Canadian 100% Rye Whiskies | 55% & 58.4% ABV

Two Canadian Legends. And a Sobering Message

I never thought I would get to try these ryes, let alone possess my own bottles. They say whisky finds you, and it did. It’s just a shame that they took the misfortune of a fellow enthusiast to acquire.

While I was getting into whisky as more than just a casual drink, and Canadian whisky specifically, after an early adulthood on bourbon and bottom shelf scotch, I became generally aware of the yearly special releases from Hiram Walker.

There were one-off versions of Canadian legacy brands J.P. Wiser’s and Gooderham & Worts, in modern times consolidated under the umbrella of Don Livermore and his Walkerville factory, as well as long-aged versions of corn-based Pike Creek, finished in different wood - releases which I particularly enjoy and look out for. But the star of the show, according to whisky fans, was always those two cask strength Lot No. 40 ryes, released in 2017 and 2018.

As my Canadian whisky consciousness was coming online these two editions were just disappearing from shelves. Which was something I thought about not too infrequently as one of the great misses of my whisky botherism.

That was until earlier this year when I stumbled upon a reddit post from a fellow whiskyphile who was liquidating his collection. After messaging back and forth for a while I was offered a plethora of bottles, mostly long gone special versions of Canadian whiskies that I had only heard about from more experienced connoisseurs.

In the front seats of a micro SUV as rain pelted the roof on a dark Saturday morning in a Starbucks parking lot, bank notes were exchanged for bottles. My years-long FOMO was quenched for a mutually agreed fair price.

We got to talking. It turns out my new whisky acquaintance was out on the streets selling his collection because his wife had developed a dependency. Out of love and support for her, he was giving up his hobby. I was floored by his honesty, sincerity, and commitment to helping his wife.

Alcohol use disorder is a topic I think about a lot. I like to think about how for most westerners, we live in a society where we are culturally conditioned to downplay the risks of alcohol and glorify overconsumption. It’s not uncommon for consumption of our favourite neurotoxin to somehow be spun as beneficial to our health. These strange societal rules do not apply to virtually any other drug. These days more honest research is exposing some of the truths around alcohol that we have chosen to ignore for generations.

There’s no way around it, alcohol is bad for our bodies and minds, and it is highly addictive. Like all relations with addictive substances it can be a tricky dance to manage. All of us enthusiasts can definitely agree that whisky has enhanced our lives, but how do we know if there might be an issue brewing? After developing the habit of a daily nightcap? Or perhaps you’ve called in sick to work because of a hangover? For my new friend it was when he discovered his wife had secret bottles hidden around the house.

“You didn’t lose control: You were never in control” -

Allen Carr

We lie to ourselves about how it impacts us. For example, our mental state. Are you irritable today because you had a couple drams last night? Or the night before that? Or maybe it’s that you haven’t had a drink for a day or two and your brain is wondering where the booze is. Physically, are those 10-14 drinks a week to blame for that muscle stiffness, back pain, or steadily creeping weight gain?

Set your own boundaries and limits but addiction science would say if you’re thinking about it to that level there may already be a problem. One of my own common acts of mental gymnastics is thinking about how I generally don’t imbibe lower quality drinks. I would never choose to get my fix with White Claw or cheap wine, even if it were the only thing available. I’m in it for the flavour - that’s what’s important to me, and hence it’s not possible that I have alcohol use disorder. But then I think about how many nights the flavour chase is used as an excuse for three or four drams when one would suffice.

“There needs to be a cultural shift away from an alcogenic culture.” -

Ann Dowsett Johnston

The Canadian Centre for Substance Abuse and Addiction updated its drinking guidelines in 2023 to recommend Candians limit or avoid alcohol completely. The report stresses a “continuum of risk” associated with alcohol consumption and states that the risk of negative outcomes begins to increase with any alcohol use. Less than two drinks per week is classified as low risk and 3-6 drinks as moderate, with an increased risk of certain cancers. More than 6 drinks per week is associated with increasingly high risk. On top of that, consuming more than 2 standard drinks per occasion is associated with a significantly increased risk of harm to self and others, and as a pattern, increases risk of heart disease, gastrointestinal inflammation, and development of alcohol use disorder.

For context, a standard definition of low risk for voluntary activities is 1 in 1000 chance of premature death, while moderate is 1 in 100. The report is very clear that when it comes to alcohol, often standard risk tolerance levels for voluntary activities don’t apply and a higher risk threshold is typically used. This means as a society we are more likely to accept a higher risk related to alcohol consumption than we are for other voluntary activities like driving or smoking.

Earlier this year the headlines and shock when the new guidelines came out were borderline hysterical. Canadians were dismayed that the messaging had been updated from the 10-14 per week guidance that had been in place since 2011. Some were outraged. Two drinks per week, how is that possible? After nearly a year of cooling off we can look more objectively. Personally, most people I know are continuing, business as usual, although I also have friends and acquaintances that are taking the new guidelines to heart and using them to inform their alcohol consumption. In general, non-alcoholic options are becoming more available and more socially acceptable at bars and events.

I apologise for this sombre preamble. I thought a lot about whether this was appropriate content for Dramface - for our dear readers who just want some light FOMO to go with your morning coffee. But, I think it’s an important topic to talk about from time to time. Awareness is the best path. Ultimately I can’t make recommendations to anyone on their personal situation and relationship with alcohol. But as whisky enthusiasts we stare the dragon in the face and therefore should give the topic some thought.

And if we’re already thinking about it we should talk about it. Reading Canada’s guidance on alcohol consumption, it is evident that a large amount of research and thinking went into it, with a long term view on reshaping our societal relationship with alcohol. How to apply this knowledge is up to us individually. Bigger changes take time.

Alcohol can increase enjoyment of life and social situations and experiences. It’s ok to make alcohol a part of your life or even a serious hobby as it is for all of us at this site. As long as we’re aware of the risks, are honest with ourselves, and don’t drink at the expense of others. I’d also like to mention that the concept of risk is inherently difficult for the human brain to conceptualise, and our own personal risk tolerances are just that, personal.

Now here are my two standard drinks for the week. Let’s make the most of them.

Review 1/2

Lot 40 Cask Strength Rye, First Edition, 12yo, Released 2017,4,968 bottles, 55% ABV
£60 paid, long sold out

I’ve reviewed a couple expressions previously so I won’t delve into Lot No. 40 details here other than to say these are the Lot 40s you’re looking for. There was a Third Edition of the cask strength in 2019 but it was a NAS and couldn’t keep up with the first two. Since then Hiram Walker has released two NAS cask finished Lot 40s with rumours of more cask shenanigans in the pipeline for future releases.

Nose

A little muted, mysterious. Musty and floral with a hint of savoury. A bit of dark stewed fruits or some dark fruit jam. Pleasant but challenging, it draws you in, in a kind of dark, evil rye way. Charred and slightly smoky oak.

Palate

Round and herbal. Ricola lozenges. Fennel and caraway. Fruity with thin oak, astringent. Coca Cola finish.

Review 2/2

Lot 40 Cask Strength Rye, Second Edition, 11yo, Released 2018,4,020 bottles, 58.4% ABV
£60 paid, long sold out

Nose

Wonderful, fragrant nose jumps out of the glass. Menthol and eucalyptus, Vick’s VapoRub. Sweet rye, dusty dill, anice, oily liquorice, pumpkin spice. There’s a nice fluffy sweetness to it as well, marshmallow and lingonberry jam.

Palate

Soft and chewy candy entrance, spicy in the throat and a small tire fire. Stone fruit, Luxardo cherry syrup. Beautifully integrated wood. Oak, mint, fruitcake. Fruity and mouth watering with a heavy body and syrupy vanilla.

The Dregs

Of the two I prefer the 11yo second edition, it feels more relaxed, more Canadian, has a better nose, better texture, and a fuller, less bitter finish. The 12yo is more Jagermeister herbal, while the 11yo is sweet vermouth and maraschino cherry. It has a nice sweetness to it that is soft, fluffy, and slightly chewy in texture and I love the specificity of that particular note. The 12yo in contrast is more challenging, less accessible, with less pleasurable oak integration. I consider myself lucky to have obtained bottles of both of these.

After the bottles were bought that rainy morning, I said my goodbyes and was leaving the car when I mentioned I write for Dramface and would likely review these bottles at some point. I could send him the link in case he wants a read. “I probably wouldn’t read it”, my new acquaintance said, “I’m done with the stuff”.

Score: 8/10

Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. AMc

Other opinions on this:

Whiskybase (12yo First Edition)

Whiskybase (11yo Second Edition)

Got a link to a reliable review? Tell us.