Stogie Spirits: Canadian Club Sherry Cask Whiskey
8 Feb 2010
If, for you, Canadian Club conjures images of something your dad used to drink or a simple whiskey to mix with Coke, you’re not alone. But the brand is challenging that stereotype with its new Sherry Cask Whiskey.
On the heals of other higher end releases like the Canadian Club Classic 12 Year and Canadian Club Reserve 10 Year, this one offers a new twist on Canadian whiskey: a sherry cask finish. According to Canadian Club, it is made in small batches, aged a minimum of eight years in white oak barrels, and finished in old Jerez sherry casks.
The Canadian Club Sherry Cask comes in a classic bottle, complete with a traditional wood and cork top. Each bottle of the 82.6-proof spirit is labeled with the individual cask that the whiskey came from.
The whiskey is a deep amber color with a slight reddish tinge. The nose is maple syrup.
When sipping the Canadian Club Sherry Cask, I find a pleasant toffee sweetness, and wheat notes with some subtle spice flavors. While there’s a hint of smooth sherry sweetness, I was pleased to find it not overwhelming. The finish is smooth with rye flavors and more hints of peppery spice.
This is an excellent spirit to prove that Canadian whiskey can be so much more than just an ingredient in a Manhattan. I recommend drinking it straight or with just a splash of water.
It also goes well with cigars, particularly those with a peppery spice. Full-flavored smokes like the Opus X, CAO Lx2, EO 601 Red, or J. Fuego 777 Corojo all stand up well.
Available for around $25-30 a bottle, this is a whiskey that punches above it’s weight class, especially compared to scotch or bourbon of similar cost. And the price also means you won’t be too be disappointed if it ends up in an old fashioned.
For a change of pace for the bourbon or scotch drinker, the Canadian Club Sherry Cask Whiskey is well worth a try.
photo credit: Stogie Guys
Patrick Ashby
Co-Founder & Editor in Chief
Patrick Semmens
Co-Founder & Publisher
George Edmonson
Tampa Bureau Chief
Never heard of this… sounds like it's worth a try.
Love the series on higher end Canadian Club. I’ve always thought of Canadian whiskey as something to mix with ginger or coke, but my mind has been changed.
I've had about 10 bottles of this stuff, being in vermont, i've been able to get it for about 20$ and 15$ in New Hampshire. It definitely compares with scotch's in the 30$ range and is one of my all around favorites for less then 50$.
I absolutely love it! I have always been fond of cask aged single malt scotch. My favorite is Balvenie 21 year old Portwood. I stumbled across the CC Sherry cask for $16.95/ 750 ml! I had to try it. In a word: AMAZING! It is one of the smoothest whiskys I have ever tasted. In the price range, even at $39.99 (the original price) this is a steal!