whisky review 109 - Alberta Premium & Forty Creek (barrel select)
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- Опубликовано: 13 фев 2010
- ... two good Whiskies found mainly in Canada, and a bit of a well kept secret too !
Alberta Premium is a good 100% Rye with a mellow fruity/sweety character.
Forty Creek is a modern 'Craft' interpretation of traditional style by a wine-maker, ... and it works.
As a Canadian, Alberta Premium is my go-to for affordable local whisky.
40 creek is extremely popular in Texas, that's my favorite
Love the Copper Pot version of Forty Creek.
40 creek is distilled just 20 minutes from my house! Glad you enjoyed it, Ralfy. Cheers.
Just bought a bottle.... for 25$!!... It worth much.. much more than 25$!!!
I'm from Alberta and would like to say thanks for trying Alberta premium. Alot of people would avert their eyes to that 100% rye whiskey.
Cool to see you did forty creek. The distillery is a 5 min drive from my house here in grimsby, Canada :)
I work at Kittling Ridge distillery in Grimsby, Ontario, Canada (makers of Forty Creek whisky). It is certainly a unique dram, especially in its production processes. The two reserve whiskies on regular release at the moment are Double Barrel Reserve (two extra years in first-run bourbon casks) and Confederation Oak Reserve (two years in custom-made Canadian white oak barrels). In the coming September, the new limited edition release will be Port Wood Reserve. Just to keep you up to date ;)
You're the man Ralfy. I live in Ontario, Canada and I'm going to remind myself to pick up a bottle of each, over the years i got bored of seeing both on the shelf at the liquor store. I was unaware alberta premium was 100% rye, I always perceived it as a "discount" liquor though i found it quite enjoyable. Haven't bought a bottle since college, think i'll give it another try.
this guy is great! love his reviews. I had no idea the whisky I drank was made by a wine maker :P
Greetings back to you as well. I've actually been a regular viewer of your channel since 2009. It's been my favourite spirit review source on the internet since then! Thanks so much for the informative, entertaining v-logs over the years! Cheers!
great review ! love how open minded you are to trying new things
I am an American (now a Canadian Citizen) who is very new to the whiskey scene. I have tried a variety of scotches and whiskeys as my wallet allows (I am quite young) and would like to say above all that I am having a genuinely fun time watching your videos. Your reviews may not be whiskey gospel, but your thinking is analytic, your personality entertaining, and your pallet very well developed. thank you for creating a program that educates in a plainly fun and informative fashion.
Hey Ralfy! thank you so much! Your expertise has allowed me too delve into the tasty crack of taste bud tantilization in a way never before explored! Cheers Brother!
Jeff, Ottawa Canada
I still have a bottle of Forty Creek Barrel Select from before the Campari takeover. It is seriously great for the money.
I must object. One of those Mountie bears should be named something suitably Canadian - say, "Gord."
Ralphy, you must try the Forty Creek Double Barrel Aged. Amazing.
forty creek by far best whisky around!!! try the confederation oak they have...you will not regret it!! cheers love your videos
great reviews thanks ralfy!
yes trying new this is almost always good. America makes some fantastic 100 % rye whiskeys too. including a few single malt ones.
Great job as always Ralfy, Thanks
I bought a bottle of the 40 Creek Barrel Select after watching the Toronto vlogs. It was just $19.00 at my local shop. I could, I think, identify the different grains and the wine/sherry finish, But my first impression was that this is much more than the sum of it parts.Very delightful. I am going to "bridge the Atlantic with Caol Ila next time. Thanks for the intro, Ralfy. Cheers
good review mate!
Kittling ridge makes me proud to be from Ontario, I never heard of Forty Creek untill my step mom got me a bottle, what I found most interesting was that John actually went out to different LCBO locations and signed bottles. I really enjoy Forty Creek, going to make sure I have a bottle on hand at all times from now on.
Have you ever tried Gibson's 12 year Whisky? Got a bottle of that tonight, however with my current inexperience, I can't say much beyond 'It's got a bite' and 'I like it' lol Definitely need to try more kinds of whisky before I have any kind of pallet.
Alberta Premium I tend to get every other time I buy a batch. For the price it's really something else. IT's Subtle and I like it.
Forty Creek has a Confederation Oak Reserve version that must be tried. The fact that it is blended after is rather nice. Keeps the flavours alive in me mind.
I've heard the Port Wood Reserve is the best one so far, even better than it's own previous release! Also, the new Copper Pot Reserve is also definitely worth trying (it retails at $28.45 CAD, out now at the distillery!)
Thanks for the nod to Canada, Ralfy. Personally, I find the regular Alberta Premium to be rather bland by Canadian rye standards. The new Canadian Club 100% Rye - made by the same distillery - is much more interesting. Forty Creek is definitely a decent whisky for the price (most find Copper Pot a bit better, though). But I would rather jump right to their "premium" Confederation Oak or Double Barrel versions.
selfbuilt is
Canadian Club 100% Rye is good, you are right!
Atlantic bridge -- this man is a genius. A genius, I tell you!
I'm from Alberta and interestingly many here look down on this whiskey as "cheap" and poor quality! A sort of whiskey snobbery because it's not expensive it must be a lessor product. It is in my opinion, one the best whiskey's available! If price is your concern then this whiskey is certainly unbeatable.
Look i know you posted 4 months ago but i feel i need to give you an opinion of mine that might be valuable of some sorts... anyways in the liquor industry as well as all the other industry's will do anything to squeeze some more dollars out of your hard working pocket; So they say things like "Buy our product, we've made it better than the other guys!" and "This has a much better taste!" and other sorts of non-sense. Well there is such thing as being gullible and in fact we have a term for people who believe everything they hear and say "It's actually a lot better!" "Wow, its great!" its called the placebo effect for anyone reading this and is thinking "wtf is that?" the main thing is back in medical labs a placebo is a simulated or otherwise medically ineffectual treatment for a disease or other medical condition intended to deceive the recipient. Sometimes patients given a placebo treatment will have a perceived or actual improvement in a medical condition, a phenomenon commonly called the placebo effect. Their you go now i say buy the cheaper bottle and shut up about which one is better lol.
I'm a Malty Montrealer!! Hello back to you ralfy.
the alberta premium here for a 26 ounce bottle (basic 750ml) goes for about 15 to 18 bucks...only thing cheaper actually is R&R and those bottles rock because the label is a sticker!!! you can peel it off and stick it anywhere!!!
Bought a bottle of this today, seeing as I live in the Great White North.
Something worth mentioning: The vanilla note I hear reviewers describing with this whisky is really more of a vanilla tinged maple. Since I live in an area where fresh maple syrup is all around, that's the first thing it reminded me of.
It's a winter drink. It tastes of burning firewood, and maple. It's something that would be at home in front of a fireplace, at Christmas time.
An original tasting Canadian whisky.
My two favourite Canadian whiskies. Alberta Premium is so cheap yet SO good, it's shocking. Far superior to any of the others at its price point, in my opinion.
Forty Creek is fantastic as well, and they also have a very good cream version that is better than Baileys imo.
Nice review :)
Another good cheap one is Canadian Club 100% Rye! Have you tried it ?
drink this stuff all the time. love it
Just tried the Atlantic bridge and loved it! An older peated might be even better to add even more depth
A Montréal malt-mention! Like Geardos, I find it unfortunate that both of these whiskies are unavailable in Montréal. May your review make its way to the state liquor monopoly and get it to review its product lineup.
Alberta Premium occasionally releases a 35y/o locally in Alberta.
Very hard to find even for somebody like myself who lives ten minutes away from the distillery.
I love the AP bottle! Any chance you'll find some AP Dark Horse? I'm looking forward to watching your review.
Hey everyone! If you ever get the chance to try a SIVO Rye....the first and only whisky from Québec province...its delightful!!!
Bought 2 bottles of 40 winks , tasted great @ the ligour store, got sick , on both , didn't go near it for 5 years, Had a glass at a Party 2019 was very good. .
Any recommendations on which of these a new whisky drinker should get?
What do you think about Wisers Special Blend?? My Whisky of choice.
I've been buying alberta P in a 375ml mickey. Its only 11 to 12:50 $'s. Not bad. One gets me well. Grandpa's caugh medicine. I will continue to watch for more whiskey review. Love your channel. Oh ya, Im canadian. an indian man. Not a drunk one.jok
Ralfy, I tried blending Glenlivet with Forth Creek and trust me it turned out good.
you can find it in Khanawake, just over the bridge from MTL
I tried a bottle of Forty Creek , tasted like distilled maple syrup. I can see why its popular in Canada. ; ) Maybe appealing to Santas elves?
I started my journey into scotch earlier this year. I tried a few single malts and what I found is that my preference for taste quickly went from a standard 12 year to the 15 and 18 year olds because I preferred the richness of a developed and mellower whisky. Then not to be a snob, I tried and quickly liked and still prefer blended scotch whiskey for it's smoothness (Chivas 12 yr and Johnnie Walker Black Label in particular - easy for me to find in Canada). But as I kept going into the LCBO to price out other scotches ranging from entry of $55 to $300 at the high end, I was finding the truly enjoyable single malts to be in the mid $70s to $100... that's when I turned my head to the Canadian whiskey aisles... decent 750ml bottles for mid $20s. I was worried at first about whether my Cdn rye whisky was drinkable neat as I prefer. And I'm happy that many are indeed.
Which are your favourite Canadian whiskies?
+kubz123 right now, my favourite Canadian whiskies are forty creek double barrel, crown royal (deluxe, black, reserve) and to a lesser extent Gibson's finest. Originally I enjoyed Gibson's more, but I'm tasting the anise flavour too much now, and I'm not a big fan of anise. So I use it in mixed drinks.
Nice review! Thanks. We can get Forty Creek in the US but I think Alberta Premium is limited to Canada.
I'd suggest trying Alberta Premium Dark Horse Canadian Whisky. It's very good and very heavily ryed. It's also very sherried.
Kirk Hayes That's odd...I got the Dark Horse and gave it away. I payed $18 at the LCBO so didn't expect anything proper. But I actually gagged a couple of times. Because it's so cheap, I got it to mix with Coca-Cola and I honestly couldn't finish it.
Ralfy, been drinking this for a while now and your flavours are almost exactly the same as what I discovered... however I find the sweetness in Forty Creek to be too artificial and the corn flavour too obvious...water breaks out the rye other wise it was hiding behind the charcoal and corn and that unexpected rum note, lol.
picked up a bottle of forty creak today!
I purposely put high river Canadian whisky into a glass that held craigallachie 13 and now it tastes and smells like forty creek with a blast of tangerine reminiscent of auchentoshan 12
Hello Ralphy, I appreciated your review of the Canadian Whiskys!
I'm Canadian and the hunt for an affordable, light and smooth whisky, wether Canadian or not. With your vast whisky experience do you have one or two you could suggest that would fit what I'm looking for?
Thank you for your time.
Forty Creek Barrel Select is a great value. If you get the chance try Forty Creek Double Barrel Reserve.
Have you gotten a chance to try any of the Forty Creek special releases? Like the Forty Creek 40
A lot of products are not available in Québec.
Hey ralfy, could you possibly do some more reviews on Canadian whisky's in 2012?
ohh a whacking great 88/100 i had to listen to that twice ;)
Ralfy, have you ever tried Collingwood? It recently popped up in the local liquor provider and has a very interesting bottle.
guess it is time to actually try Alberta Premium. I don't drink Canadian Whiskey often but I wanna try AP now
i really wish Alberta Premium was available in the US. i've had no luck at all finding it online either and i sure theres some reason for that. if i ever go up to canada ill probably buy a whole case of the stuff to keep in reserve lol.
That's one thick Weejie accent!
Greetings Ralfy,
Did you have a chance to try Alberta Springs 10 year old? If so, how do you like it compared to Alberta Premium?
. . .never tried it, will look out for it !
I seem to be the only person buying Forty Creek at the LCBO near me. The bottles are all a bit dusty, although the quality of the whisky isn't suffering because of it.
Hi Ralfy. just tried your "Atlantic Bridge" using a few drops of Ardbeg 10 w/the 40CreekBS... Exquisite!! Certainly extends both the arrival and the development! good call!
ever entertain entering the blending business Ralfy ??
cheers
Ralf, to be very honest, Forty Creek has been readily available in the US for at least a few years, mate.
It is a wonderful replacement for Crown Royal and I much prefer it as a mixing whiskey.
I love Alberta Premium. I consider it to be one of the "secret menu" items of the liquor store - so cheap yet so good. Drinking the Forty Creek right now - it's a solid whisky, not as good as Alberta Premium though IMO. I like it with a couple ice cubes, whereas I prefer Alberta neat.
available in Kanawake.
Not just hard to find outside Canada, hard to find in some provinces as well. They don't sell Alberta Premium in Quebec for some stupid reason. I have a friend bring these back from out of province. Amazing stuff.
40 creek is good for a drink or two...but too much on the pallet for proper drinking. Lots of flavor. Sweet maple caramel. CC or Alberta premium is great getting drunk whisky. Just finished a bottle of Alberta Premium and its good, I prefer the CC 100% Rye. Alberta P and CC 100 R is the same company and distilllery in Alberta. Finishing is slightly different. The CC is a few dollars more. I put a half oz of 20 year old port in mine now and then and it is delightful. The 12 year small batch CC is wonderful value for money if you are relaxing and not trying to flex too hard. Lol. RALFFY A GREEATE BLOKE TO GET A FEW DOWN YER' NECK WITH! Whadda are ya' at ?
What don't you like about Alberta Premium? Have you tried their Dark Horse? It has good reviews and it's 45%, also it's not much more expensive than the low end . In New-Brunswick Dark Horse and Crown Royal both go for $30 a quart, and low end stuff like R&R is $22,50. Forty Creek is $26 so I will try it for sure, Ralfy gave it the highest score of all the ones he tried. I can pay 30$ comfortably for a quart of better than average quality Whisky, if more it better be some epically smooth stuff!
As far as I am concerned, Alberta Premium is alright, but I have always known it as cheap whisky for hard drinkers. When I was young, that is what was always bought. I haven't tried their Dark Horse, but I do not ever remember seeing it, I will keep my eye out for it next time.
Lol, I am from Alberta, and Alberta Premium is not looked at too favourably here. I do love the Forty Creek Barrel Reserve though.
'hope' no more Ralfy, Forty Creek is now available "south of the border" yesindeedy my good man, the Pa State Stores stock this chappy as one of their regular "Stars of the Canadian Shelf" yep & tomorrow I hope to be thankin you for the "heads up"
yesir, F.Crk. must have a very good connection, as you may know getting shelf space anywhere esp. here in SE Pa. speaks volumes.
I find it a bit odd that my fellow Canadians are bashing Alberta Premium when a guy like Ralfy has a really good opinion of it, I don't get that! My favourite drink is a fine scotch but the prices are getting stupid expensive and harder to justify the steep prices. On the other hand you have Alberta Premium 100% Rye whisky going for mere peanuts here at home, it's a great value for money. Even Jim Murray raves about Alberta Premium. I think a lot of people don't have a flippin' clue as to what they're talking about when it comes to whisky, it seems that they can't believe that you can have a quality bottle without having to take out a second mortgage on your house! These are the same people that when put through a blind taste test, usually pick the most expensive whiskies/vodka/rum as the WORST out of the bunch and then chose the cheaper ones as the BEST. I don't care what they charge for this, I think it's pretty damn good and Ralfy agrees. Especially at this insanely low price point. We are lucky to get such a good product so cheaply, just because it's affordable doesn't make it crap.
1961Humbucker1 You're completely right. I'm from Ontario and Alberta premium is one of the cheaper whiskies I can buy. Most think a cheap price means a crap product. Not necessarily when it comes to liquor especially not this great rye.
100% agree with you my friend
guess its a good thing i live in canada.
I think Alberta Premium is one of the most under-appreciated Canadian whiskys. I won't say under-rated because if you look at any professional whisky taster's ratings, Alberta Premium is consistently in the high 80s and sometimes cracking the low 90s.
Strangely enough, I think in large part due to the weird 60s/70s bottle and boring label, the average Canadian whisky drinker (who might go for CC, Crown or Wiser's) visualises Alberta Premium as if it were Black Velvet or R&R. A damn shame.
The sale and distribution of liquor in Canada is controlled by agencies of the provincial governments which have discretion over the products available in their jurisdictions. Given the long-standing enmity between Alberta and Quebec it's not that surprising this product wouldn't be offered for sale there.
I've had alberta premium many times, its cheap canadian rye, not really nothing write home about I'd say, but I'm from canada.
@ralfystuff So, you're like "It has a mapley *Hic* Smell.......Very *Hic* Sweet." :3
I know, it's a shame we have this silly government monopoly on Liquor sales. I don't know why people don't get riled up about it. I couldn't find Bruichladdich Laddie Classic here either, had to have a friend bring a bottle from Alberta.
Hold the phone... you work at an undertakers? I never would have guessed.
so, are you immune to drunkiness yet ralfy?
i drank alberta premium ended up wit alcohol poisoning never again well i drink it but it does go good wit cocacola
Liquor is heavily taxed in Canada
I found someone nice enough to ship me 40 Creek Confederation Oak Reserve and Wiser's Legacy. I'll report back once I get them and get my nose in there.
Alberta Premium has a 30 year old whisky for about 50 canadian dollars,, but it only is available in local shops in Alberta, even on the atlantic side of canada whisky fans can't get their hands on it.
Such a waste they don't sell it over the internet, I would definately buy more then one. I cannot even find a website of the distillery!
Alas, that's probably to punish the Quebecois for being from, well, Quebec.
I disagree! Forty Creek blows Alberta Premium right out of the park!
Everybody has their preference. 40 Creek is hands down, THE best Whisky I've tried (mind you, my range of experience only goes up to about a $200 bottle). I've tried all blends of the 40' and love them all.
However, the Alberta Premium is usually considered a garbage whisky here; it's the kind of stuff you buy when you turn 19 because it's currently like $21 a bottle. Absolutely the most disgusting whisky I've had. I'm so surprised you gave it an 88.
I commented earlier that Alberta Premium is garbage. And I'm not judging quality on price; I'm saying my range of taste goes up to about $200.
Buddy, expensive does not mean good.
Bender Rodriguez Buddy, did you not read my comment that's RIGHT above you?
did your read mine?
Bender Rodriguez Ahh yes, the old "I was duped, so I'm just gonna throw the stronger debater's winning comment back in their face".
whos here from trailer park boys?
Lmao. rip lahey
No wonder Canadian Whiskey is thought of as mixer crap.
Here are some to try and yes I know many are not available outside of Canada but there are enough Canadians on youtube bashing Canadian whiskey as well.
1. Ninety "Decades of Richness" (90 proof), aged 20 years in oak
Lot 40 is available in the US and Masterson's 10 yr Rye is bottled in the US but is Alberta Distilleries juice, same as Whistle Pig. Crown Royal has a cask strength Whiskey available in the US but not in Canada. I should have mentioned some of the Forty Creek stuff as I have seen those in the US. Stalk & Barrel Cask Strength is available in the US.
There is so much good Bourbon available to you that if I had your selection of Bourbon/American Straight Rye I would never drink Canadian Whiskey outside of a couple only.
Cheers
peter white 1
I'd add Whistlepig to that list. Could be best rye I've tried. I certainly wish Canada would rethink its approach to its native spirit reputation. Love Lot 40 as well and even Canadian Club 100% Rye and Wiser's Triple Barrel Rye 45% are ok. To be fair, Jack Daniels no. 7 is very popular globally and it's nothing special at all. I'm not surprised if many people like the cheap Canadian whisky for their"smoothness".
It's because we have a provincial monopoly on liquor sales and they pick and choose what's available. It's a shame really.
Alberta premium is where im from (alberta) and its the cheapest shit we can buy...to be hones ive never bought that garbage since I was legally able to buy whisky (18) in other words its the cheapest shit you ask a guy as a kid outside the local liquor store to buy you a bottle of whisky and he comes back wit alberta premium hahaha....once your old enough to actually step foot into a liquor store yeah you don't buy that stuff
I actually feel kinda bad having you even taste that stuff Ralfy...Its like the Old English or Colt 45 malt beers of the whisky world
+TheJusnic82 I live right by Forty Creek distillery, it is among the cheapest stuff we have because it is the closest and a local staple. If I were a brainless jock getting wrecked with my buds pounding back shots and re-enacting the whole experience as I spill my guts in the alley behind the bar. I would probably think Forty Creek was garbage too.
As it happens my tastes have grown and I no longer judge things based on the sensibilities I had when I was 18. There is much to be learned to appreciate in terms of unique and beautiful experiences if you train yourself to look for them, in everything. Alberta Premium is a very unique whiskey. Frankly, you're an idiot if you think it's worthless garbage, just because of its availability and relative cost for you. It is not top shelf, but it's a very worthwhile experience. You obviously have a strong bias entrenched by your under-aged delinquent tastes. Perhaps this is a good opportunity to try and learn how to move past that and learn to appreciate things for what they are. I think you have yet to learn what value is, otherwise you would know how to criticize its weaknesses, only suckers judge value by the price tag.
your saying Alberta premium is garbage because of its price? I bet you would like it if it was put in a fancy bottle with a $100 price tag haha
Living just minutes from the distillery I know what you are taking about.
We Albertans do have a stigma about it because of the price.
But if you like CC Chairman Select you're busted.
It's the exact same stuff in a different bottle and a higher price tag.
itmy1
nothing to do with price its cheap yes but its "cheap" in taste its ike comparing pabst blue ribbon beer to innis and gunn its just a "cheap" mixer whisky for my taste...Now Alberta does make some amazing whisky's but these are not them haha
You're being too kind to Canadians Ralfy. This is horrible rot gut. It's OK if you're 15 and want to get puking drunk at a crazy party but if you have a mature palate and want a real whiskey then have a real Scotch whiskey. If you're running out of booze to review you'd be better off going towards Armagnacs or various Aqua Vitas..
Rye....brrrrrrreeechh..