Hello Everyone, welcome to my site. Well, I never thought that I would say this, but today I'm reviewing a Canadian Whisky. Here in Hungary the whisky community on one hand is very prejudiced and on the other very "Scotch snobby". Prejudiced, because many people think that there is Scotch & Irish (in a good case..., there are people hating on Irish Whiskey too) and then there is nothing else. So when you enter the biggest group on Facebook here in Hungary, you will 99% see posts about Scotch. Well I don't blame anyone. It's a sensitive topic to be fair. My point is that when someone says Canadian Whisky, well people think about Black Velvet that you can buy in any supermarket for dirt cheap and they say: "Don't bother, Canadian Whisky is garbage." And that ain't true. Most people that say this, only tried one or two bottles of the very lowest of whiskies that get here from Canada. It's just like this, there is not a huge selection of Canadian, American or say Australian whiskies available here. Only the lower shelf products and obviously those are not always so good. Back onto Pike Creek avenue. I saw this bottle many times and I also always thought that it can't be that good, people told me: "Don't buy Canadian Whisky." Then I fired up the internet and saw that the reviews are actually very very good. So guess what? I ordered it and I picked it up. It also piqued my interest because it's a rum finish. I am very curious. Let's get right into it.

About Corby Spirits & Hiram Walker Distillery & Pike Creek

For the past 160 years, Corby Spirit and Wine Limited has been at the forefront of the spirits and wine industry in Canada, building a portfolio of Canadian favourites and iconic international brands. Through it all, the company has evolved through constant innovation, while staying true to its Canadian roots.  

Most of Corby's owned brands are produced at the iconic Hiram Walker & Sons distillery. For over 160 years, this historic facility produces some of the best whiskies in Canada, and has been awarded Distillery of the Year four years in a row.

As the old saying goes, it takes a village. With over 430 employees that call the campus home, every single employee's contribution is more than just necessary. It's instrumental to the lifeblood of the company's beating heart. 

The new millennium marked the beginning of a new era of growth and innovation for Corby. In 2005, Pernod Ricard S.A. becomes Corby's majority shareholder. They both enter into long-term representation and production agreements, adding international market-leading brands such as Chivas Regal, The Glenlivet Scotch Whiskies and Jacob's Creek wines.

The Pike Creek brand is an expression of some key Canadian values: approachability, bravery and genuineness. Originally launched in 1998 as part of the Canadian Whisky Guild (a collection of super premium Canadian whiskies just slightly ahead of its time), the brand was relaunched by Corby in 2012. Originally finished in Port barrels, there was a move to finish it in Rum barrels in starting 2016. With the release of limited edition 21 year old Speyside Single Malt Cask Finish, Pike Creek began to highlight the impact of different barrel finishes. Subsequent years saw the brand release European Oak (a blend of French and Hungarian Oak), Oloroso Sherry Cask Finish and a Cabernet Sauvignon finish in limited quantities to wide acclaim. 

Pike Creek Rum Finish Canadian Whisky - Natural Color(?), Non-Chill filtered(?), 42%

"Pike Creek is inspired by the longest part of whisky production – the aging. Named after our aging warehouse just outside Windsor, Ontario, Pike Creek displays the impact of barrel aging. As the Pike Creek warehouse is non-climate controlled, the barrels are subject to the extreme temperature swings of one of Canada's southern most locations, as low as -35°C (-31°F) in the winter and 35°C (95°F) in the summer. This change in temperature forces the whisky in and out of the wooden staves as they expand and contract. By aging for 10 years and finishing in different barrels, Pike Creek is our ode to the aging warehouse."

Nose: Extremely sweet right away. Notes of maple syrup, vanilla, toffee and brown sugar. Fresh oak, freshly cut grass and some faint vegetal notes. Apple pie. Rum notes such as molasses. Confectionary smells. It's very reminiscent of bourbon. A hint of rye spice, cinnamon and cardamom. Very faint notes of tropical fruits in the background. Not too complex, very sweet but very very pleasant and warming.

Taste: Very sweet and syrupy. The texture is very much like a rum. Maple syrup, vanilla and toffee are the leading notes. Then soem rye spices and Christmas cake. Cinnamon and cardamom. A bit of oak and tropical fruits. It's not complex at all, but it's nice to drink. Sweet. A hint of spicyness at the back in the form of mint and black pepper.

Finish: Delicate, medium length. Brown sugar, molasses, maple syrup, vanilla and toffee. It's very enjoyable. Rum notes and rye spices. A hint of toasted oak at the back.

Overall I would recommend this whisky. It's not complex at all but it's good quality. It's very enjoyable to drink because it's light and sweet. If you like rum, you will definitely like this. Also I have to say that the bottle design is extremely good. It's one of the best looking bottles I've ever seen. Love it. I award this whisky 86 / 100. I have to buy another bottle. It's that nice to drink. Enjoy it responsibly.

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Check out the points on all the whiskies I've rated and ranked head-to-head over HERE.

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it. To many more. Sláinte.