Canadian Club 12 Years Old Review

 

Hiram Walker is one of those names most people recognize. Born on July 4, 1816, in Massachusetts, he moved to Detroit at 22 and took a job as a grocery store clerk. As he learned the ins and outs of the grocery business, Walker saved enough money to purchase 468 acres of land on the other side of the Detroit River, near Windsor, Ontario. In 1858, he built The Hiram Walker & Sons Distillery on that land and also constructed the town around the distillery, which he called Walkerville. Essentially, Walkerville was completely Walker’s design. Walkerville was incorporated in 1870 and then annexed by Windsor in 1935.

 

At first, Walker was making vinegar. He was also in the grain business, selling his stocks to local flour mills. Changing things up to producing whisky seemed almost natural.

 

His whisky was called Hiram Walker’s Club Whisky. He sold them in barrels bearing his brand’s name, which was remarkably different from how others marketed theirs. Most shipped unbranded barrels to grocers; this gave Walker’s an aura of poshness. His whisky became very popular both in Canada and the United States, and so much so in the United States that it was often the exclusive whisky of various gentlemen’s clubs, and soon, it was just referred to as Club Whisky.

 

At this point, American distillers took notice and were less than happy because it was negatively affecting Bourbon’s popularity. They complained to their representatives, and Congress passed a law requiring all foreign distillers to label their whisky with the country of origin. At that point, Club Whisky became Canadian Club and was the best-selling exported Canadian whisky.

 

When Prohibition passed in the United States, Canada followed suit with Ontario’s Liquor Control Act. While Canadians couldn’t publicly drink alcohol, there was nothing precluding the continued distillation and manufacturing of it. Smuggling across the Detroit River became the norm; 75% of the liquor illicitly distributed in the United States came through the US-Canadian border. Walker was loading up every boat he could find with jugs of Canadian Club, making it the most smuggled whisky in the United States.

 

Hiram Walker died in 1899, and his family continued to operate the distillery until 1926, when it was sold to Harry C. Hatch. Hatch’s son, Clifford, sold it to Allied Domecq in 1987, which then became part of Pernod Ricard SA. However, Canadian Club was acquired by Jim Beam and is today owned by Suntory Global Spirits.

 

Canadian Club has received royal warrants from Queen Victoria, King Edward VII, George V, George VI, and Queen Elizabeth II, and, interestingly, is the only North American distiller to have received such warrants.

 

That’s a lot of history to talk about Canadian Club 12-Year Old. Aged for twice as long as the flagship Canadian Club 1858. It matured in recharred oak barrels and is packaged at 40% ABV (80°). It is still made at The Hiram Walker & Sons Distillery in Windsor. I found a 750mL bottle for $20.99 at a local liquor store and purchased it for a course on Canadian whisky.

 

Let’s #DrinkCurious and learn more.

 

• Whiskey Type: Canadian whisky
• Distiller: The Hiram Walker & Sons Distillery
• Age: 12 years
• Mashbill: Undisclosed blend of corn, rye, rye malt, and barley malt
• Cooperage: Recharred vintage Bourbon barrels
• Alcohol Content: 40% ABV (80°)
• Price per 750mL: $20.99

 

Appearance: I used a Glencairn glass to explore this whisky neat. What stood out to me the most was its reddish hue, which reminded me of burnt amber. As E150a caramel coloring is allowed, I’m assuming it was used. A thin rim shed thick, randomly spaced, fast tears.

 

Nose: After waiting 15 minutes, I was ready to commence the sniffing journey. I found brown sugar, corn, and toffee, along with tobacco leaf, rye, and very muted orange peel. Drawing the air through my lips unveiled a taste of vanilla bean.

 

Palate: The initial sip revealed a thin, buttery texture. A big blast of butterscotch rolled across my tongue and down my throat. The next allowed me to discern notes of butterscotch, almonds, and corn on the front. My mid-palate pulled flavors of marmalade and milk chocolate. The back featured oak, rye spice, and

 

Finish: Oak, rye spice, caramel, and roasted almonds remained. Rye outlasted the rest. There was no burn whatsoever; the duration was 0:58, placing it at the transition between short and medium.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: So many inexpensive Canadian whiskies are industrial and could easily be mistaken for furniture polish and floor strippers. Canadian Club 12 Years Old is inexpensive yet quite drinkable. As I continued to sip on it, I found myself appreciating what was in my glass.

 

The whisky drank right at its stated proof; it was soft and gentle. If this is close to what Hiram Walker was making back in the 19^th century, I can understand why it was so popular. For an Andy Jackson, you really can’t go wrong here. I’m giving it my Bottle rating. Cheers!

 

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit, but begs you to do so responsibly.