First off: I have to remind people that in the name of Canadian Whisky, there is no E, it's not Whiskey, it's just Whisky. This is the very first sampling of a spirit from Patent 5 Distillery in Winnipeg, Manitoba. I've been waiting for a homegrown non-multinational Canadian Whisky in Manitoba for a decade or more - I've seen others in other provinces (such as Lucky Bastard in Sask), but this is the first time I'm ever trying a locally owned Manitoban Whisky - and we all know that Manitoba is famous for one of the most famous Canadian Whiskies in the entire world. Also, thanks to Nonsuch for first recommending Patent 5 way back in the day!
Patent Five's Radiger & Erb Canadian Whisky pays tribute to one of the earliest craft distilleries in Winnipeg: Ratiger & Erb operated from 1876 to 1880, and produced wheat Whisky made exclusively from Manitoban grain. Our whisky, inspired by the original recipe, carries forward the tradition by using single-farm Manitoban grain and is distilled in Winnipeg with a mash bill of wheat, rye, corn, and malted barley. This uniquely Manitoban Whisky is a beautiful blend of traditional design and modern distillation. 46% ABV
Appearance: To be classically Manitoban I had to pour this in sa tiny A&W-sized shot glass.. though I have no Root Beer to pair it with. Very clear with a mild caramel kind of body to it, a tad lighter than some big name Canadian Whisky brands.
Aroma: I've smelled a LOT of Whisky in the 40 years of my life - my ol dad Rollie was a big rye & Coke guy growing up so this brings me up a lot of memories of our visits to his buddies Red & Goose (RIP) and Paul. It's a deep caramelly aroma with a hefty booziness to it, notes of peat, vanilla, tad bit of apple, and a finishing of a tad bit of black pepper.
Taste: It's got that boozy burn you get from every Whisky you've ever tried. There's a bit of a caramel sweetness, notes of rye spiciness, a bit of black pepper, hint of vanilla and oak. I don't review Whisky often so this was hard - I had some Cherry Coca Cola with me and adding to that - it was a very nice accompaniment.
Overall Thoughts: My dad was the first one to get a sample of the Whisky - he liked it a lot, so that's a really good sign. As a shot, I could never do this Whisky as one, but as a spirit for a nice soda - it will pair really well. Sweet, caramelly, tad roasty, vanilla.
I was wanting to pair this with a Pic-a-Pop drink but they closed during COVID era.. so I wanted to pair this with Pepsi Throwback (Pepsi with Cane Sugar) but by the time I reviewed this Whisky, Throwback was no longer available.. soooo.. I wanted to review this with Mexican Coca Cola, something that should be available at just about every grocery store.. but it was completely out of stock (and it's now $10 for a 4 pack?!!!) - I settled with pairing it with Cherry Coca Cola.. something I absolutely hated when I went to restaurants in Minot, ND in the 90s.. but apparently don't mind now. SO.... the Whisky actually compliments the faux cherry and the cola quite well, giving off a mildly oaky presence, with a tad bit of a cherry taste that you would get from a lot of American Whiskys as it is, a bit of vanilla - Radiger & Erb and Cherry Coke works out well.
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