Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye

Best of 2021... 100% rye but worth all the hype?

By Not Masters of Malt

February 1^st, 2021

BEHIND THE BOTTLE:

What is life without a little controversy? Jim Murray and his persona certainly embrace this idea, so when he named this the top overall whisky for 2021 it turned heads and raised eyebrows. How could a distiller probably best known for sourcing its own product to distilleries like WhistlePig and only recently available outside of Canada live up to that hype? While this is the second limited release of the limited edition cask strength rye bottled at 66% ABV and not the 65.1% that Murray reviewed, we figured we would give it a shot.

FROM THE DISTILLER...

Alberta Distillers Limited:

Alberta Premium decided to release a Cask Strength in an effort to innovate within the Canadian Whisky category. With a deep history rooted in heritage and quality, Alberta Premium is proud to be a major player in the resurgence of Canadian Whiskies and Alberta Premium Cask Strength is the award winning result. It is a true reflection of what a distillery can be-we laid our cards on the table and delivered a world-class product.

REVIEW:

Price (9/10):

$69.00 from the allocated shelf at our local Kroger. A hint to the rest of the review below, but I think this stands up to some of the better "special" rye whisky's on the market which routinely fetch $150.00 and up at retail. It's clear that you are paying for what is inside the bottle and nothing else, but I would not hesitate to pick another one up at this price.

Nose (7/10):

After resting for 10 minutes you get a large amount rye spice, cinnamon, and pepper right up front. This is followed shortly after by hints of dark chocolate and stone fruit. The proof is there throughout but not overpowering and is more complex and sweet than expected.

Palate (8/10):

Nice and oily. It coats the palate really well with all of the spice and pepper from the nose. I also get a hit of dark chocolate on the back of the palate and chewing brings out some of the vanilla notes as well. Extremely enjoyable and drinks nowhere near the proof. I'm not sure that I could pick this out blind as a 100% rye whisky and there are some elements and complexity that almost reminds me of a good scotch.

Finish (7/10):

The finish is strong and up front carrying the pepper and rye from the palate. What lingers is not the spice as expected but rather the sweetness and notes of oak. Again, much more restrained than what I was expecting coming from a whisky over 130 proof.

Aesthetics (2/5):

I hate to say it, but outside of the actual box, everything else about the presentation feels "cheap". The label is as stock as a medicine bottle, the glass feels closer to plastic, and a SCREW CAP? I feel like little consideration was paid to this area which is disappointing and while not detracting from everything else this has going for it, you want to see a more rounded out product.

Availability (3/5):

Technically an allocated product in our local market, it doesn't fly off of the shelves and there are several to be found on the secondary market for a range of different prices. For the amount of hype this bottle receives I think it is still a bit undervalued by those chasing specific labels.

Overall (36/50): Top Shelf

Final Verdict:

This is an excellent experience from start to finish. The packaging is no nonsense and straightforward probably in part because the whisky in the bottle speaks for itself. It's like Alberta Premium knew that they wouldn't have to sell it once people started getting it in their hands. Other reviews set the bar really high, but it drinks differently than almost any other rye I've had the pleasure of trying. If you are on the fence, I recommend finding one now as I expect this will get more and more popular if they keep delivering like this.