Tasty tipples: seven whiskies for your gift list

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 28/11/2020 (2137 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

If you’ve got a whisky lover on your holiday gift guide, making heads or tails of the ever-popular brown spirit can be a tricky task — especially with the recent release of a number of premium, new-to-Manitoba spirits at Liquor Marts (for more on those see wfp.to/spirits).

With that in mind, here are a few recently tasted drams in a number of price points that would make fine gifts under the tree, superb stocking stuffers for the whisky lovers in your life, or solid additions to your bar to help cope with the COVID-19 lockdown…

The Bushmills Black Bush Sherry Cask Reserve Irish Whiskey (Antrim, Northern Ireland — $37.99, Liquor Marts) is a well-priced, triple distilled Irish whiskey aged in Spanish Oloroso sherry barrels for around eight years; aromatically the medium copper blended whiskey brings dried fruit, toffee and vanilla notes on the nose. It’s medium-bodied, smooth and approachable, with dried fruit and toffee notes making way for hints of vanilla and marmalade on the finish. Weighs in at 40 per cent alcohol… approachable and delicious for the budding whiskey drinker. On sale for $34.99 until the end of November, and available for delivery.

Staying in Ireland, the Sexton Single Malt Irish Whiskey (Ireland — $49.99, Liquor Marts) comes in a very cool package, and also sees aging time in Spanish sherry barrels. On the nose the dried fruit, vanilla, orange peel and spice notes are intense. There’s a touch of sweetness and some great intensity on the palate, lifting the orange peel, dried apricot, vanilla and spice notes before a warm finish (it’s 40 per cent alcohol). Tastes as good as it looks.

From closer to home, the Bearface Triple Oak 7-Year-Old Whisky (Toronto, Ont. — $39.99, Liquor Marts) is a single-grain whisky aged in wood for seven years — first in ex-bourbon barrels, then in French oak red wine barrels and finally in new Hungarian oak. It’s medium copper in colour and on the nose there’s plenty of caramel and vanilla from the wood, as well as subtle toasted nut, smoke, honeycomb and brown sugar. Those brown sugar, vanilla and spice notes dominate on the medium-bodied palate, as the woody flavours carry the weight while apricot, honeycomb and toasted nut notes flesh things out before the slightly warm (42.5 per cent alcohol) finish. Available for delivery.

After being named top whisky of the year by Jim Murray’s Wine Bible, the Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye promptly sold out. But the Alberta Premium Limited Edition 20-Year-Old (Calgary, Alta. — $79.49, Liquor Marts) is a very solid alternative. Made from predominantly rye grains, this whisky brings notable spice, herbal, pear, honeycomb and tangerine aromas. It’s lighter-bodied and spice-driven, with herbal and tree fruit flavours showing well, secondary woody notes and the 42 per cent alcohol level carrying the long, spicy finish.

Matured in a combination of Sherry casks and American oak for 12 years, the Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old (Speyside, Scotland — $88.99, Liquor Marts) brings rich vanilla, spice and Tootsie Roll notes on the nose that work well with the secondary dried apricot, peach and honey notes. On the medium-bodied, smooth palate there are lovely, complex coconut, vanilla, Tootsie Roll, peach and dried apricot flavours, while the woody and caramel notes linger on the finish. An approachable whisky for all palates. Available for delivery.

For those who like their drams peaty, the Ardbeg The Ultimate Islay Single Malt 10-Year-Old (Islay, Scotland — $99.99, Liquor Marts) delivers. Pale straw in colour, the big smoky, herbal, sea salt and charred wood notes on the nose give a hint of what’s to come. It’s light-plus bodied and decidedly peaty, with big smoke, saline, mossy and burnt wood notes exploding on the palate and a long, peppery finish that persists thanks to the 46 per cent alcohol. A treat for folks who prefer their whisky on the spicy, peaty side. Available for delivery.

Last and anything but least, from the recent Liquor Marts spirits release comes the Canadian Club Chronicles 43-Year-Old Whisky (Ontario — $284.99, Liquor Marts). Made from 100 per cent corn, this old-timer is medium copper in colour, and on the nose offers subtle but stunning vanilla, baking spice, toasted nut, white pepper and honeycomb notes. It’s a restrained but incredibly complex whisky that offers a lovely viscous texture, lingering vanilla bean and brown sugar notes, underlying grainy, toasted nut and pepper notes on the long, robust finish (it’s 45 per cent alcohol). Outstanding stuff — complex, evolved and drinking beautifully.

uncorked@mts.net

Twitter: @bensigurdson