Canadian Whisky Awards 2022

Crown Royal Nobel Collection Winter Wheat is Canada’s Best Whisky

OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 13, 2022 / - Nine independent whisky experts have named Crown Royal Nobel Collection Winter Wheat, Canada’s best whisky and Canadian Whisky of the Year at the twelfth annual Canadian Whisky Awards. 

 From among well over 150 Canadian whiskies tasted, Crown Royal also took top honours for Best Blended Whisky and Sippin’ Whisky of the Year.

“This is a truly stunning whisky,” said Davin de Kergommeaux, head judge and founder of the awards. “Incredibly complex, flavourful and well-balanced.” 

 Other major winners include Pendleton Director’s Reserve 20-Year-Old which was named Connoisseur Whisky of the Year in the multi-market category. 

 J. P. Wiser’s Red Letter 15-Year-Old, is the Connoisseur Whisky of the Year – Canada Exclusive, and Best Line Extension, while Royal Canadian Small Batch is 2022’s Sippin’ Whisky of the Year – Export Exclusive.

Black Velvet Original took home accolades as Best Whisky Value in the export market, and Canadian Club 100% Rye was named Best Whisky Value in multiple markets. Innovation of the Year went to the truly original and delicious Forty Creek Master’s Cut. Vancouver’s Odd Society Spirits won Best New Whisky with its Maple Whisky.

 As enthusiasm for Canada’s single malt whiskies grows world-wide, the Canadian Whisky Awards acknowledged Smoke Point 3 from Shelter Point Distillery as Single Malt of the Year.

 Diageo Global Supply - Gimli is the 2022 Distillery of the Year, while Okanagan Spirits in Vernon, British Columbia earned notice as Artisanal Distillery of the Year. Crown Royal blender, Joanna Zanin Scandella was acknowledged for Lifetime Achievement. 

 “The judges’ results are confirmed every day on liquor store shelves across North America and around the world,” said de Kergommeaux.

 The winning whisky was distilled at Diageo Global Supply distillery in Gimli, Manitoba, and blended in Diageo’s blending lab in Montreal.  

 The Canadian Whisky Awards, held annually since 2010, recognize the very best Canadian whiskies and encourage distillers to maintain the highest quality standards. To qualify, the whisky must be distilled and matured in Canada. An independent panel of whisky experts selects the winners after tasting each whisky blind. Operated on a not-for-profit basis, the Canadian Whisky Awards are fully independent of the Canadian whisky industry.

Awards

Canadian Whisky of the Year – Crown Royal Nobel Collection Winter Wheat

Best Blended Whisky – Crown Royal Noble Collection Winter Wheat

Blender of the Year – Diageo Blending Lab – Montreal

Distillery of the Year – Diageo Global Supply – Gimli 

Artisanal Distiller of the Year – Okanagan Spirits

 Award of Excellence – Line Extension – JP Wiser’s Red Letter 15 Year Old

Award of Excellence – Innovation – Forty Creek Master’s Cut 

Award of Excellence – Canadian Whisky Profile – JP Wiser’s Smaller Hero 

Lifetime Achievement Award – Joanne Zanin Scandella

Best Whisky Spirit – Raging Crow Distillery 

Best Corn Whisky - Bearface Whisky Elementally Aged Triple Oak 7-Year-Old

Best Wheat Whisky – Last Mountain Single Cask 100% Wheat Whisky

Best All-Rye Whisky – Shelter Point Single Cask 6 Rye 

Best Single Malt Whisky – Shelter Point Smoke Point 3

Best Single Grain Whisky – Shelter Point Single Cask 6 Rye

Best Mixed-Mash Whisky – Okanagan Spirits BRBN Bourbon-Style Whisky

Best Single Barrel Whisky – Shelter Point Single Cask 6 Rye

Best Cask Strength Whisky – Shelter Point Smoke Point 3

Best Barrel Finished Whisky – Odd Society Maple Whisky 

Best New Whisky – Odd Society Maple Whisky

Flavoured Whisky of the Year – Domestic – Forty Creek Spike

Flavoured Whisky of the Year – Export – Rich & Rare Peach

Flavoured Whisky of the Year – Multi-Market - Sortilège Wild Blueberries

Cream Whisky of the Year – Forty Creek Nanaimo Bar 

Whisky Value of the Year – Domestic – Okanagan Spirits BRBN 

Whisky Value of the Year – Export – Black Velvet Original

Whisky Value of the Year – Multi-Market – Canadian Club 100% Rye

Sippin’ Whisky of the Year – Domestic – Shelter Point Smoke Point 3

Sippin’ Whisky of the Year – Export – Royal Canadian Small Batch

Sippin’ Whisky of the Year – Multi-Market – Crown Royal Noble Collection Winter Wheat

Connoisseur Whisky of the Year – Domestic – JP Wiser’s Red Letter 15-Year-Old

Connoisseur Whisky of the Year – Export – JP Wiser’s Smaller Hero 

Connoisseur Whisky of the Year – Multi-Market – Pendleton Director’s Reserve 20yo

Gold Medals

 SHELTER POINT SINGLE CASK 6 RYE 

CROWN ROYAL NOBLE COLLECTION RYE AGED 16 YEARS 

TWO BREWERS RELEASE 26 

FORTY CREEK MASTERS CUT 

SHELTER POINT 10 YO 46%

CROWN ROYAL EXTRA RARE 18 YO  

ALBERTA PREMIUM CASK STRENGTH RYE

CANADIAN CLUB 100% RYE 

LOT 40 18 YO CASK STRENGTH 

NORTH OF 7 CANADIAN WHISKY

CANADIAN CLUB CHRONICLES 44 YO

CROWN ROYAL NOBLE COLLECTION WINTER WHEAT  

PENDLETON DIRECTORS RESERVE 20 YO

OKANAGAN SPIRITS BRBN 

CROWN ROYAL XO   

J.P. WISERS RED LETTER 15 YO   

SHELTER POINT SMOKE POINT 3  

ODD SOCIETY MAPLE WHISKY 

TWO BREWERS RELEASE 27 

COLLINGWOOD DOUBLE BARREL

J.P. WISER’S SMALLER HERO 

OKANAGAN SPIRITS LAIRD OF FINTRY BLACK LABEL 

GLEN SAANICH CASK STRENGTH WINE CASK FINISH

PIKE CREEK 22 YO PEDRO XIMENEZ CASK FINISH 

OKANAGAN SPIRITS BLK BRBN CHOCOLATE MALT CASK STRENGTH  

Silver Medals

 WAYNE GRETZKY NO 99 NINETY-NINE PROOF WHISKY

WAYNE GRETZKY NO 99 MAPLE CASK WHISKY

WAYNE GRETZKY NO 99 ICE CASK WHISKY

TWO BREWERS RELEASE 28

TWO BREWERS RELEASE 25

TWO BREWERS RELEASE 24

STRAIGHT ONTARIO CASK STRENGTH CORN WHISKY (Last Straw)

SHELTER POINT SINGLE CASK #7 PEAT

SHELTER POINT RIPPLE ROCK BATCH 1

SHELTER POINT DOUBLE BARREL #6

SHELTER POINT 10 YO CASK STRENGTH

ROYAL CANADIAN SMALL BATCH

RICH AND RARE RESERVE (Sazerac)

PIKE CREEK 10 YEAR OLD RUM BARREL FINISHED

PENDLETON ORIGINAL

OKANAGAN SPIRITS LAIRD OF FINTRY SINGLE MALT

OKANAGAN SPIRITS BLUE LABEL LAIRD OF FINTRY

ODD SOCIETY PEATED WHISKY

LAST MOUNTAIN DISTILLERY SINGLE CASK 2020 DISTILLERS SELECT WHISKY

LAST MOUNTAIN DISTILLERY SINGLE CASK 100% WHEAT WHISKY   Best Wheat

KINSIP MAPLE WHISKY

JP WISERS ALUMNI SERIES MARTIN BRODEUR

JP WISERS 10 YO (EU)

HOWITZER CANADIAN WHISKY

Highwood NINETY 20 YO WHISKY

Paradigm Spirits HERITAGE COLLECTION CANADIAN WHISKY (Matt Jones)

FORTY CREEK TAPROOM

FORTY CREEK FOXHEART

FORTY CREEK DOUBLE BARREL RESERVE

FORTY CREEK CONFEDERATION OAK RESERVE

Dubh Glas NO MASK REQUIRED

Devine GLEN SAANICH CASK STRENGTH SINGLE CASK

Devine ANCIENT GRAINS CASK STRENGTH SINGLE CASK

Devine ANCIENT GRAINS

CROWN ROYAL RESERVE   

CROWN ROYAL NORTHERN HARVEST RYE

CROWN ROYAL FINE DELUXE

CROWN ROYAL BLACK

LOT 40 DARK OAK

LOT 40

GOODERHAM AND WORTS

CARIBOU CROSSING SINGLE BARREL CANADIAN WHISKY

CANADIAN CLUB CLASSIC 12 YEAR OLD

Raging Crow CAN’T CALL IT B**RBON  

BLACK VELVET ORIGINAL (Heaven Hill)

BEARFACE WHISKY WILDERNESS SERIES MATSUTAKE RELEASE   Best Corn

BEARFACE WHISKY ELEMENTALLY AGED TRIPLE OAK 7 YO 

Bronze Medals

ALBERTA PREMIUM RYE

ARBUTUS DISTILLERY RYE WHISKY

Stillhead THE B-WORD

Stillhead POTENT PORT-ABLES

BLACK VELVET RESERVE (Heaven Hill)

CANADIAN CLUB 1858

CANADIAN MIST (Sazerac)

COLLINGWOOD (Sazerac)

Fils du Roy CAPITAINE SAINT SIMON SINGLE MALT

Fils du Roy NEW IRELAND SINGLE MALT

CIRKA WHISKY NO 2

CIRKA WHISKY NO 3

Odd Society COMMODORE SINGLE MALT WHISKY 

DILLON’S  SMALL BATCH DISTILLERS THREE OAKS WHISKY

DILLON’S SMALL BATCH DISTILLERS RYE 1 WHISKY

A BEAUTIFUL MAN (Dubh Glas)

Eau Claire BATCH 004 MALT WHISKY

Eau Claire RUPERT’S CANADIAN EXCEPTIONAL WHISKY 

FORTY CREEK BARREL SELECT

FORTY CREEK COPPER POT RESERVE

Forty Creek THE FORAGER BOTANICAL WHISKY

Devine GLEN SAANICH SINGLE MALT WHISKY 

Kinsip HEADLANDS HEARTH SINGLE MALT

ENSIGN RED

LEGACY CANADIAN 

HIGH RIVER CANADIAN WHISKY

HIRAM WALKER SPECIAL OLD WHISKY

JP WISER DELUXE CANADIAN WHISKY

JP WISERS 15 YEAR OLD

JP WISERS 18 YEAR OLD

JP WISERS SPECIAL BLEND

JP WISERS TRIPLE BARREL RYE CANADIAN WHISKY

HIGHWOOD PURE CANADIAN RYE

Kinsip COOPERS REVIVAL RYE WHISKY

LAST MOUNTAIN CANADIAN BLENDED RYE

LAST MOUNTAIN DISTILLERY CANADIAN WHISKY

LAST MOUNTAIN DISTILLERY SINGLE CASK 2021 DISTILLERS SELECT

LAST MOUNTAIN DISTILLERY SINGLE CASK RED WINE FINISHED

LAST MOUNTAIN DISTILLERY SINGLE CASK RYE WHISKY

LAST MOUNTAIN DISTILLERY SINGLE CASK SINGLE MALT

Last Straw LOOSE TOQUE

Last Straw STRAIGHT ONTARIO RYE WHISKY CASK 3

Last Straw WHISKY IN THE 6

OKANAGAN SPIRITS BC RYE WHISKY

Paradigm Spirits FIRST EDITION CANADIAN WHISKY (Matt Jones)

PENDLETON 1910

Odd Society PROSPECTOR RYE WHISKY  

SHELTER POINT ARTISANAL SINGLE MALT

SHELTER POINT MONTFORT

SHELTER POINT PROHIBITION

SHELTER POINT SMOKE AND OAK

SHELTER POINT THE FORBIDDEN 2

Stillhead BLACKBERRY PORT FINISHED RYE WHISKY

Stillhead SNEAKY PEAT

Burwood THE BEE WHISPERER

Burwood THE SCIENTIST 

TRUST ANCIENT GRAINS (Liberty)

TRUST SINGLE CASK BURGUNDY

TRUST SINGLE CASK MADEIRA (Liberty)

WAYNE GRETZKY NO 99 RED CASK WHISKY

Flavoured Whiskies

Gold Medal Winners

 FORTY CREEK NANAIMO BAR   Best Cream

SORTILEGE WILD BLUEBERRIES   Best Flavoured

Silver Medals

 WAYNE GRETZKY NO 99 SALTED CARAMEL CANADIAN CREAM WHISKY  

WAYNE GRETZKY NO 99 MAPLE CREAM WHISKY

WAYNE GRETZKY NO 99 CANADIAN CREAM WHISKY

 TRUE NORTH CANADIAN WHISKY CREAM (Highwood)

BLACK VELVET TOASTED CARAMEL

CROWN ROYAL VANILLA  

 SORTILEGE MAPLE CREAM

SORTILEGE PRESTIGE 

RICH AND RARE PEACH  

 ENSIGN RED PEACH

J.P. WISERS OLD FASHIONED

J P WISERS VANILLA WHISKY

Bronze Medals

 SORTILEGE ORIGINAL

FORTY CREEK CREAM

FORTY CREEK SPIKE

KAVI RESERVE COFFEE BLENDED CANADIAN WHISK

J.P. WISERS APPLE WHISKY

J P WISERS MANHATTAN

ENSIGN RED SALTED CARAMEL

ENSIGN RED APPLE

 RICH AND RARE CARAMEL 

RICH AND RARE APPLE 

CROWN ROYAL REGAL APPLE