🥃 Canadian whisky

Canadian whisky is whisky that is mashed, distilled and aged in Canada: made from cereal grain fermented by yeast, aged for at least three years in wooden casks of up to 700 litres and bottled at 40% vol. or more. Under the Canadian standard, the names Canadian Rye Whisky and Rye Whisky refer to the same drink.

The standard for Canadian whisky now sits in the Canadian Food Compositional Standards, Volume 2, which the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) maintains as part of the Food and Drug Regulations. Until 18 December 2024 the same requirements were in section B.02.020 of those regulations. The mash is made from grain or grain products, and the starch is converted by malt diastase or other enzymes.

The casks are called “small wood”: wooden casks or barrels of no more than 700 litres; unlike Scotch, the law does not expressly require oak. The drink must have the aroma, taste and character generally attributed to Canadian whisky. Flavouring is allowed, meaning other spirits or wine; any such flavouring other than wine must itself have aged at least two years in small wood.

Age on the label counts only the time spent in small wood. But if the whisky spent at least three years there, up to six months in other containers may be added: the CFIA gives the example of 3.5 years in casks plus 8 months in glass, which may be labelled “4 years”.

Why it matters to you. “Rye” on a Canadian bottle does not promise a mostly rye taste: the standard sets no rye share for this name. “Canadian” means the mashing, distilling and ageing took place in Canada. The age on the label is time in casks plus no more than half a year. WHO: no amount of alcohol is safe.