I lugged a couple bottles of this wheated bourbon from Vancouver to Toronto only to find out it is a stock item at the LCBO; a bit of a bummer to say the least. It was recommended to me by a bartender at Hawksmoor, Vancouver’s American whisky mecca. The story goes that it is drawn from the exact same barrels used to create the much sought Van Winkel bourbon. The bartender informed me that the pros drink it knowing it’s the same as the Van Winkel product. I’m no bourbon expert, but it is lovely. Distilled with wheat instead of rye for the non corn component, it has been well worth the 3000 km trip for no reason.
A side by side comparison with a bottle of Van Winkel’s is definitely in the planning.