Featured at World Whisky Day 2020: What to do when you’ve finished a legendary hockey career with the moniker The Great One? You could rest on your laurels, but you could also start a winery followed by a distillery. Wayne Gretzky Estates opened in 2017 in southern Ontario and boasts a wide array of offerings from both areas, including some beer. Taking a cue from recent trends, one of the brand offerings is the Wayne Gretzky No 99 Red, a rye whisky finished in casks taken from the estate’s winery – specifically the red one. While the details on which specific red wine casks are not specified, the winery offers Merlot, Shiraz Cabernet, along with multiple mixed reds.
Distillery: Wayne Gretzky Estates
Region: Foreign
Age: NAS
Strength: 45%
Price: $24.98
Maturation: Red wine casks
Location: Niagara-on-the-Lake
Nose: Rye, sweet, fruit
Palate: Rye, honey, spice
Finish: Fruit, wine
Comments: While it doesn’t need water at all, a few drops will bring out some oak notes while mellowing the rye elements.
Adam – There’s this curious mix of the nose feeling both too hot and weak on the other smells. Gentle rye, a faded sweetness, a little fruit. It doesn’t get much more interesting after you take a sip, unfortunately. All the flavors just sort of hang out in the back of your mouth, not really causing a stir. I’d be really curious to get some more of those flavors, perhaps at a cask strength. Even after much dwelling, the flavor landscape feels pretty narrow with just a few elements. I wonder if this expression is geared more toward mixed drinks or those who don’t want to be overwhelmed. Okay, taking bigger sips does raise the taste profile more. There’s definitely a straight rye with a touch of sweet and a dollop of spice on the palate before dissipating into the finish in a not unpleasant way. After you swallow, your mouth is left with a dry, almost waxy feeling. I have so many questions about this whisky and am a little disappointed at the lack of information about both the whisky itself and the exact red wine casks used in this whisky’s production.
Meghan – Waxy on the mouthfeel. Like you ate Chapstick.
It smells like a very young whisky. Like a baby whisky.
Michael – This leaves me a little wanting. It feels like I added too much water because it dilutes all the notes I want to find.
Caitlin – The No 99 Red smells moldy, like when cheese molds. It’s one I’m not going to finish because it’s not interesting.
Ben – It is a mess of ryes and doesn’t really settle in on one. An undecided rye.
Kate – I feel like I’m drinking spicy water. There’s really not much to the No 99 Red. It smells like a very young whisky. Like a baby whisky.
Henry – It’s simple. Like Forrest Gump simple.
