Grand Grizzly

Grand Grizzly, NAS, 40 %

The Grand Grizzly is a rye whisky made at an undisclosed Canadian distillery. It is produced for the Mexican market, and it is dead cheap. Apparently this is a product meant to compete with tequilas. The character the producer is aiming for is spicy, earthy and not too sweet. In other words the whiskey version of a tequila, I guess.

I just had to buy this whiskey when I saw it in Poland (of all places) a few weeks back. It just made me very curious. I paid about PLN 80 for a full bottle.

Nose: Fresh and green, with full spiciness. A lot of pepper here. There are less pleasant notes in the mix as well; acetone and paint are the dominant ones. The unwanted notes do seem to diminish over time. I also found eucalyptus, honey, juniper, strawberries and oak.

Taste: Surprisingly full and honey-like mouthfeel. Spicy, with pepper again being the stand-out. Oaky, earthy and with lots of herbs.

Finish: Relatively short, and definitely dry. A bit thinner, milder and sweeter than upfront.

Comments: An odd one, for sure. I would certainly prefer this over most cheap tequilas, but it did not really remind me of a whisky (or a rye whiskey).

Score (81/100)

Sláinte! - Thomas