Forty Creek

Forty Creek is a brand of Canadian whisky produced by John K. Hall, first generation whisky maker, and owner of Kittling Ridge Wines & Spirits. John Hall started making Forty Creek in 1992, beginning with Forty Creek Barrel Select and Forty Creek Three Grain. In 2007 the first of the Forty Creek Special Reserves were released - limited edition Forty Creek Whiskies that vary with each lot. In 2012 Forty Creek Copper Pot and Forty Creek Cream were introduced. Malt Advocate magazine named John Hall "Pioneer of the Year" in 2007 because of his contribution to new lines of thought and new methods in the world of whisky. The distillery is located in Grimsby, Ontario, Canada (between Hamilton and Niagara Falls).

In March 2014, Forty Creek Distillery Ltd. was purchased by Italian beverage company Gruppo Campari for $185.6 Million Canadian Dollars. The sale included 100% of the distillery, including all Forty Creek facilities and whisky stocks.[1][2]

Forty Creek Barrel Select

Forty Creek Barrel Select is a blended Canadian whisky, 40% alcohol (ethanol) by volume, 80 proof. It is made with rye, barley and corn (maize). Each grain is fermented, distilled, and aged separately to produce a "méritage" of single grain whiskies. After distillation using a small-batch, copper pot still, the whiskies are aged separately 6–10 years in small cask 40-gallon white oak barrels of varying toasting levels. Vintage sherry casks round off some of the aged whiskies after they are blended, for an additional six months.

Awards and accolades

Forty Creek has garnered a number of awards at Spirit ratings competitions and from rating organizations. The awards include:

In the 2008 Icons of Whisky Canada competition held by London England's Whisky Magazine, John K. Hall was awarded Ambassador of the Year and Kittling Ridge was deemed Best Distiller.[6]

Forty Creek Special Reserves

While Forty Creek Barrel Select continues to be the main whisky produced under the Forty Creek brand name, the production of limited edition Forty Creek whiskies began in 2007. Typically, the bottles are individually numbered; the public has a period of time in which they can reserve a particular bottle number; and the whisky is released in September, followed by a special weekend of events at the distillery.

Forty Creek Three Grain Harmony - 2015 Release - Lot number TBD
  • to be released September 2015
  • 9,000 bottles, individually numbered [7]
  • will feature rye and barley whisky stocks from when the distillery first began
Forty Creek Evolution - 2014 Release - Lot 2014
  • Released September 2014
  • 9,000 bottles, individually numbered [8]
  • Celebration weekend: September 27 & 28, 2014
Forty Creek Heart of Gold - 2013 Release - Lot 1972
  • Released September 2013
  • Celebration weekend: September 28 & 29, 2013
  • 9,000 bottles, individually numbered
  • Awards:
    • Connoisseur Whisky of the Year Best New Whisky - Canadian Whisky Awards - 2013 [9]
    • Gold Medal - Canadian Whisky Awards - 2013 [10]
    • Gold Medal - Wizards of Whisky - 2013 [11]
Forty Creek Port Wood Reserve - 2012 Release - Lot 61
  • Released September 2012
  • Celebration weekend: September 15 & 16, 2012
  • 6,600 bottles, individually numbered
  • Awards:
    • Gold Medal - 2013 International Review of Spirits, Chicago - (Beverage Testing Institute) - Rating: 94 points (Exceptional) [12]
    • Canadian Whisky of the Year - Canadian Whisky Awards - 2012
    • Connoisseur Whisky of the Year - Multi-market - Canadian Whisky Awards - 2012
    • Gold Medal - Canadian Whisky Awards - 2012
    • Whisky of the Year - Wizards of Whisky - 2012
    • Gold Medal - Wizards of Whisky - 2012
Forty Creek John's Private Cask No. 1 - Lot 2011
  • Released for sale on Monday, September 12, 2011
  • Celebration weekend: September 17 & 18, 2011
  • 9,000 bottles (made from 23 barrels), individually numbered
  • Awards:
    • Gold Medal - Best Canadian Whisky - 2012 International Whisky Competition, Chicago[13]
    • Gold Medal - 2012 International Review of Spirits, Chicago (Beverage Testing Institute) - Rating: 92 points (Exceptional)[14]
    • Canadian Whisky of the Year - Canadian Whisky Awards 2011
    • Best New Whisky - Canadian Whisky Awards 2011
    • Connoisseur Whisky of the Year, Domestic Market - Canadian Whisky Awards 2011
    • Gold Medal - Canadian Whisky Awards 2011
Forty Creek Confederation Oak Reserve - Lot 1867
  • Released for sale on Monday, September 13, 2010
  • Celebration weekend: September 18 & 19, 2010
  • 16,800 bottles, individually numbered
  • NOTE: Subsequent lots (batches) of Forty Creek Confederation Oak Reserve are now being made, in limited quantities
  • Awards:
    • Canadian Whisky of the Year NAS - 2012 World Whiskies Awards (Whisky Magazine, UK)[15]
    • Double Gold Medal - 2011 San Francisco World Spirits Competition[16]
    • Canadian Whisky of the Year for 2010 - 17th Annual Malt Advocate Whisky Awards[17]
    • Top Ten New Whiskies in 2010 - 17th Annual Malt Advocate Whisky Awards[18]
    • Gold Medal - 2012 International Review of Spirits, Chicago - (Beverage Testing Institute) - Rating: 93 points (Exceptional)[19]
    • Gold Medal - 2011 International Review of Spirits, Chicago (Beverage Testing Institute)
    • Canadian Whisky of The Year, Multiple Markets - Canadian Whisky Awards 2010
Forty Creek Port Wood Reserve - Lot 60
  • Released for sale on Tuesday, September 15, 2009
  • Celebration weekend: September 19 & 20, 2009
  • 3,000 bottles individually numbered
  • Award: Gold Medal - 2010 International Review of Spirits, Chicago (Beverage Testing Institute)[20]
Forty Creek Double Barrel Reserve - Lot 240*
  • Released for sale on Monday, September 15, 2008
  • Celebration weekend: September 20 & 21, 2008
  • 10,200 bottles, individually numbered
  • *NOTE: Subsequent lots (batches) of Forty Creek Double Barrel Reserve are now made once or twice per year, in limited quantities (approx. 10,000 bottles each lot)
  • Awards:
    • Gold Medal - 2012 International Review of Spirits, Chicago (Beverage Testing Institute) - Rating: 91 points (Exceptional)[21]
    • Gold Medal - 2009 International Review of Spirits, Chicago (Beverage Testing Institute)[22]
    • Gold Medal - 2010 International Review of Spirits, Chicago (Beverage Testing Institute)
    • Gold Medal - 16th Annual Malt Advocate Whisky Awards
    • 90 Outstanding/Distinctive - 16th Annual Malt Advocate Whisky Awards
    • Gold Medal - 2011 International Review of Spirits, Chicago (Beverage Testing Institute)
Forty Creek Small Batch Reserve - Lot 104
  • Released for sale on Monday, September 17, 2007
  • Celebration weekend: September 22 & 23, 2007
  • 6,000 bottles individually numbered
  • Awards:
    • Gold Medal - 2007 World Whiskies Awards (Whisky Magazine, UK)[23]
    • Gold Medal - 2009 International Review of Spirits, Chicago (Beverage Testing Institute)[24]

References

  1. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/international-business/european-business/italys-campari-to-buy-canadian-whisky-company-forty-creek-distillery/article17449815/
  2. http://www.canadianwhisky.org/news-views/forty-creek-distillery-sold-to-campari.html
  3. 1 2 Forty Creek John K. Hall Barrel Select Canadian Blended Whisky, www.proof66.com
  4. http://www.tastings.com/scout_spirits.lasso?id=197769
  5. http://www.whiskymag.com/magazine/issue47/12005815.html
  6. http://www.whiskymag.com/news/6862.html
  7. http://www.fortycreekwhisky.com/whatsnew.html
  8. http://www.fortycreekwhisky.com/Product%20pages/evolution.html
  9. http://www.canadianwhisky.org/news-views/canadian-whisky-awards-2013-winners.html
  10. http://www.canadianwhisky.org/news-views/canadian-whisky-awards-2013-winners.html
  11. http://fortycreekwhisky.com/Product%20pages/heart_of_gold.html
  12. http://www.tastings.com/scout_spirits.lasso?id=201282/
  13. http://whiskycompetition.com/blog/results/
  14. http://www.tastings.com/scout_spirits.lasso?id=197772
  15. http://www.whiskymag.com/awards/wwa/2012/
  16. http://www.sfspiritscomp.com/pdfs/2011resultsByBrand.pdf
  17. http://www.whiskyadvocateblog.com/2011/02/19/malt-advocate-whisky-awards-“canadian-whisky-of-the-year”-forty-creek-confederation-oak/
  18. http://www.whiskyadvocateblog.com/2011/02/28/malt-advocate-whisky-awards-top-ten-new-whiskies/
  19. http://www.tastings.com/scout_spirits.lasso?id=197771
  20. http://www.tastings.com/scout_spirits.lasso?id=190872
  21. http://www.tastings.com/scout_spirits.lasso?id=197770
  22. http://www.tastings.com/scout_spirits.lasso?id=187586
  23. http://www.whiskymag.com/awards/wwa/2007/
  24. http://www.tastings.com/scout_spirits.lasso?id=187585

External links

Coordinates: 43°12′9″N 79°34′59″W / 43.20250°N 79.58306°W / 43.20250; -79.58306 (Forty Creek)

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Thursday, June 04, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.