Canadian Club Sherry Cask Whiskey

[Mike]

I ran across this at 'my' liquor store and the bottle appeared to have been opened although there was no whiskey missing. I tracked down Nikko and had him take a look and he assumed that the outer wrapper had somehow come off.

Being the nice guy that I am, I said let's see if the cork is loose, and if it is, let's us just give it a smell. The cork readily came out and the aroma was quite nice. The topnotes were sherry (label says it was double matured in sherry casks), but there was some nice rye and a goodly snatch of vanilla. The color is the darkest I have every seen in a Canadian whiskey.

Nikko offered me the bottle for $20, so I brought same home, slipped a skosh in one of my IKEA $1 glasses, throwed up (my feet), and laid in a sip. It is 82.6 proof and follows the nose very closely. A nice touch of sherry, a bit of vanilla, and a bite of rye.

I like this whiskey a lot, it pleases me plenty. I happen to like a lot of Canadian Whiskies and although this one is not as full bodied and flavorful as Lot 40, it is of excellent sipping quality. I need to learn me some Canadian Cowboy songs to break out into when I get the urge from a Canadian Whiskey like this one. How do you say Yippee Tie Yie Yo in Canadian? Do they call cows doggies and do they punch 'em?

Gary Gillman, our resident Canadian, might be willing to share his opinion about this one. I must have been only 5 or 6 years old the last time I tried any Canadian Club whiskey (and I no doubt poured a drib into a glass of Coke), but I would gladly pour you a sip should you find yourself at my doorstep some dark and rainy night.

Imo lay in another small sip..........watch me now, watch me!!

[gillmang]

It's a good product Mike, I agree. A nice flavorful whisky for late at night when you don't want anything too assertive.

Canadian cowboy songs? Sure, ever heard of Ian Tyson from Alberta? Check him out on youtube!

Gary

[Bourbon Joe]

Canadian cowboy songs? Sure, ever heard of Ian Tyson from Alberta? Check him out on youtube!

Gary

And don't forget Hank Snow.
Joe

[gillmang]

And the late Don Messer from the Maritimes, and of course Stompin' Tom Conners, who does not write cowboy songs I think but wrote a few drinking songs for sure (many with the touch of wry humour he is known for). But Ian Tyson (famous for writing Four Strong Winds) has lived in Alberta all his life and written many songs about rural life there - some are on youtube.

Gary

[gillmang]

Check out http://www.iantyson.com.

I note he will appear in Memphis towards the end of February for the ASCAP awards.

Gary

[Bucc58]

I was just reading about the history behind Canadian Club Whisky in my studies for the trivia questions and learned that they had to add the term 'Canadian' to the name in order to continue sales in the U.S. It was also one of the first products of Hiram Walker, although, not the first. Got that one wrong thanks to misinformation from Wikopedia. Old Magnolia was Hiram Walker's first brand (right Mr. Veach?). Also, if you know "The Red River Valley", it was written about the Red River in Canada, not the U.S.

[Mike]

Also, if you know "The Red River Valley", it was written about the Red River in Canada, not the U.S.

Nah, Joe, how could that be? There must be some mistake??

Well, as they say, 'Live and Learn!' I never knowed they was so many cowboys in Canada.........but I probably shoulda, what with the Stampede and all the rodeo stars from up North.

Most of my cowboy heroes long since joined the Ghost Riders in the sky. And I thought they quit writing cowboy songs in the '60s, about the time when I started to get behind on many things.

My most favoritest westerns are 'Unforgiven', 'Lonesome Dove', 'High Noon', 'Once Upon a Time in the West', 'The Magnificant Seven' (based on the great Japanese movie 'The Seven Samurai' )and 'Ride the High Country'. But I can always make time for a spagetti western or Hopalong Cassidy and Roy Rogers........never cared much for Gene Autry cause he sang too much and had too many cars, and too many wimmin in his movies.

My most favoritest cowboy songs are 'Streets of Laredo', 'Ghost Riders in the Sky', 'High Noon', 'My Darlin Clementine', and 'Get Along Little Doggies', and the theme from 'Once Upon a Time in the West'.

[Bucc58]

Red River Valley is a folk song often sung by the Sons of the Pioneers. It is still widely believed to be a Texas re-working of a popular American song of 1896, "In the Bright Mohawk Valley"; however, research has found that it was known in at least five Canadian provinces before then.This finding led to speculation that it was composed at the time of the Wolseley expedition to the northern Red River Valley in Manitoba, and depicts the sorrow of a local girl or woman as her soldier/lover prepares to return to Ontario. (Wikipedea)

Now I have learned my lesson on blind belief in this source but it does agree with my earlier readings and memories. Look up "My Rifle, Pony and Me". It is a good listen. Full of cowboy songs. John Wayne even introduces the first song.

[gillmang]

I'll have to check into this Red River Valley song and history, I don't know them.

Mike, see if your local video store can rent you Goin' Down The Road, a Canadian movie from the early 1970's. It was directed by Don Shebib (still active) and is the best Canadian movie ever made. It will tell you a whole bunch about Canada, or Canadas.

It is not about cowboys, but in a way, it is.

Gary

[Mike]

I'll have to check into this Red River Valley song and history, I don't know them.

Mike, see if your local video store can rent you Goin' Down The Road, a Canadian movie from the early 1970's. It was directed by Don Shebib (still active) and is the best Canadian movie ever made. It will tell you a whole bunch about Canada, or Canadas.

It is not about cowboys, but in a way, it is.

Gary

I will check it out. I also know of two very, very, good Canadian movies. One is called 'Why Shoot theTeacher?' about life on the prarie just after WWI.

The other is a fictional rendering of the last night of Hank Williams. This movie stars Sneezy Waters as Hank Williams. The name of the movie is 'Hank Williams, The Show He Never Gave'. I have it on tape and watch it at least once a year. In this movie Hank, played by Waters, tells the story of his life to a honky tonk audience through his music. Great movie from Canada.

[gillmang]

I don't know them (well, maybe the first you mentioned, that rings a bell). I must say though I don't know the movie world well, but when I find one I like, I like it.

I'll rent them and give you my impressions; please do the same for Goin Down The Road.

Gary

[Bucc58]

Totally off the cowboy subject but still on the movie subject. Have either of you seen "Second Hand Lions & A River Runs Through It". I really enjoy both of these movies over and over. Braveheart is my favorite though.

[gillmang]

I haven't seen these, I will try to find them. I find with movies that most I have seen are not that good but a small minority are great! (It is sort of like this with bourbons, or beers). I have to find the good ones, and this will help, thanks.

Gary

[Bourbon Joe]

[color=darkred] Look up "My Rifle, Pony and Me".

Wasn't that the song that Ricky Nelson sang in the movie "Rio Bravo"??
Joe

[Bucc58]

The very one. And Dean Martin sang too.