Tasting Notes: Innis & Gunn Canadian Cask
Brewery: Innis & Gunn
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
ABV: 7.1%
Version: Bottled
Source: Courtesy of Innis & Gunn
Canadian Cask is a version of Innis & Gunn's Oak Aged Ale that has been aged in Canadian whisky barrels. This new limited edition has been created for the Canadian export market to celebrate Canada Day 2009 and won't be generally available to buy in the UK.
Ageing for 71 days to 7.1% ABV makes the Canadian Cask slightly stronger than the standard Oak Aged but the extra alcohol doesn't over-power another rich blend of interesting flavours. It's a very warm, malty brew with an almond nuttiness that blends with a toffee sweetness to create a hint of marzipan. There's a faint spiciness there as well - ginger or maybe nutmeg - that adds pleasant tang to the lingering bourbon after-taste.
All in all, an even smoother, richer version of the already very tasty Oak Aged. Shame we won't be seeing all that much of it in the UK, but Canadian readers should definitely keep an eye out and think about bagging themselves a few bottles if they see it.
A big thank you to Nicky at Innis & Gunn's PR agency R&R Teamwork for sending this one along for me to sample.
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"a very warm, malty brew with an almond nuttiness that blends with a toffee sweetness to create a hint of marzipan. There's a faint spiciness there as well - ginger or maybe nutmeg - that adds pleasant tang to the lingering bourbon after-taste."
Sounds like everything I dislike in a beer.
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Fair enough. Each to their own, eh?
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Indeed. (-;
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I was in The Vineyard at the weekend and they just happened to have a few bottles of this, so of course I had to get one. The familiar oaky vanilla aroma is still there, embellished with some sweet whisky notes. It doesn't say anywhere what whisky was originally in the casks, or if the casks contained anything before the whisky. The whisky element doesn't dominate the flavour and I'm still wondering if maybe the casks originally contained sherry, as the taste reminded of me a bit of sherry-cask aged whisky.
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