Ooo, can I participate? I was born in Winnipeg and left when I was 3 if that matters (Born '87).
I consider myself a consumer of alcohol, not a connoisseur. I perhaps do occasionally suggest, while tipsy, that I have the tasting capabilities to embarrass a self proclaimed connoisseur of spirits though. I use my skills for good, not brag. I always want to make sure that those that come to my place end up with a drink they will enjoy and not be forced through something that isn't their style (ie: a bad Islay suggestion). I often have conversations about the whiskey flavour chart while enjoying spirits. I haven't consumed much in regards to spirits during Covid though (2-3 oz per week neat/in cocktails on average). I much prefer enjoying drinks in a social setting.
Canadian: Alberta Premium, Sweet Sippin' Maple whiskey
Crown & Canadian Club are kinda chemically tasting to me, Gibson is too raw alcohol flavour even for the 21 year. Alberta Premium whiskey is good and neutral. Unlike Crown, it basically has no smokiness to it. Alberta Premium vodka isn't good but the whiskey is quality stuff.
I also often suggest that a bad whiskey be mixed with ginger ale (or ginger beer if you have it) rather than cola. The ginger just blends nicer with the typical flavour profiles. I've had success in converting a few friends to this rule when they end up with something they feel is awful.
Sweet sippin' Maple whiskey is from a nearby distillery in High River. It comes in a maple leaf bottle. I serve it to guests on ice on occasion when I host brunch. It tastes like maple syrup (vs Crown maple which tastes artificial). Many guests have told me after consuming it that it basically is like drinking a maple syrup that doesn't coagulate in your throat.
American/Bourbon/Tennessee : Woodford's Reserve
I'd love to explore these more, but Mad Men has blown up both the popularity and the prices of bourbon.
Irish: Writer's Tears
Didn't explore it much, but this one stuck out. Jaimesons wasn't bad either.
Scotch:
reasonably priced: Kirkland 12/Glenfarclass /Laphroaig quarter cask/Auchentoshan 3 wood
unreasonably Priced: Laphroaig Cairdeas, Kilchoman Sherry cask strength
I've tried probably at least 30-40 unique scotches easily while maintaining a reasonable memory of what they were like. I loved the Islays for a while, but tinkered with the different regions for variation and I have a few drinking buddies who hate Islay so I tinkered in other regions to drink with them. Talisker (metal/pepper) and Laphroaig (salt/iodine) stick out to me as the most unique flavours of Islay and I enjoy these immensely. Lagavulin, Ardbeg and Kilchoman are also great, but Talisker and Laphroaig are more easy going to me and I'm far less likely to max out my taste buds sipping these. Lagavulin 12 is trash. Don't buy it. Ardbeg Uiggeadael is nice and tastes like campfire with a hint of marshmellows (kinda close in range to Bunnahabhain which is like smoke and taffy?). I'd love to try the Coryvrakken.
Balvenie Rum cask is tasty and easy going.
The Kirkland 12 is fricken amazing value. It's in the same range as Glenfarclass, but for the price point, it punches way above its weight class in terms of price. A few buddies of mine had a whiskey night and we brought random stuff. The Kirkland 12 was punching in the same class as other bottles between $90-100 but you got like 3x the volume. The Kirkland 20 was also pretty good and better than the 12, but I easily would have no issues suggesting someone nab a 12 over the 20 for an "any occasion" option.
I hate oak. French oak, American oak... blah blah blah oak. Based on the words of one reviewer I randomly watched, "There is a harsh flavor, reminiscent of glue." Blegh!
Japanese: I've probably tried nearly 20 different ones and I always go back to Hibiki 12/17 (Harmony now instead of number statement). Yamazaki 18 and Suntory Royal also stick out. Suntory Royal has a finish that is reminiscent of plum flower?
Someone said Nikka from the Barrel. I really hope someone can confirm, but I swear it tastes like 95% similar to Highland Park 12 (I've had both bottles before, but never owned both bottles at the same time. Brought some to a party and it tasted nearly identical as the Nikka from the barrel, but unsure if I was a bit buzzed and wasn't tasting correctly).
I drink all my whiskey neat, but I tinkered with adding water for a while. All the other Nikka drives me completely bonkers when I add water though. The flavor changes completely. Most other whiskey/scotches, adding water enhances or concentrates the flavour of most spirits, but some of the Nikka can completely cross whiskey flavour chart quadrants. It's ridiculous.
Iwai isn't bad, but kinda herbal which some might not like. I thought it was good to have as a change of pace, but not a day in day out drink for me.
Hakushu is fine and within the top 5 of mine. I cannot for whatever reason pinpoint what type of flavour profile it has though.
Helios is completely screwy. It tastes like an energy drink devoid of sugary flavor with a ridiculous ton of smoke or something like that.
A great place to buy some weird and interesting stuff for whiskey in Japan... BIC Camera. Crazily named place to think about alcohol, I know. But I nabbed some $30-50 CAD bottles there and they were really good. One was a bourbon barrel finish from a distillery I didn't recognize (and since gifted to a friend as a partial bottle as a thank you) and the other was called Sapporo whiskey which tasted like a slightly diluted Hibiki Harmony (90% flavour) but only 40% price of a bottle of Harmony.
Other: Adelphi "The Glover". This is Scotch mixed with high end Japanese whiskey. Amazing stuff. Tasted it at a whiskey event and I ran out and bought two for super special occasions to crack it open.
Sullivan's Cove (NZ) was also tasty as hell.
Brugal Anejo rum: Amazingly value. Super cheap.
Half a dozen cognacs... Amazing value as well.
Reasonable wish list: some bartender to serve me a legit Aberdeen Angus cocktail (never tried). Every bartender I've ever asked will divert to the rusty nail. Not the same thing...
Maybe I should just make one myself to the best of my capabilities....
I've also been tinkering around with gin lately. If I had to try and identify a flavour profile similar to the whiskey flavour chart, it's the following:
- Juniper
- Botanicals (herbs, spices and plants)
- Sugar
- Citrus
My current bottles are (and flavour profile IMO/IIRC):
Strathmore Gin (Edmonton) - Sugar > Citrus >Botanicals >>Juniper
Citadelle (France) - Citrus > Sugar >> Juniper > Botanicals
Doctor's orders (Kelowna) - Botanicals > Citrus > Juniper >> Sugar
Empress (Victoria) - Botanicals > Juniper > Citrus > Sugar
Bombay Sapphire East (England) - Botanicals >> Citrus > Juniper >> Sugar
My Gin and tonic recipe: Gin + tonic + lemon juice + salt + cucumber slice. I'll swap the gin based on the desired flavor profile of my guests.
I really don't want to be called an alcoholic... but I think the evidence is against me even though on average I consume perhaps 2-3 oz of spirits a week, if not less.