Candian Club in the USA

[Mike B]

I am pretty much convinced that the CC (regular version) that I buy in the US is not the same whiskey that I buy here in Canada. The reason is that I feel it tastes quite different to me, not an unpleasant drink, but certainly different, somewhat weaker tasting without as much bite. I notice that the label on the US version just says "imported" ..... not imported from Canada or made in Canada, just "imported". Can anyone shed any light on this for me?

[Eric1965]

Hi!

An interesting question. I've known product to be similar but with different names for different markets do to alcohol content but CC Cdn 40%/vol should be CC Imp ? %/vol. If your Imported version states 40% than there should be no real difference as it is a blended whisky however I'm not aware of this happening. If its less % then the blend was changed for the market's taste. If the same %/vol then was it an error or something?

Check this out and let me know.

Cheers

Eric

[Mike B]

Originally Posted by Eric1965

Hi!

An interesting question. I've known product to be similar but with different names for different markets do to alcohol content but CC Cdn 40%/vol should be CC Imp ? %/vol. If your Imported version states 40% than there should be no real difference as it is a blended whisky however I'm not aware of this happening. If its less % then the blend was changed for the market's taste. If the same %/vol then was it an error or something?

Check this out and let me know.

Cheers

Eric

Hi Eric, actually I did find out an answer for this. I phoned Hiram Walker in Ontario and asked the manager of the bottling department. He was the guy I was directed to. The CC in the states does in fact come from Canada, same stuff we buy here ..... BUT it is sent to Kentucky in bulk where the Jim Beam Distillery (who is licenced to play with it and bottle it in the US) "reblends" it to what kind of a drink they know the American market prefers. Just what they do to it he doesn't know but he said it could range from adding water or other whiskey blends to the mix, or add stuff like caramel or sweeteners, etc. He did say that Americans prefer a "sweeter" whisky than do Canadians. So then, the US version is different (as I suspected). It's not bad stuff, I just prefer the Canadian version better, maybe because I am obviously used to it. Meanwhile, he did direct me to Hiram Walkers line of Wisers whisky, specifically Wisers DeLuxe which is not expensive. I picked a bottle up today and it is nice stuff ...... he was a good on-the-phone salesman.