Distiller Notes
Inspired by a recipe that is seven generations old, Lot 40 is 100% rye whisky expertly distilled in small batches using only the finest locally sourced ingredients and then aged in virgin oak barrels. By distilling in a single copper pot still, the result is a complex rye whisky that starts off with notes of earth and wood, then finishes with a silky vanilla oak finish. Lot 40 Canadian rye is named for the original Lot 40, a patch of land on which local politician and whisky enthusiast Joshua Booth built and operated his first pot still. Today, Lot 40 is the personal obsession of Master Blender Don Livermore, who ensures it’s made the way rye whisky should be—one batch at a time.
Professional Ratings
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Whisky Advocate
Corby’s latest Lot 40, this one undated, comes from the same distillation batch as the 2012 release, but with a couple of extra years in wood. The familiar flavors are all there: dustiness, sour rye, hard wet slate, floral notes, exotic fruits, sweet spices, and biting white pepper. Over these, time has sprinkled licorice root, dried dates, oatmeal porridge, vanilla, hints of bike tires, and mango peels. Flavors remain fully integrated with faint tannins underscoring a long sour-rye finish. Value Pick.
Often considered the lightest and friendliest of Whiskeys, Canadian Whiskey is most often corn-based, but a small portion of rye is often also added to the mash bill in order to enhance flavor. Because of the prevalence of this practice, Canadian Whisky is often referred to as Canadian Rye or Rye Whisky, though one shouldn’t confuse it with American Rye Whiskey, which must have a mash bill made from at least 51% rye grain. Canadian Whiskey must be entirely produced in Canada, including an aging period of three years in oak barrels.