High time for some ‘liquid comfort’
Rye’s not just for your grandfather anymore. Here are four worth trying
Canadian whisky is finally starting to live up to its name.
“Rye,” that is. As in “rye and ginger,” a drink that, if it weren’t for the Bloody Caesar, could certainly qualify as the country’s official mixed drink. The few who order it, though, are probably aware that, until the recent release of a half-dozen 100per-cent rye whiskies, very few Canadian spirits contained much rye, if any. And that’s OK, actually.
In Canada, spirits labelled “rye” don’t need to contain whisky made from rye grain, a hangover from our homegrown tradition — almost as old as the country itself — of blending wheat, corn or barley spirits with rye distillate to give it a little spicy kick.
Distillers and consumers called it “rye” because even a little splash (rye is powerful and goes a long way) gave it the signature peppery flavour that characterized Canadian whisky.
Since our teachers failed to cover this in 10th-grade history, this causes some confusion — here at home, sure, but also abroad, where labelling laws follow different conventions. In the U.S., for example, anything labelled as American rye whiskey, must, by law, contain at least 51 per cent rye grain, making for a bold spirit that has recently been rediscovered by cocktail enthusiasts, bartenders and spirits aficionados.
Possibly in response to this demand for straight and high-rye whiskies, a few Canadian distillers have recently been tweaking the recipe and upping the rye content.
To be fair, we must mention outlier Alberta Premium, a 100-per-cent rye whisky that set the bar for Canadian rye by winning Jim Murray’s Canadian Whisky of the year for four consecutive years, starting in 2006. Since then, we’ve seen the launch of the wildly popular Lot 40 (2012) and now, four new arrivals to the LCBO.
Late to the party? Not at all. Just in time. We are, after all, embarking on a season in which many of us are looking for a liquid version of “comfort food.”
Rye’s worth a try Like so many Canadians, award-winning Pendleton 1910 Canadian Rye Whisky had to make it big in the United States before it could gain any attention at home.
The 12-year-old 100-per-cent rye probably won over Americans with its sweet and mellow character. It’s lacking the sharp edges we’ve come to love from bold and spicy ryes, but will appeal to lovers of creamy, fullflavoured, vanilla-rich whiskies. $44.90 LCBO; 417857
Canadian Club 100% Rye hit Ontario shelves a year ago, but many are still discovering this light, sweet, cocktail-friendly, easy-on-the-wallet rye. Not just for mixing, it’s got a little less body than the aforementioned 1910, but more of the grain, fruit and spice qualities associated with pure rye and high-rye whiskies. $27.45; 390583
Technically speaking, Crown Royal Northern Harvest wouldn’t qualify as a straight rye, since it’s only 90per-cent rye distillate. But that’s still a whole lot more rye than most and the sharp qualities of rye shine through and add dimension to this rich and full blend. $33.95; 434092
Easily one of the most interesting and innovative distilleries in the country, Still Waters, known for its excellent blended whisky and being the first Canadian craft distillery to make a single malt, made history again by being the country’s first craft distiller to release a100 per cent rye whisky, Stalk & Barrel 100% Rye. It manages to be buttery, peppery and elegant at the same time, making it totally splurge-worthy. $69.95; 415810