Canadian Whisky

About

Canadian whisky is the lightest, most mixable whisky style in North America, and it's built differently from almost everything else on the shelf. Most of what's here is blended, much of it is labeled rye without being made mainly from rye, and one brand accounts for nearly two thirds of the collection. Crown Royal is the reason most people know the category at all, but there's more range here than its purple bag suggests. Bottles run from about $16 up past $100 for the aged releases. We ship to most states, with an adult 21 or older required to sign at delivery. What Makes a Whisky Canadian The legal requirements are straightforward. Canadian whisky has to be mashed, distilled and aged in Canada, spend at least three years in small wooden barrels, and be bottled at 40% alcohol or higher. Where it gets interesting is what the rules allow on top of that. Most Canadian distillers make each grain separately and blend only after aging. A high-proof base whisky, usually from corn, provides the body and smoothness. A lower-proof flavoring whisky, often from rye, provides the spice. The blender then combines them to a house style. That's the opposite of the American approach, where grains are mixed in a single mash bill before distillation, and it's why Canadian whisky tends to land lighter and more consistent from bottle to bottle. Canadian rules also allow caramel coloring and a small share of other spirits or wine to be blended in, commonly cited at up to 9.09%. It's legal, it's common, and it's one of the reasons the category is so approachable. It's also worth knowing if you're comparing a Canadian whisky to a bourbon at the same price, since the two are made under very different constraints. Why Canadian Whisky Gets Called Rye Early Canadian distillers added rye to their mostly-wheat whiskies for flavor, and the name stuck to the whole category. Canadian labeling still allows a whisky to be called rye regardless of how much rye is actually in it, which is why you'll s