Petard Dept: Davin de Kergommeaux hoisted...

[Capn Jimbo]

Honestly, I like Davin de Kergommeaux...


Why? I find him an honest and talented reviewer and writer. His new book "Canadian Whisky, the Portable Expert" is a tour de force and a must buy for anyone who wishes to understand the history and making of Canadian whisky. His book is meticulous and complete and will give any reader a real bottoms up understanding of how spirits are made, aged and blended to create various flavor profiles, and last how to taste and appreciate these and other spirits.

Magnificent.

Still, one of his primary objectives was to dispell the myths about Canadian whisky, of which the primary one - according to him - was the myth of the use of GNS (grain neutral spirits). You see Canadian whisky is mostly blended using mostly a relatively neutral "base spirit" to which have been added allowable "caramel and flavourings". These "flavourings" include but are not limited to other spirits (often a bit of rye whisky) and wine (up to 9.09%).

Actually this is pretty horrible already. Davin's response is to soft sell these practices by claiming that the #1 myth is the use of GNS (grain neutral spirits). Think Everclear or a vodka. "Never, never!" he claims, but only devotes a single paragraph in his 300+ pages to his defense. And he is technically right, but only in the fact that Canadian distillers do not call their "base spirits" GNS, but rather call them CWS (Canadian whisky spirits). What's the difference?

Nothing but the name.

GNS - relatively pure alcohol distilled from grain with almost all the flavor distilled out - is distilled to about 95%. Grain based vodkas - the same - to about 95%. And Canadian's vaunted and special CWS? Yup, the same relatively tasteless and neutral spirit distilled to - yup - 94.5% or even a bit higher (as noted by Davin himself). The only real difference?

What they call it. But let's face it if looks like a moose, walks like a moose but doesn't taste much like a moose, lol... it's a moose! GNS = vodka = Canadian Whisky Spirits (CWS).

Lastly is the addition of wine, unlabeled and allowable up to 9.09%. That is a potentially huge amount. And you can bet your underwear that distiller lobbied regulations are there for a reason - they intend to use flavouring in what they call Canadian Whisky.


Bottom Line:

1. Canadian Whisky is in fact based on almost neutral base spirit, which is then blended with flavourings to achieve the profile of the day.

2. The good news is that there's actually a bit of real whisky in the bottle in the form of some added "flavouring whiskies" often distilled to flavorful lower percentages in pot stills. Still, the end result is mostly neutral grain base spirits (by any name).

3. The bad news is that wine (up to 9.09%) may also be added, in addition to other unnamed flavourings. Davin states this is only done in cheap "value" blends, but then qualifies his own claim by stating "for the most part". The implication is clear. For the lesser part premiums and deluxe brands do it too, but Davin either isn't sure himself, or is very sure but just isn't telling. Canadian Mist is one.

4. Canadian Whisky is really a kind of vodka flavored with pot stilled whisky, wine and achieves much of its flavor from the wood used in aging.

What does this make Canadian Whisky? For the most part (sorry, Davin) to me this makes Canadian Whisky a flavoured neutral grain spirit (with a very few exceptions). Before this, I presumed and called Canadian Whisky a "mixed drink in a bottle", but to be fair I wasn't completely sure.

Thanks to Davin, I am now.


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Special Note: All readers should immediately buy Davin's wonderful book which otherwise is fabulous, simply fabulous I say, a complete and competent, educational treatise.