A bottling specially selected for Willow Park Wines & Spirits in Calgary, Alberta. The independent bottler Murray McDavid does not chill filter or add coloured and as the back label states “Cask Selected by Jim McEwan” and “ideal drinking strength”. Hmmmm. The nose is quite sweet with honey and vanilla, additionally lychee, raisins (hold on, is this a bourbon cask?), floor polish (like the old type used on cement floors and on a warm day). Very fragrant wood notes, cedar, tea and saw dust like you might encounter in a musical instrument work shop. The taste is soft with an initial maritime hint, more surf than beach followed by a multi layered wood attack; very dry and sweet. The predominate characteristic is sweet very dry wood notes and surprisingly a little flash of curry. This actually quite woody and dry and is actually very nice. The finish is quite long, fragrant, woody and very dry. There is actually a myriad of layers to the dry wood notes. Spicy, cedar, honey etcetera. After a few minutes the finish drops off to wet wood. Warming and soft however a bit made of wood and not steel.

Long gone from Willow Park (from a time when they were the place to buy whisky in Calgary. A small look back at a recent bottling prior to the whisky world charging idiotic prices for older whiskies. A classic, a bit like a wooden boat; lots of lumber but well loved, if you take my point.

C$200

Score 92 Points

For more details on Murray McDavid visit http://www.murray-mcdavid.com/