Fair is Fair Dept: Content of Canadian Whiskey revealed...

What is feckin whiskey doing on the net's leading independent rum website? There's a reason, read on, but it's not my fault! Honest...
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Capn Jimbo
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Fair is Fair Dept: Content of Canadian Whiskey revealed...

Post by Capn Jimbo »

Thanks to Davin Kergommeaux...


...and his lovely book "Canadian Whiskey", in which he inadvertantly mentioned two important factors: first, that CW's are allowed to add up to 9% of almost anything and still legally call it CW; and second, that much CW is made with a substantial portion of what is euphemistically called CWS or the equivalen ("Canadian Whisky Spirit"). CWS is actually near neutral spirit, distilled to about 94.5%. In truth, for all practical purposes it's but a pubic hair from neutral spirit, eh?

So when the Frozen One recently "reviewed" one of Highland's many flavored Canadian whiskies I felt it only fair to go to Highland's site and attempt a contact enquiry, to wit:
"I am aware that many Canadian whiskies are made with a substantial component called by one company as CWS (Canadian whiskey spirit), which is distilled to a rather high % alcohol, say around 94% - with the flavors then provided by smaller amounts of tastier, low proof distillate (often from pot stills).

What is the makeup of your whiskies - now much near-neutral spirit is used?

Thanks..."
To me when a so-called "batch" producer actually releases most product in the form of any number of flavors, eg chocolate, ginger lime, spiced, honey and maple flavored (including their so-called 10 year releases) then something is amiss. Either Canadians really don't like real whiskey, or their 9% anything bottlings are just as bad if not worse than rogue rum.

Stay tuned for their answer - but don't hold your breath.




*******
http://www.highwood-distillers.com/main/product_line/1
Last edited by Capn Jimbo on Fri May 15, 2015 8:01 am, edited 4 times in total.
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Post by Capn Jimbo »

I am fackin gobsmacked! And why?


Simple and a two fold answer. First, because I actually got a response - in hours - from the distiller and second, because their answer seems dead honest. Without further ado...
"Hi Capn Jimbo, like most Canadian Whiskies, we use only near neutral spirit.

The spirit is of high alcohol content 95% then blended down to 65-75% depending on the grain and aged for the minimum 3 years. We do all of our flavor blending for our whiskies after the spirits have been aged.

Sheldon Hyra
National Sales Manager
SHyra@Highwood-Distillers.com
Highwood-Distillers.com"
I mean really - read that twice if you have to. Finally we have an admission that most - most I say - Canadian whiskies are based on near neutral (95%) spirit, whose flavor is due primarily from the wood, and not the distillate. This will be news to Davin K., to whom I long ago posed this very question and he admitted he really didn't know how much near neutral was used, and it hadn't occurred to him to ask!

Friends, this is a HUGE admission, and although there are certainly a few pot-stilled additions and exceptions, this answer addresses the bulk of Canadian whiskies. Although most experienced real whiskey afficianados had already intuited that CW is a light weight spirit, this confirms it!

Amazing!
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Post by Capn Jimbo »

Since I was obviously on a roll, I quickly followed up...

"Sheldon, thanks so much for your prompt and informative reply. I failed to ask my second question. I know the Canadian regulations allow up to about 9% of additives, including wine. How widespread are the use of these?

And a specific question about your flavored whiskies - do you use for example real honey or maple syrup? I assume artificial or natural flavors are used in say the ginger lime, true?

Again, thanks and I promise not to ask you anything else..."
And again, Sheldon answered:
"By regulation you can add up to 9.09% of other ingredients into Canadian Whisky. They most common additive is caramel coloring/flavoring. Some distillers use bourbon or sherry as well. In our White Owl Whisky Classic we add absolutely nothing and the flavored White Owls are natural flavors. All of our whiskies use only natural flavorings and real flavors. In about 95% of our products including liqueurs we use natural flavors where possible. This has caused us some issues over the years because natural flavors sometimes don’t mix as well as artificial and over time we have experienced some separation of the flavoring that shows up as sediment in the product.

Hope this helps!
Sheldon"
Once again we get surprising honesty. Some add bourbon or sherry, yet another stunning disclosure. Canadian "Whiskey" really is a mish-mosh. Still, I have to give credit to Sheldon and Highland for their honesty. I especially appreciated that he distinguised "natural flavor" from "real" flavorings, and one of the motivations for using artificials (most distillers hide behind the term "natural" as if it meant "real" which it does not).

What a reveal!
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Post by Capn Jimbo »

Bump... and for a good reason:


That good reason is simple. Until now Kergommeaux has always been quite vague on the Canadian's use of near neutral spirit. His book tries to give the impression that although some near neutral is used, that there is a substantial component of tasty pot or lower alcohol distillates, perhaps being compared to blended Scotch whisky with it's grain whisky component.

But there's a big difference between grain whisky and the use of 95% near vodka component that makes up MOST of CW. That's a shocker.

The second HUGE admission has to do with the legal addition of bourbon and/or wine (probably sherry). Kergommeaux was clear about this too, stating that although it is legal to add 9.09% of almost anything (that's a LOT), that he claimed that only a few inexpensive CW's did so. Highland's admission puts the lie to this notion as well.


Flat Ass Bottom Line

That a well known distiller makes these clear admissions, and speaks to industry practices in the production of CW is simply amazing and revealing to say the least. Please do take note of these, and do make your views known here...

Thanks.
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Post by Capn Jimbo »

What does this all mean?


I hate to keep bearing down on this one, but it's important to realize just why Canadian Whiskey - in general - has and will never command the respect of say a good single malt, or the unfinished bourbons (yes, bourbon is being compromised by "finishing" in other than charred new oak). It's simply this:

The major component is just a pubic hair away from vodka, a near neutral spirit euphemistically called "CWS" (Canadian Whiskey Spirit, their term, not mine).

And let's not forget the other major factor: that adding up to 9.09% of ANYTHING is legal, and often includes the addition of bourbon and sherry. Our honest distiller above makes both admissions, and without shame. Bravo! Now yes, there are a few pure and pot-stilled exceptions but we're talking here about the vast bulk of CW's. Mostly near vodka with flavors coming mostly from much smaller amounts of actual whisky (called "flavouring whiskies". That's right.

The only real whiskey used is just a flavoring to spiff up your bottle of near vodka or GNS (grain neutral spirit). Then toss in some bourbon, maybe some sherry and well, almost anything you like under the 9.09% rule and there you have it...

Canadian Whiskey - a mixed drink in a bottle.
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