Anyone who has enjoyed a big meal in an Italian restaurant will be familiar with the idea of an apéritif, that small glass of booze taken before the meal to stimulate the appetite.
An apéritif is more commonly dry than sweet, while the post-meal digestif is usually a sweet liqueur or brandy.
A very popular apéritif is Campari Bitter, invented by Gaspare Campari in 1860 in the Italian city of Novara.
A ruby-red liqueur, Campari Bitter is made by infusing a secret blend of herbs, flowers, and fruits in an alcohol solution. In some ways, this is similar to the way gin is produced, by starting with a base spirit and then adding herbs and flowers.
As for the taste, well, you probably noticed that it has the word Bitter right in the name, so that’s a clue. Lots of herbal and floral overtones, with a distinctive bitterness on the palate can make this an acquired taste when consumed straight, which is why many prefer their Campari Bitter as a mixer in a cocktail.
In recently announced news, the Gruppo Campari drinks conglomerate has just acquired Ontario-based Forty Creek Whisky for $185 million, in a bid to expand their international presence, and ride the surging waves of whisky sales in global markets.
Lest you think that this is something out of the ordinary, Campari already owns the Skyy vodka brand, Appleton Jamaican Rum, as well as the famous Wild Turkey bourbon.
Your humble narrator has visited Forty Creek Whisky twice in recent years, with it being conveniently located in the heart of Ontario wine country, right on the main highway between Toronto and Niagara Falls.
Beginning life as the Kittling Ridge winery and distillery back in 1992, the winery side of the business was sold off last year to concentrate on the fine whisky and other spirits coming out of the distillery.
There are no post-acquisition changes planned to the Forty Creek distillery in Ontario, and the original founder has been told to keep on doing what he has always done, which is produce a premium Canadian whisky that continuously wins awards.
Forty Creek was the largest independent distiller in Canada, so it is no surprise that they were snatched up by a multinational conglomerate, as is the norm in the drinks industry.
Luckily, this will give Forty Creek access to a global distribution channel. Until now, Forty Creek products were only available in select markets in Canada and the USA, but this will open up the lucrative European and Asian markets, letting the world enjoy our premium Canadian whiskies.
Your humble narrator’s favourite tipple from Forty Creek is the Copper Pot Reserve Whisky. Made with separately distilled portions of rye, corn, and barley, each of which are then aged in different white oak barrels for 6-10 years. After the different single malts have been aged, The eponymous Copper Pot Whisky is then blended and bottled for you and I, the noble consumer to enjoy.
In effect, the master distiller is creating three unique single malt whiskies, one each of barley, rye, and corn, and then blending all three together to create the Copper Pot Reserve, and letting the blend age in oak for a little while longer to allow the tastes to fully marry in the barrel.
At 43% ABV, Copper Pot is a little more bold than the other whiskies in the portfolio, but well worth the extra few dollars.
The aromas coming off my Glencairn whisky glass are of spicy marmalade and tobacco, with a few hints of toasty grains.
After the first sip, there are rich flavours of cloves, cinnamon, and caramel, all imparted from the extended aging in oak barrels.
With nary a hint of the diesel aftertaste so common with peated whiskies, the Forty Creek Copper Pot is beloved by whisky novices and experienced drinkers alike.
This is likely the reason that the Copper Pot has been on the market for less than a year, but is quickly displacing the flagship Barrel Select that had been the best-seller for years.
At only $33 at my local booze merchant, this is a premium whisky at a bargain price. In addition to picking up a full-size bottle for myself, I also brought home a half-dozen of those little airplane-sized mini bottles to spread the world among my drinking buddies!
