We are very excited to announce the upcoming 2009 Forty Creek Whisky limited release. Forty Creek Port Wood Reserve Whisky is the smallest of our special releases with only 3,000 bottles produced. This release is exclusive to Ontario and will only be sold in limited quantity at the LCBO and here at our distillery boutique in Grimsby.

Reservation for numbered bottles are now closed. But don't worry, if you missed the chance to order a specific reserved number, you will still be able to purchase a bottle or two of Forty Creek Port Wood Reserve. The release date for the whisky is September 15, 2009.

Retail Price: $69.95 / 750 ml
Alcohol Content: 45% alc./vol.

Forty Creek Whisky is made by first generation whisky maker & owner of Ontario’s last independent distillery, John K. Hall.

Forty Creek is Canada’s fastest growing whisky, and arguably the only successful new Canadian brand in the marketplace for over 3 decades.

Forty Creek Port Wood Reserve is the third limited release in the Forty Creek family, and is the smallest, with only 3,000 bottles produced.

Notes on Forty Creek Port Wood Reserve from John K. Hall, Whisky Maker:
“I believe it is one of the best whiskies I have tasted. I only wish I had made more of it. I started this whisky in 1993 by preparing vintage port wood barrels. My vintage ports were made from Niagara grown grapes and aged in white oak heavy charred barrels. I must confess I am fond of vintage ports so the patient waiting was rewarded not only with a wonderful whisky, but with some very tasty ports.

My Port Wood Reserve is made in the same style as Forty Creek Barrel Select and Double Barrel, in that I do not use a mash bill. My varietal whiskies are aged separately, and once completed, they are brought together for further rounding out. In this whisky, the Forty Creek blend was aged in the vintage Port Wood for another two years prior to bottling.

I have always maintained that to make great tasting whiskies there are 5 key ingredients: Great Grains, Great Stills, Great Barrels, Patience and Passion. But little did I know the profound effect that Vintage Port barrels would have on the final finishing of the whiskies.”

Appearance: Mahogany gold with red flashes. Huge legs that never leave the sides of the glass.

Nose: A constant evolution of concentrated, complex aromas. Intense yet delicate aromas of deep vanilla, orange marmalade, ginger, dried fruits, black cherry, fig, dates, cereal malt and spice, clove, cinnamon, chocolate, tobacco, toffee, honey and smoke.

Palate: Huge, full, rich, satin-like, very smooth, same dried fruit is nicely framed by oak, black licorice, hickory, almond and walnut.

Finish: Lingering long finish with spice, cinnamon, licorice and smoke in the back.

DISTILLER OF THE YEAR 2008 - KTTLING RIDGE

Kittling Ridge Distillery, maker of Forty Creek Whisky, has been voted distiller of the year in this year's Icons of Whisky Canada held by Whisky Magazine.

AMBASSADOR OF THE YEAR 2008 - JOHN K. HALL

John K. Hall, Forty Creek Whisky Maker, was voted Whisky Ambassador of the year's Icons of Whisky Canada held by Whisky Magazine.

The winners, including John Hall & Kittling Ridge representing Canada, will compete in the World Icons of Whisky which include Scotland, Ireland, United States & Japan.  The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in London, England on the 28th of February 2008, held to mark the opening of Whisky Live London.

Hall stated, "What an honour to receive two Whisky Magazine's "Icons of Whisky Awards", Distiller of the Year and Ambassador of the Year for Canada, on the eve of celebrating my 15th year anniversary as a whisky maker in Canada and the release of my limited Forty Creek Small Batch Reserve!"  "I am especially humbled knowing that I was facing competition from distillers that have all become international giants in the spirits industry.  Distiller of the Year is a very prestigious award within the spirits industry and I believe the growing popularity of Forty Creek Whisky has played a large part in receiving this special recognition."