Colour: Amber.
Nose: Spicy start on the nose with rye, anise and cloves, accompanied by sweet caramel notes and distinct vanilla. Behind dried fruit and apricot with a hint of cinnamon.
Palate: Bold and spicy on the palate with rye and dark caramel. Heavily warming with cloves and aniseed, oily and creamy. As soon as the warmth is gone, fruit aromas of apricot and plum appear, accompanied by sweet vanilla and toffee.
Finish: The finish is medium long, spicy and wonderfully warming with plenty of toffee, a touch of burnt sugar and hazelnut.
With water: By adding some water, the whisky becomes more intense and spicy on the nose with rye, oak and notes of fir needles. Also spicier on the palate with more rye, cloves and aniseed. Less warming, but significantly more pepper. Then sweetness with vanilla, apricot, plum and caramel. The finish still shows a medium length with clearly dry spice, caramel and some fir needles.
Comments: A strong, rich and multi-layered rye whisky in cask strength, whose warming spices harmonise very well with the sweet caramel notes and discreet fruit aromas. A true winter warmer that can also tolerate a dash of water.

I thank BORCO-MARKEN-IMPORT for the complimentary sample and the photograph!

Colour: Amber.
Nose: On the nose sweet notes of vanilla with toffee, followed by spicy rye, roasted bread and orange peel. Then light sherry aromas and dried fruits in harmony with spicy oak, aniseed and fine tobacco notes.
Palate: Sweet with a wave of caramel and vanilla, accompanied by spicy aromas of pepper, oak and nutmeg. A nice balance of sherry and dried fruit aromas, with a slightly bitter orange peel and spicy rye towards the finish.
Finish: A medium long finish with creamy toffee, warm peppery spices and dark chocolate. Very nice.
With water: By adding a few drops of water, buttery aromas come to the fore, accompanied by creamy toffee and butterscotch, with tamed notes of spicy rye. On the palate more sherry notes arrive but less sweetness, followed by spicy notes of oak and rye. The finish is medium long, chocolaty and dry with peppery oak.
Comments: I enjoyed the melange of the spicy sweet Canadian character with the aromas of the Oloroso sherry cask very much. This gives the Pike Creek even more depth and richness. The result is wonderfully sweet with creamy toffee, caramel and vanilla, beautifully balanced with dried fruit aromas and spicy rye notes. A delicate dram to sip and relax.

I thank BORCO-MARKEN-IMPORT for the complimentary sample and the photograph!