Lot No. 40 Canadian Rye Whisky 70cl, 43% ABV

Product Information

Dark Oak” goes on sale wearing a new label that is different from the copper-colored ones the last 3 wore. It is also not bottled at cask strength

Because I’m already in the territory of Canada and am on the topic of rye whiskey, I thought it would be a good chance to sneak in a review of a Canadian rye called Lot 40. It also just hit me that this will be my first review of Canadian whiskey for Malt. On the nose: I get medium aromas of rye spice, cinnamon, adzuki beans, sweet vermouth, and oak. Sometimes, these come out as mellow. Other times, it’s hot. Underneath is a tingle of sharpness, which makes me assume it’s from the worm tubs. Along with it, and at the tail end, are lighter aromas of anise, leather, vanilla, and honey. The palate is in line with the nose with even more ripe banana to which you can add a nice red tea and some plum. Fantastic!

Lot 40 Canadian Rye Whisky

The finish is more of the same with lots of spices and wood. At the death, the tannins take control, leaving your mouth dry. Bottles been open going on two months now and has about 3/5s left. Review is from a neat pour sat for fifteen minutes or so. Fried banana, crème caramel, candied yam, tiramisu. The peated cask effect on the palate is strange – there is an earthy, peaty spiciness to it without being smoky. The mid-palate has more peat-spice, menthol, and iodine. Novocaine spreads throughout the mouth and numbs the tongue and lips like a trip to the dentist. Long hot pepper finish with Jagermeister-like bitter herb.

Palate (undiluted): medium-bodied, rye spice, toasted oak, lots of baking spices, cinnamon hearts, hints of apple and caramel In recent years, Lot 40 has been at the forefront of the resurgence of interest in rye whisky, particularly in Canada. The brand has played a significant role in rekindling the public's appreciation for this type of whisky, which had seen a decline in popularity in the late 20th century. By staying true to the traditional methods of Canadian rye whisky production, Lot 40 has helped to remind consumers of the rich, spicy flavours that are unique to rye-based spirits.Lot No. 40 isn’t widelyknown in the United States yet based on limited availability and no special releases being offered here (just the standard 86 proof version). However, it may surprise you to hear it won the 2021 “World’s Best Rye” in the World Whiskies Awards. Lot No. 40 comes extremely close to meeting the specifications of an American rye whiskey. True to tradition, Lot 40 is crafted using 100% rye grain, celebrating the robust flavour that this grain is known for. The whisky is distilled in a single copper pot still, which helps to develop its rich, full-bodied flavour profile. This method, considered more labour-intensive and yielding less product than column distillation, is chosen for its ability to produce a spirit with more character and depth.

Freshly released in Ontario comes this new entry in the “Rye Explorations” series from the Hiram Walker distillery. This is the second entry, and I have previously reviewed the first, which was a bit of a head scratching combination of rye and peated scotch whisky casks. I was excited about this trip because I knew the food there was good, largely because it’s a part of North America where the population is mostly Asian. Just look at Tony Bourdain’s obsession with Asia after he got a taste of it. So, I knew we wouldn’t have a hard time looking for good meals there. Eating in Richmond almost felt like being in Hong Kong due to the numerous dim sum restaurants, and being surrounded by folks speaking Cantonese. When I first taste Old Potrero 18th Century style, my reaction was why Canadian rye have always the same profile, why Canadian rye can be that good?!!! Well, now I can say Canadian Rye can be that good! And be sure it is not patriotism since it is quite canadian to look at ourselves as good second level performer. But not this time!Lot No. 40 is expertly distilled in small batches using only the finest locally sourced ingredients. By distilling in a single copper pot still, the result is a whisky that starts off earthy and woody tasting and then becomes full bodied and complex with a velvety vanilla oak finish.” Lot 40 Canadian Rye Whisky price, ABV, age and other details I’m sure you know this already but the term “rye” in Canadian whisky is more of a colloquialism and doesn’t refer to any specific requirements. It comes from the term “rye-flavoured” whisky which is why we Canadians throw the term rye around quite loosely when describing the typical Canadian style of rye-flavoured blended whisky. Another note is that Canadian whiskies including all “ryes” can use any type of barrel and are not limited to used barrels, although the big distillers typically do refill the same barrels over and over again. Whiskybase B.V. is the Dutch private limited liability company, having its statutory seat in Rotterdam, The Netherlands and its office at Zwaanshals 530, 3035 KS Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Whiskybase B.V. is registered with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce under no. 52072819. The only whiskey that remotely comes close to this one is Shenk’s Sour Mash whiskey from Michter’s. If I was grading this as a blind whiskey instead of a Canadian Rye Whiskey, I may actually score this an “8” for being so unique and flavorful. But in the realm of ryes, this is not what a person pouring a rye would ever expect. Even High West’s MWND shows off a base rye character, but this one is hard to tell between a rye whiskey and an extremely strong liqueur. Final Thoughts E. The other, biggest difference to someone used to the American model of distillation is that many Canadian whiskies (especially blended whiskies) contain some spirit that has been distilled a single time, and some spirit that has been distilled multiple times. The “double-distilled” portion of spirit has been distilled to a very high level of alcohol before entering the barrel, removing “impurities” but simultaneously stripping it of most of its grain-derived flavors. This is referred to as “light whisky,” and helps achieve the lighter flavor profile and mouthfeel that customers tend to associate with Canadian whisky. The single-distilled whisky, on the other hand, retains more of the grain-derived notes, and is referred to as “flavoring” whisky. The combination of numerous different types of “double-distilled/DD” and “flavoring” whiskies are used to create classic Canadian whisky blends, whereas more modern styles such as the Lot No. 40 Rye produced at Hiram Walker are solely, 100% rye whiskey, running through the column still only once before aging in oak, and would come close to qualifying in the U.S. as “straight rye.”

Overall it’s interesting and makes for a unique sip, but it’s a bit light and feels like it’s not… quite… there. Could use a bit more age or a bit higher proof or both to get it really up there, but as is it’s not bad. Especially at the price, I don’t have much to complain about.Records the default button state of the corresponding category & the status of CCPA. It works only in coordination with the primary cookie.