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wine review

In one way at least, this may be the most Canadian whisky ever. It's not just made in Canada but also matured in wooden barrels made from trees grown within 60 kilometres of the Grimsby, Ont., distillery. Other domestic spirits, by contrast, generally rely on oak grown south of the border, mainly in such states as Kentucky and Missouri, which also supply the U.S. bourbon industry.

Years ago, Forty Creek founder John K. Hall began experimenting with trees from a sustainable forest closer to home. It was the same species of white oak, known as quercus alba, but Hall reasoned that our cooler climate, which causes trees to grow more slowly and with tighter grains, might provide added finesse. He also figured that the forest he chanced upon was roughly as old as the country, with the trees taking root around the time of Confederation, providing inspiration for the whisky's name.

This is not the first edition of Confederation Oak, a product originally produced about seven years ago. But it does come in a box depicting a specially commissioned painting by Calgary artist Sheila Schaetzle titled To the Confederation. Three red-and-white-clad pre-Confederation soldiers stand beneath rows of grey-and-black oak trees, a captivating image that ties in the barrel part of the story as well as the Grimsby area's role in the War of 1812.

The liquid inside the box is uncommonly rich and delicately sweet. It comes across like toffee, honey and maple syrup on vanilla ice cream joined by candied orange, fig, smoke and warm spice. I'd say the body and flavour are more substantial than the 40-per-cent alcohol might suggest. It's a big whisky for a big anniversary.

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