Black Velvet Toasted Caramel

Today we have another flavoured whisky, this one from Black Velvet Distillery in Lethbridge, Alberta. The standard Black Velvet (which I've never tried) is the third best-selling Canadian whisky in the US. It was created in the 1950s (as Black Label) and was distilled in Toronto. It's success led to a new distillery built in Lethbridge in 1973.

Riding on the wave of the (assumed) financial success of flavoured whiskies, this one is dominated by caramel, setting it apart from the spiced / maple / vanilla / sherried whiskies our people up here (and in the US) are so fond of.

The colour is a bright, light caramel. The nose is pure Caramilk, nothing else. Very strong and cloying. Honestly, that is all I get off this nose is strong, bright artificial caramel, the kind you'd find in a chocolate bar. Water does...nothing.

The palate is very thin, with the exact same flavour as you would expect from the nose. Behind it there is a thin sliver of rye. Water does nothing but dilute what is already at only 35%. Blech.

The finish is a short burst of spun sugar. And thank God it is short. This is terrible stuff, possibly the worst of the flavoured whiskies I've tried (still better than Jim Beam Red Stag, though). Part of that is due to the low ABV. Honestly, we need to have some standards when it comes to additives, flavouring and ABV in this country. This is a liqueur, pure and simple (and a bad one at that), not a whisky, in my books. The label says "Caramel colour added" but there are certainly other ingredients here. Garbage.

Find where to buy Black Velvet whisky