When people think of the most popular whisky, Canada doesn’t usually spring to mind.
But did you know that Canada used to be some of the most prestigious whisky in the world?
In 1939, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth became the first reigning monarchs to visit Canada. Upon arrival, they were presented with a single case of Crown Royal. They were so impressed by the quality, they returned home with 20 cases.
For decades after, Canadian whisky was widely recognised as “fit for a king” only to have the prestige fall away with time.
That’s about to change.
At a recent launch for another whisky partner here in London, the Oeno team had the pleasure of meeting John and Barb of Black Fox Distillery, a remarkable couple married for 37 years.
As fifth-generation farmers, agriculture and taking care of the land is in their blood. So is whisky.
They, as Barb puts it, embrace the “crop to connoisseur” philosophy, growing their own grains and overseeing the entire whisky-making process.
Their dedication is undeniable, considering they’ve amassed more gold medals than any other Canadian distillery in recent years.
Their secret lies in a special grain – triticale – and in the ageing process. Triticale is a hybrid of wheat and rye and is super uncommon in the whisky world.
What’s more, their whisky is aged outdoors, where temperatures fluctuate between a staggering minus 40 and plus 40 degrees Celsius.
This extreme variation creates intense pressure within the barrels and results in a spicy yet delicate character, beautifully balanced with a long finish and subtle hints of clove, cinnamon, and cherry.
Now, they are on a mission to raise Canadian whisky back up to its rightful place. We believe they’ve succeeded.
But don’t take our word for it.
Black Fox is so certain of their vision that they’ve decided to sell just 30 barrels for $15,000USD each and buy it back in 7 years time from anybody who wants to sell it back – if they want to sell it back, that is – for $30,000 USD, subject, of course, to specific terms and conditions.
Oeno is the only place you can buy it because we’ve just secured exclusive cask distribution rights.
Click here to learn more.
