Caribou Crossing Single Barrel Canadian Whisky Review

Selected by Master Blender Drew Mayville, the Caribou Crossing Single Barrel Canadian Whisky represents the best he can find amongst the 200K+ barrels he has on hand. Bottled in the spring and fall, this twice-yearly whisky is shipped down from Canada and bottled at the Buffalo Trace distillery. It’s also released mainly in the USA.

This is one of those interesting releases that has helped grow the reputation of a specific category but isn’t readily available in the country that category represents. Kind of like how the Wild Turkey 101 8 Years (export) is the symbol of WT throughout Europe but isn’t available here.

Caribou Crossing Single Barrel Canadian Whisky Review: Details and Tasting Notes

In Sazerac’s Words:

N/A – no website

Details (price, mash bill, cask type, ABV, etc.)

Region: Canada

Distiller: Old Montreal Distillery
Bottler: Sazerac (Buffalo Trace)
Mash Bill: Not stated (likely a mix of corn, rye and/or malted barley)
Cask: Not stated (likely ex-Bourbon)
Age: NAS (3+ years)
ABV: 40%

Price: $50

Tasting Notes

EYE
Light caramel

NOSE
Grain, caramel, vanilla, spice, oak, nuts, butterscotch and some lemon zest.

PALATE
Caramel, grain, vanilla, biscuity, oak and some butterscotch and spice.

FINISH
Short -> Butterscotch and spice.

BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Good balance, medium body and a light feel.

Caribou Crossing Canadian Whisky is not a horrible whisky, in fact it’s pretty dang palatable. Not something I want to sip on even at a monthly level, but far from something I never want to try again.

Caribou Crossing Single Barrel Canadian Whisky Review: Overall and Score

The Aroma is nice and light and easy but not cloyingly sweet like many Canadian whiskies tend to be; Palate starts to move towards that cloying butterscotch sweetness I dislike, but it pulls up short and allows more complex sweet, spicy and dry notes come through; Finish is sweet, spicy and far too short — I actually wanted it to stay around a bit longer.

I don’t dislike the Caribou Crossing Single Barrel Canadian Whisky… but I don’t particutlarly like it either. The whisky starts light and as it opens the spice starts popping and it’s that aspect in particular that keeps me interested. It’s no secret that Canadian whisky is easily my least favorite category in the whisky family, but this is a standout for sure. Not quite Lot 40 or Copper Pot Reserve good, but getting there.

SCORE: 3/5

Thanks to Sku for making this Caribou Crossing Single Barrel Canadian Whisky* review possible.

Caribou Crossing Single Barrel Canadian Whisky Review $50

Nose - 3
Palate - 3
Finish - 3
Balance, Body & Feel - 3

Caribou Crossing Single Barrel Canadian Whisky Review Summary

Caribou Crossing Single Barrel Canadian Whisky Review: Bottled at 40%, aged NAS and priced around $50. Not a horrible whisky, in fact it’s pretty dang palatable. Not something I want to sip on even at a monthly level, but far from something I never want to try again.