Created at the Gimli Distillery, on the shores of Lake Winnipeg in central Canada, Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye, is the first Canadian whisky to have won the top acolade, and scored a record-qualifying 97.5 out of 100 points, in the thirteenth annual release of the Whisky Bible.
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| Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye - World Whisky of the Year 2016 |
Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye, was first released in the US earlier this year, and is said to showcase the distinctly Canadian rye whiskey featured in the traditional Crown Royal Deluxe Blend.
Although Canadian whisky is commonly known as rye, this new brand is one of only a handful which is actually made from near 100% rye grain. Most others are distilled from corn or wheat with rye and other flavourings added.
Last year the whisky world was shaken when the award went to a Japanese single malt, and as last year, there are no Scotch whisky brands featured in the top five of this year’s edition.
Commenting on the news, Jim Murray, said: “Last year people were shocked when I gave Yamazaki the award – until they tasted it. Then they saw it was not the affront to Scotch they first thought and something truly extraordinary. This year, doubtless there will be many more eyebrows raised because rarely is Canada mentioned when it come to the world’s top whiskies. But, again, I have no doubt people finding the bottling I tasted will be blown away with this whisky’s uncompromising and unique beauty. It certainly puts the rye into Canadian rye.”
Crown Royal’s Northern Harvest Rye, narrowly eclipsed Pikesville 100 proof Straight Rye from the Heaven Hill Distillery Kentucky for top spot. Midleton’s Dair Ghaelach took third place, the first time an Irish whiskey has made one of the top three places.
Posted by Steve Rush