We seldom review Canadian whisky. It isn’t that we dislike Canada or Canadians; far from it. We post so few reviews because we rarely receive Canadian whisky samples, and what Canadian whiskies we find in the liquor stores are yawners. Seagram’s 7? Please. Crown Royal? Been there, reviewed that. So too Canadian Club., including the 30 year old version.
But our big gripe with Canadian whisky is that the category has been flooded with boring blends that have too little whiskey in them and too much neutral grain spirit.
Yet, when we heard about Collingwood, we bit and asked for a sample. The packaging, for sure, is distinctive, though a bit of a bar shelf hog. Brown Forman clearly put a great deal of work into the look of this product. It just screams high end, though it appears to be selling for about $25 for a fifth.
It is 80 proof, and is bottled by Brown Forman of Kentucky, which leads the brain to conjure up visions of tanker trucks of Collingwood rumbling south from Canada. According to the pres sheet I received with it, Collingwood is being sold initially in Florida (e.g., 67Wine), Kentucky, Louisiana, and Texas. Knowing BF’s might, we’d be surprised if it doesn’t crack many more markets shortly.
So how is it? It is better than most Canadian whiskies. It is a bit sweet and has a fruity nose—almost cherry-like. It tastes of Graham crackers and roasted caramel. It can be taken straight or with a little ice. (Rating ****)
You can read more about Collingwood at http://www.CollingwoodWhisky.com/. And you can bug our retailer to see if it can send you a bottle.
