Americans have always enjoyed whiskey. But it was the prohibition of 1920 where their taste for Canadian rye whiskey really developed, and the running of whiskey across the border was nicknamed American Drought Relief. Even today, Canadian whiskey holds a special place on the shelves of top-drawer watering holes, as well as corporate and personal liquor cabinets across the country.
The Canadian whiskies we enjoy today have evolved over 200 years, and there has been some significant evolution.
ORIGINS
First, what it’s not. Canadian whiskey isn’t bourbon, nor Scotch or Irish whiskey. It’s rye, Canadian whiskey, and has been for nearly 200 years. Canadian whiskey is never blended with neutral spirits like some other whiskies. Canadian whiskey doesn’t have to be 100-percent rye, but it’s a sensual tongue-tingling tasting experience when it is. The distilled spirit needs to age a minimum of three years in
