjoyable - but needs more oomph.

The finish is dry with nutmeg, caramel and pencil shavings. Very pleasant and easy to drink, but it does have a bit of a rye kick to it. Still, given the growing number of strong Canadian whiskies out there, this one risks getting lost in the shuffle - there's just not enough here to take it over the top.