Highwood Ninety 20 Year Old

This has long been one of my favourite Canadians. It comes from Highwood Distillers in High River, Alberta, and is one of the rare Canadian whiskies that is at least 20 years old. I had always thought it was 100% corn but now I'm not so sure...

The colour is a light amber. On the nose it's pure oak and corn, like a great Scottish grain: tons of vanilla, butterscotch, mint, green apple, tropical fruits and buttered croissants (and popcorn, for that matter). Spicy with cinnamon and cloves. Rye bread comes out with water. Luxurious.

Sweet on the palate (but not too sweet) with maple, more butterscotch, ginger and grapefruit pith. Feels stronger than 45%. Very silky mouthfeel - and gets much spicier with time (and a drop of water). Delicious, very dessert-y (you could pour it on ice cream!)

The medium-length finish brings out more maple, with late-arriving rye spice, oak and savoury herbs. The reason I now question whether or not this is 100% corn is because I am getting more rye-ish notes as it oxidizes (and as I add water). Which doesn't mean it has spirit distilled from rye grain (the notes could be from the whisky maturing in used rye barrels). But I wonder. Tasting it side-by-side with another 20 year old Canadian (CC), you get the same oaky smoothness, but the CC 20 is a little spicier and even more complex. Davin de Kergommeaux scores this a 91 (as do I).