Canadian Whisky

Canadian Whisky has become synonymous with the name Rye Whisky. This nickname stuck because German and Dutch immigrants to Canada started adding rye to the mash. At the time, wheat or corn whisky was the most common but this new style with the added rye became so popular that Canadians just started calling their whisky “Rye.” These days the terms “Canadian Whisky” and “Rye Whisky” are used interchangeably. Canada has eight large distilleries and a couple of smaller micro distilleries, mostly producing blended whiskies. The laws governing what can be called Canadian Whisky aren’t that restrictive which gives blenders the chance to experiment and innovate without falling foul of regulations. One of the founding fathers of Canadian Whisky was Hiram Walker, who was so successful in the whisky trade that he founded his own town called Walkerville, and even founded two whisky distilleries back in Scotland.