I should start this off with some full disclosure: I’m a fan of Collingwood. I know, that’s sort of an unpopular opinion among whisky snobs but if you think about it, you’ve probably had much worse. Collingwood has been pretty consistent in taste over the few years I’ve been drinking it and by my books, reliability is a far better trait than volatility in my every day whisky.
Some interesting facts about the Double Barrel:
- It’s first aged in once used Jack Daniel’s barrels for 3 years (this is the minimum amount of time a Canadian whisky must be aged for)
- The second barrel is a virgin oak barrel that is heavily toasted and lightly charred; aged for an additional 2 years
- Similar to the original Collingwood whisky, it is finished with the immersion of toasted Maplewood staves
What does this mean?
Barrels and the aging process provides a majority of the flavour profile you taste in whisky. Grains used are also a big factor in the taste of a whisky. In this instance, rye is used which typically means you should expect a little bit of spice or pepper. In terms of barrels, a toasted virgin barrel was used to finish the whisky which means you’ll be able to taste a little bit of campfire smokiness in the drink. Personally, I like it this way. For those of you with a very sharp sense of smell, you’ll also be able to smell notes of caramel and a little bit of fruit.
Nose: Caramel, campfire and sweetness
Taste: Bready but still sweet, pepper, maple
Finish: Fruity
Proceeds from this whisky will go towards restoring the town of Collingwood’s Nottawasaga Lighthouse, which was struck by lightning in 2004.
moussetaco 