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Raising a glass of Glen Ottawa

PHILIP JACKMAN

From Saturday's Globe and Mail

Latest comment posted at 6:55 PM EST 19/11/08

Why doesn't Canada produce single-malt whiskies? ...Read the full article

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  1. Tony . from Waterloo, Canada writes:
    Glen Breton Rare, distilled and aged in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, is absolutely a pure Canadian single malt whisky. To the best of my knowledge it is the only one not only in Canada but in North America as a whole.
  2. Frederick Matern from writes: There are American single malts, there are Irish single malts, and there is even now a Welsh single malt! None of them can be called Scotch. There is no reason to pretend to the title scotch if you have a quality single malt from anoter region.

    Glen Breton rare is fantastic and consumers cannot get enough of it (it is, after all, rare).

    I think there must be a market for more Canadian sinle malts. I think consumers will pay for a quality single malt from other parts of Canada. And I think "Canadian Single Malt Whisky" is descriptive enough for enthousiasts - which may seem a niche market, but I think by far enough of a market. Distillers take heed!
  3. Randal Oulton from Toronto, Canada writes: I tried the Glen Breton, and was nearly sick. It had that same taste that the cheaper wood-alcohol, caramel-coloured Canadian whiskies have. Now, I know it's supposed to be higher quality than that, so I'm curious what there is common in the taste that made me relate it immediately to all the run of the mill Canadian stuff (which I also can't stomach.) And nope, I'm not a whiskey snob -- I'm just as happy with a bottle of Jameson's as I am with any fancy Scotch.
  4. anthropromorphic imagery from Canada writes: Randal Oulton from Toronto, Canada writes: I tried the Glen Breton, and was nearly sick. It had that same taste that the cheaper wood-alcohol, caramel-coloured Canadian whiskies have. Now, I know it's supposed to be higher quality than that, so I'm curious what there is common in the taste that made me relate it immediately to all the run of the mill Canadian stuff (which I also can't stomach

    oh cmon who are you trying to kid here? all Canadian whiskies tase bad? What are you some pretentious over the top Torontonian?

    I am going out on a limb here but am going to guess you drink only perrier too, drive a BMW and fancy only the best restaurants money can buy. Oh and Canadian wine? You don't like that either.
  5. Malcolm MacLean from Canada writes: A few years ago I went to a tasters party at my local pub for scotch enthusiasts. The samples were "blind", only revealed after everyone had tasted and given their opinion. Out of 20 or so samples Glen Breton was the favorite of almost everyone there. The other scotches were a wide variety chosen from select and favorite single malts of Scotland along with an Irish and two blended choices, a fairly well rounded competition. A few years after that I had the chance to visit the distillery, beautiful little area nestled amongst the hills of Cape Bretons west coast, very worthwhile and a nice break on the way to the Cabot trail.
    I would recommend the distillery and the Glen Breton to anyone interested in single malt whiskey.
  6. Mike the scott from Waterloo, Canada writes: Just to add to the list, there is a a single Malt out of Japan that is suppose to be quite good
    When I went to Tazmania Island (Australia), I came accross another distiller for single Malt. That one was Ok, they were cheating the capitol outlay problem by aging in small casks (allows it 'in theory' to be aged in shorter time). I found that the whiskey still needed more time to mature, but it wasn't a bad way of getting some money in the door early until the 12 yo stuff is ready. The business was also supplementing their income by using their distiller equipment to supply the local bars with common and simple liquers and other distilates (gin). All these other ones were decent.
    My personal opinion is that you can make a business of single malts anywhere, provided the whisky is good. I think in time we're going to see these other ones sitting right beside Lagavulin and Oban in the next 10-20 years. I think the 'legend' only counts with snobs that can't taste. Look at Champagne vs. sparkling wine, personally they are the same thing in my books.
  7. George BrownIII from Christmas Island writes: It is all in the myth creation, marketing and big profits.
  8. Stan W from Winnipeg, Canada writes: Picking the best single malt is like picking the best fruit: you end up comparing apples and oranges. The range of what they are trying to achieve is to different.

    It would be nice to get some Canadian single malts, but I'm not going to pay more than their taste justifies for the novelty.

    If a Canadian single malt is any good, they'll be enough produced it won't be a novelty (i.e. won't be "rare").
  9. Mike Sharp from Victoria, Canada writes:

    Why doesn't Canada produce single-malt whiskies?...

    Because we make Labatt's Blue.
    End of thread.
  10. Raymond of No Fixed Address from Canada writes: Blue - the original pilsner - winner of several awards if you read the label carefully

    clearly you have never had creemore

    yes we can make single malt - but if its priced too high people will buy glenfiddich - its a knee jerk reaction

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