Ten years ago, four friends who had only recently started a scotch club heard about World Whisky Day, an international day of whisky celebration. Since 2014, we have held tastings both in person and virtual, sampling 50+ whiskies from 15 countries to over 120 people. Our proceeds will be going to Minneapolis-based charity People and Pets Together, who provide pet food and supplies to local food shelves. If you can’t attend, consider a donation. This year, we happily showcase five whiskies that we think underscores how diverse whisky can be. These will be from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Ireland, and Japan.
Lot 40 11 Year Cask Strength
In the autumn of 2017, Corby Spirit and Wine Limited announced the Northern Border Collection Rare, a premium range of Canadian whiskies that serves as a big departure from the core brands many international consumers associate with Canada (Canadian Club, Crown Royal, J.P. Wiser’s) by focusing on smaller brands within their portfolio ripe for promotion. The series is essentially among the best offered by Hiram Walker Distillery and cultivated by their Master Blender, Dr. Don Livermore, to showcase a different aspect of Canadian whiskies along with an elevation to the regular Northern Border Collection. The Lot 40 11 Year Cask Strength is their 2018 edition and is made from 100% rye and, if it is treated anything like the regular Lot 40, it is column-distilled and then put through a pot still to smooth out the rough edges.
World Whisky Day 2020
Scotchology is going to be celebrating World Whisky Day by offering a virtual tasting this year for the first time. Safety first. With the world in pandemic and subsequent stages of isolation, it looked like our annual event might be called off for the first time in seven years. But we humans are adaptable creatures. Could our World Whisky Day tasting still happen, but in a virtual space? With a little exploration and bravery at the unknown, we’ve decided to take the plunge. The theme this year is a feature of cask finished whiskies from around the world.