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I was at 'my' liquor store today and they trotted out some 'Hirsch' Canadian rye whiskey. I was a bit taken aback. They had an 8 year old, a 10 year old, and a 12 year old, priced in the $30 range. I had previously told the dealer to get anything with the 'Hirsch' label, hoping for some 20 YO Hirsch. The 'Hirsch' label looked just like the label on the A H Hirsch bourbon bottles.......which has been out of production for a while now.

I don't know if this distillery, which is located in Nova Scotia, has bought the 'Hirsch' name or what. The label was trade marked. Anybody know anything about this?

Because the whiskey was so light colored, I presume it was aged in new uncharred oak.

I did not purchase any, I am awaiting more information.

There was originally a Hirsch 13yo rye that accompanied the bourbon from Michter's (PA) to KY. However, the Hirsch bourbons have belonged first to the Hue family (Cork 'N Bottle liquor stores, Covington, KY), and finally Henry Preiss of Preiss Imports (SF Bay area). It was for him the final bottling of Hirsch 16yo (the gold foil capsule) was done in Sept. 2003.
I find no reference to a current rye in Preiss' portfolio, so maybe the Hirsch family has reclaimed the name for other uses now that the bourbon essentially has all been distributed.

Yes but Mike is talking about Canadian rye. I think Chuck said at the Chicago upcoming whisky exhibition Hirsch will have a 100 proof Canadian whisky (or something like that). But this is the first I hear of a range of Canadian ryes under the Hirsch name. I'll check but I thought the only distillery in Nova Scotia is Glenora which makes a scotch-style whisky (Glen Breton). Maybe Glenora has been making Canadian-style whisky too.. Or maybe there is another distillery in Nova Scotia, a traditional Canadian whisky maker, who is selling this product to Hirsch. Anyway, interesting. Wonder how it tastes.

Gary

I have a bottle of Hirsch Single Cask Canadian Whiskey 12 years old, actually got it quite a few years back. I don't remember it saying rye on it though... Must be something new to try! 8)

Here's a crappy pic of the bottle I have...

The color is the same, but the label is different on the bottles I say today..........and it was rye.................as the guy on Laugh-in used to say veddy interestink!!!!!!!

The new Hirsch Selection Canadian Rye is distributed by Preis. It is

bottled at Glenora in Nova Scotia. There is an advertisement in the 1st Q

"Malt Advocate" mag.

How interesting. I wonder if Glenora distilled out or did they buy it in bulk from someone?

Gary

gillmang wrote:How interesting. I wonder if Glenora distilled out or did they buy it in bulk from someone?

Gary

Gary, on their website:
http://www.glenoradistillery.com
they state: "Glenora Distillery is interested in bottling for your company or bottling a private label for you or your organization."
So, I'd bet they just bottled it for someone else -- in this case, apparently, Henry Preiss.
Lew Bryson mentioned it back in 2001 here:
http://www.lewbryson.com/tribcand.htm
which also talks a bit about John Hall's Forty Creek whiskys.

Thanks, Tim, interesting, sounds like Glenora as a sideline bottles bulk whisky sourced from others.

I did not see (did I miss it?) a reference to Glenora in Lew's article.

Gary