Forty Creek Confederation Oak Reserve with Steve

Thanks to Covid, the old hopper is starting to empty a bit. This review is of a bottle from last Christmas’ staff exchange, finally seeing the light of day. No worries, there’s always more, there just isn’t the stack of six months of slack.

Forty Creek Confederation Oak Reserve is another entry from Ontario’s Forty Creek, one of iScotch’s foundational whiskies – Dan came to the project with this brand as one of his faves.

Oops just fixed a typo. “confederation oka reserve” that’s a… that’s a whole different thing. #CanadianHistory

This is blend finished for two years in Canadian Oak, which the website suggests has “tighter grain” because of the colder Canadian climate that gives it more flavour. I did try to check this from a science angle but it just seems to be so much unsubstantiated marketing. Here’s what we thought:

nose
Steve – flint, maple, vanilla
Simon – aerosol, caramel, maple

neat
Steve – melty, sweet, cookies
Simon – thin, sharp, apple, cherry

finish
Steve – smoother, caramel, butterscotch
Simon – warm, a little burn

splash
Steve – nope, face
Simon – thinner still, simple warmth

overall
Steve – 7/10
Simon – 6/10

Forty Creek Confederation Oak Reserve Canadian Whisky – 40% 750ml – $69.96 – Ontario

Try it? Sure. Buy it? Sure.