Forty Creek, the Canadian Whisky Distillery based in Grimbsy, Ontario, today announces the launch of Master’s Cut, the debut cask strength whisky from Master Blender Bill Ashburn. As a cask strength whisky, Master’s Cut is bottled at the same strength as it comes out of the barrel, offering a liquid that’s still recognizable as Forty Creek with an added flair.
Master Blender Bill Ashburn is known for disrupting the industry with his innovative expressions, and the launch of Master’s Cut is no exception. This time, applying a single pass, 100 per cent pot distillation process that’s aged in a mixture of once used bourbon barrels and experienced Canadian whisky barrels, resulted in a masterful liquid that delivers notes of vanilla and wood, an aroma of candied fruit and florals, and a lingering spicy finish.
With Master’s Cut, Master Blender Bill Ashburn stays true to the Forty Creek house style of balance and elegance by launching a cask strength whisky that creates synergy between strength and intensity of flavour.
“Our loyal followers have been asking for a cask strength whisky for quite some time,” says Bill Ashburn, Forty Creek Master Blender, and 2020 Canada Master Whiskey Blender of the Year. “I have been working on producing a cask strength whisky for a number of years to get the right profile to remain true to the Forty Creek Style. Master’s Cut is cask strength whisky done our way.”
“Innovation is in our DNA,” says David Allard, VP of Marketing, Campari Canada. “We’re consistently producing whisky expressions that buck traditional whisky norms and our Master Blender Bill Ashburn is at the heart of that.”
Master’s Cut retails for $79.95 and is currently available for sale in Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and PEI.
Forty Creek Continues to Challenge the Status Quo with Ontario Limited Release, Taproom
Forty Creek’s recent Taproom collaboration with Niagara’s premiere craft brewery, Bench Brewing reinforces the distillery’s relentless commitment to innovate whisky products that Canadians love.
Through Taproom, excellence in craft beer and mastery of craft whisky come together in search of the equilibrium between liquid and oak barrels and beer and whisky.
The unique collaborative aging process involved Bench Brewing aging beer in Canadian Oak barrels that previously housed Forty Creek Confederation Oak Whisky, then returned to the Distillery to be used in a secondary aging of the whisky blend. The result: a whisky that delivers an outstanding flavour profile with spice, hops and an appealing bitterness paired with a citrus and mint aroma.
“This was a very special project for us,” says Sarah Casorso, Master Brewer, Bench Brewing. “We have an extensive barrel aging program at Bench, but they are filled almost exclusively with local wine barrels. So, when we started talking to Bill and the team at Forty Creek about a ‘shared barrel’ collaboration, we jumped at it. It was a great opportunity to take some of their amazing Canadian white oak whisky barrels and share creative thinking from the craft beer and spirits worlds. Bench and Forty Creek are only about 15 kilometers apart, so it was a lot of fun and something that is innovative and uniquely local to Niagara.”
Without using the 9.09% rule to add beer to the whisky, the beer notes come purely from the aging process and transfer through the oak barrels. Each whisky is packaged in a growler as a nod to the partnership.
“We released our first Fortified series of beers from these barrels last fall and they were a huge hit. We’re really excited for both whisky and beer lovers to try Taproom,” adds Casorso.
Taproom retails for $39.95 and is available for a limited time at the LCBO and FortyCreekWhisky.com as of September 23rd, 2021.
As Forty Creek continues to elevate the standard of Canadian whiskies and create new expressions with both national and global appeal, the list of accolades continues to grow, encompassing Canada Whiskey Distillery of the Year and Canada Master Whiskey Blender of the Year as awarded at the 2020 New York International Spirits Competition, and an additional 3 awards at the esteemed, world-class 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
To learn more about Forty Creek, its award-winning liquids, or to purchase Master’s Cut or Taproom, visit fortycreekwhisky.com.
Terry Bunch
