Two whiskies, one by request and one for comparison.

A while back I received a mail about one of my canadian whisky reviews, "Long Wood blend", which was to be fair, a bad whisky. The mail from mr. Staples, a canadian living in Germany, who'd unfortunately was now stuck with bottle of this, agreed that it is a crappy whisky. However, as a canadian he told me he'd never seen this whisky in Canada, or anywhere outside of German borders for that matter, and therefore questioned its land of origin. Stating "Long Wood is as Canadian as Königsberger Klopse". Maybe I wouldn't go that far, but I can surely agree that it seems a bit weird for a canadian whisky only to be sold in german Aldi Supermarkt. However, I do believe that this might be real canadian whisky, probably some batches of bad casks mixed together, that have been imported to Germany from Canada to be sold as Canadian whisky here in europe. More important, Long Wood is one of the only canadian(!) whiskies I've ever tried, so for me to make amends, and following the request of mr. Staples, I will now try a Canadian Club, and after that, a very popular european whisky for comparison.


Canadian Club Premium NAS 40% Canadian

From a plastic miniature bottle, it is the standard of the CC-bunch, and I believe it is about 6 years old. It's pretty dark for a 6yo, perhaps the color's been tangled with. It smells wheat flour, huge on wheat and honey, fresh bread, caramel, mint julep, it's rather unfamiliar for my palate. Better than most Bourbons I've come across, reminds me a bit of some fresh highlanders such as Ben Nevis, Glencadam and Balblair. The taste is rather sweet and light, caramel and butter, vanilla extract, caramelized onions, honey, roasted almonds. A very good, although not very challenging dram. Certainly a whole other aspect on canadian whisky than what the "Long Wood" gave me.

What can I say, a perfect light and easy Canadian whisky for a beginner like me: 6.5


Jameson NAS 40% Irish Blend

So, I guess this is the closest to Canadian Club we'll come in Europe when scotch is excluded. Triple distilled which means all whiskies in this blend are. Lighter in color, golden hue. Smells burnt and oaky. The taste shows that its a lighter whisky, lots of vanilla and oregano, basil leaves, coriander leaves, fresh herbs. The finish is all on red onions and bitterness. Sweet bitterness, tonic water... It's not my favorite, and surely, it will never be, but I can understand how its easy for people making irish coffees or bar-owners wanting an easily available cheap whisky for st. Pat's Day or the heavy partying student or the ignorant wine snob who just wants an alternative in his collection to choose this blend. It can't compare to some of the other blends I've tried lately and it looses this duel by a mile.

It's a mediocre blend, nothing more, nothing less, yet better than "Long Wood": 2.5