Forty Creek (45%, OB, ‘Port Wood Reserve’, Lot 060, 2010)

Bottled at a significantly higher alcohol by volume at 45% and it involves PORT.How exciting; Canadian distillers don’t venture this far off the norm very often. On the nose there’s some nice fruit, quite rich and deep plus some of the now familiar grains (this is not a criticism) while still remaining very clean and soft. The taste is slightly meaty with fruit and a little herbaceous notes (very slight) some really good dryness and then, all of a sudden, some really concentrated fruit notes (think fruit leather) and then think more fruit leather. The finish is really big with the fruit leather and cask influence and very dry. Very chewy and very long. More chewyness.

Excellent by any standard.

Score 88 points