A jury of nine independent whisky experts named Collingwood 21 Year Old Rye the “Canadian Whisky of the Year” at the 5th annual Canadian Whisky Awards. The awards, held Thursday, Jan. 15th at the Victoria Whisky Festival in Victoria, BC, were a result of an annual blind tasting competition for Canadian whiskies.
Collingwood 21 Year Old Rye was also named, “Connoisseur Whisky of the Year Multi-Market” and received a Gold medal.
Remarked Chairman of the judges, Davin de Kergommeaux, “Canadian Mist distillery manager, David Dobbin, was rummaging around in his inventory and discovered 50 barrels of 100% rye-grain whisky that his predecessor, Harold Ferguson, had tucked away more than two decades earlier. He liked what he tasted, and in early 2014 whisky connoisseurs were in awe of this wonderful new all rye-grain whisky. Congratulations to Canadian Mist distillery and Collingwood whisky for turning connoisseurs’ head with this wonderful new whisky.”
Crafted 21 years earlier and aged in 50 seasoned oak barrels, the whisky was fermented and distilled from a unique recipe of 100 percent malted rye. In its unique finishing step, the whisky rested with toasted Maplewood to complete its smooth character.
Collingwood 21 Year Old Rye is presented at 80 proof with very limited quantities available at select LCBO stores in Ontario as well as select U.S. markets.
Brown-Forman’s other Canadian Whisky, Canadian Mist, also bottled in Collingwood, Ontario, won awards for “Value Whisky of the Year in the Export Market” and Peach Mist won “Flavored Whisky of the Year in the Export Market.”
