Caribou Crossing SB Canadian Whisky

VA ABC- $54.99

Total Wine - $69.99

Class VI - $XX.xx

ABV - 40%

AGE - NAS

From the VA ABC website:  Caribou Crossing holds the distinction of being the world’s first single barrel Canadian whisky. Made from the finest sampling of their master collection of 200,000 barrels of whisky and designed to reinvent the Canadian whisky category.

While blended whiskies shoot for consistency across years or even generations, single barrel offerings try to give you a different experience with each new bottle.  From The Whisk(e)y Wash:  Because it’s a single barrel whisky, each bottle offers a unique drinking experience, and once your whisky is gone you may never get something that tastes the exact same ever again. It’s this exclusivity that’s(sic) makes Caribou Crossing so intriguing for Canadian whisky fans.

Why does everyone mock Caribou Crossing?  From Reddit:

“I was so pissed when I drank the one I bought.  They got me.”

Both Caribou Crossing and Blanton’s are owned by the Sazerac Company.  We see similarities between the Caribou stopper and Blanton’s horse stopper.  The criticisms are similar too:  A mediocre whisk(e)y in a fancy bottle.  Sweet, thin, watery, not much flavor, good for beginners, people just want the ‘Canadian Horsey’ stopper.  There was an ornate, bronze caribou on top of the stopper.  Now it’s just a maple leaf - I suspect because those are cheaper to produce.  

Even still, it’s popular.  At Total Wine they only allow one per customer and it’s currently out of stock.  I’ve conversed with many people on whiskey discussion boards who really love Caribou Crossing.  But, I’m sceptical.   Rather than buy an entire bottle of something that has a bad reputation, I decided to take the Whiskey and Politics advice and try it at a bar.  It was $25 for a double, but at least I’m not stuck with a bottle I don’t like.

I was visiting Phoenix last week and decided to visit one of my favorite whiskey bars, The Phoenix Bourbon Room.  They have an extensive whisk(e)y selection and an excellent cocktail menu.  Their food is also delicious.  I had the Southwest Chicken and penne pasta in an alfredo sauce.  Their bartenders are friendly, attentive, and well-versed in whiskey.  I requested a double of Caribou Crossing to get a good understanding of it.  Both bartenders were familiar with its reputation and we discussed the effect of fancy bottles on liquor sales.  And while they had a bottle, they didn’t pour much of it at a Phoenix bar.  

I took my time.  Always ignore the first sip - even the first few.  The things you ate, the gum you chewed hours before are still affecting your taste buds now.  So after several sips, I concentrated on my whisky.  I have to admit, it’s not bad.  Canadian whisky is known for its high rye mashbills (recipes) and low-quality blends that are usually better-suited for mixing, not sipping.  Caribou Crossing was especially sweet for a Canadian.  While the criticisms of it being watery and ‘not much there’ are legitimate, it’s not offensive.  An occasional sipper or someone new to whisky would enjoy this.  And as for the bottle, what can I say?  If you like it, Caribou Crossing is an attractive decanter with some drinkable whisky in it.  If the office wanted to pitch in and get a notable gift for somebody retiring, this would make a fine present.  

In our heavily-opinionated age, one thing that’s fun about whiskey is the old saying, “There’s no accounting for taste.”  You may like something that I can’t stand - and that’s okay.  Whiskey discussions are always fun when the participants keep that in mind.  Sanibonani!