Pike Creek Whisky Finished in Port Barrels

This brand isn’t well-promoted or well-known, yet in my tasting, and further online research, I discovered that this is an under-appreciated gem, if you like sweet whiskey.

80 proof. Distilled by Corby Spirit and Wine Ltd, Canada. From their Northern Border Collection.

List price varies, but seems to be $37 to $40. Available in New Hampshire for $25.

Double-distilled in copper stills. Aged in first-use ex-bourbon barrels, in Ontario. The edition of this sold in Canada is aged for 10 years; the edition sold here in the US is reportedly aged for 7 to 8 years. The company states “In Pike Creek’s non-climate controlled warehouse, the dramatic swings in temperature play a key role in the whisky’s maturation process,” Then the whiskey receives a second aging in ex-port barrels.

Color: Amber
Nose: Classic fruity bourbon, no alcohol hits me, which is nice.
Palate: Full, rich, sweet, reminds me a bit of Angel’s Envy bourbon. You can taste the caramel, and the port wine influence, but it is complementary to the bourbon instead of overpowering it. It has a lighter mouthfeel than my favorites, so that thinness is something to be aware of. No rye or spice burn.

Apparently now is the time to try this: I’ve read that it has been replaced with a rum barrel-finished version, since 2016, and I don’t know if the port finished version is being made any longer.

Having my first sample outside by the fire.

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