u/raincitychris

[REVIEW] Canadian Rockies 28 Year (blended whisky)

[REVIEW] Canadian Rockies 28 Year (blended whisky)

Twenty-eight-year-old Canadian whisky is a weird thing.

Not because Canada can’t make whisky that old or doesn't have it, but because most producers never let it get there. The category has traditionally been built around accessibility, blending, and consistency, not long-term aging and prestige releases.

TL;DR: Reminds me of Found North's Gold Finch. Creamy and oaky, I enjoy it, my wife hates it. hahah.

This one comes from Canadian Rockies Whisky, an independent bottler quietly sourcing and aging whisky from distilleries across Canada. While details are sparse, I’m told this release leans heavily on Alberta-distilled stock with some Ontario grain whisky in there. Bottled at 46% ABV, and the bottle is neat (same folks who created Pendleton 1910 bottle).

But age can do two very different things to whisky.

It can deepen complexity… or slowly sand away personality.

Nose:
For me soft and oaky right away. Vanilla, toffee, and brown sugar lead things off, followed by older oak and a slightly dusty sweetness that reminds me of antique furniture or old bookshops in the best possible way. There’s a bit of citrus brightness underneath it all, alongside light mint and dried hay. Nothing about it is loud, very subtle but the longer I sit with it the more that appears.

Palate:
Very elegant. Caramel, vanilla cream, soft rye spice? and gentle oak. The texture is lighter than you might expect at this age, but it works. There’s no sharpness anywhere. Instead, it slowly unfolds with layers of polished oak, faint herbal notes, and lingering sweetness.

Some people are going to interpret that subtletly as refinement. Others might wish for more intensity or concentration. Personally, I think the whisky succeeds because it leans into subtlety rather than fighting against it.

Finish:
Medium-long. Oak spice, citrus, toffee, and soft drying tannins. Quiet but persistent.

To learn more and watch my full review: https://youtu.be/oWYNf4KFoS8

u/raincitychris — 3 days ago

[REVIEW] Two Brewers Release 49 (Rum Cask Finish)

Hey folks, I posted the TB Release 51 the other week so thought I'd share this one too!

I’ve always liked what Two Brewers does because their releases actually feel experimental without losing the identity of the whisky underneath. Personally, I'm a big lover of rum-cask whiskies so this had high expectations (if you have a favourite rum-finish let me know please!)

Rum finishes can go one of two ways for me: either they bring depth and texture, or they completely flatten the whisky into generic brown sugar sweetness. I wasn’t sure which direction this would go but was hopefully. TB usually stands up well for me.

At the risk of being repetitive, their whole model revolves around small-batch numbered releases, with each batch built around different mash bills, yeasts, peat levels, and cask strategies.

Release 49 starts with their single malt before heading into Barbados rum casks for finishing. Bottled at 43% ABV.

Nose:
Classic Two Brewers for me but quite soft. Baked sweetness like caramel but also a cereal note. Reminds me of maple fudge.

Palate:
Medium-bodied and surprisingly balanced. Nutty to start, gets me thinking about a Snickers bar. The faintest smokiness and peat, and buttery popcorn.

Finish:
Medium-long, warming and a malt sweetness. An odd herbal quality like olives. A whisper of peat sticks around.

Compared to the Balvenie Caribbean Cask, this isn't quite as sweet as that. This is more subdued.

Curious if anyone else here has tried Release 49, or if you’ve had other rum-finished whiskies you'd recommend?

I do a more detailed review in my video if you want to check it out: https://youtu.be/wit3EQhMh5o

u/raincitychris — 7 days ago
▲ 13 r/canadawhisky+1 crossposts

First time poster here! I see reviews are allowed so I hope this is cool? I’ve always loved Two Brewers and wanted to finally get some thoughts on paper for Release 51, their latest in the Peated lineup.

Distilled up in the Yukon, this is part of their ongoing series, where each release is essentially its own snapshot of process and maturation. Release 51 leans into a mix of cask influence, aging, but as always with Two Brewers, it’s less about replicability and more about exploration.

On the nose for me it opens surprisingly orchard fruit, honeyed grain, a soft sweet smoke, and a slight citrus.

The palate is where it really clicks. Medium-bodied with a silky mouthfeel. A wonderful honeycomb and chocolate sweetness. The peat is subtler than expected and I wish they state the PPM, but for me it works well! There’s a subtle “craft edge” here that I actually think works in its favour.

Finish is medium-long, drying slightly, with lingering spice and a touch of tannin. It doesn’t overstay, but it leaves enough to think about.

What stood out most to me is how expressive this feels without being chaotic. It’s not trying to be a classic single malt profile (and that’s kind of the point). If you’re into distilleries that treat each release as a creative exercise rather than a fixed product, this is a fun one to spend time with.

Curious how others found Release 51, especially compared to earlier batches. This is my first peated expression of theirs.

I’ve got a deeper video breakdown up as well if anyone wants to go further down the rabbit hole.

My links if you’re curious: https://linktr.ee/shortpours.yt

u/raincitychris — 19 days ago