Forty Creek, the Canadian Whisky Distillery based in Grimbsy, Ontario, today announces the launch of Master’s Cut, the debut cask strength whisky from Master Blender Bill Ashburn. As a cask strength whisky, Master’s Cut is bottled at the same strength as it comes out of the barrel, offering a liquid that’s still recognizable as Forty Creek with an added flair.
Master Blender Bill Ashburn is known for disrupting the industry with his innovative expressions, and the launch of Master’s Cut is no exception. This time, applying a single pass, 100 per cent pot distillation process that’s aged in a mixture of once used bourbon barrels and experienced Canadian whisky barrels, resulted in a masterful liquid that delivers notes of vanilla and wood, an aroma of candied fruit and florals, and a lingering spicy finish.
With Master’s Cut, Master Blender Bill Ashburn stays true to the Forty Creek house style of balance and elegance by launching a cask strength whisky that creates synergy between strength and intensity of flavour.
“Our loyal followers have been asking for a cask strength whisky for quite some time,” says Bill Ashburn, Forty Creek Master Blender, and 2020 Canada Master Whiskey Blender of the Year. “I have been working on producing a cask strength whisky for a number of years to get the right profile to remain true to the Forty Creek Style. Master’s Cut is cask strength whisky done our way.”
“Innovation is in our DNA,” says David Allard, VP of Marketing, Campari Canada. “We’re consistently producing whisky expressions that buck traditional whisky norms and our Master Blender Bill Ashburn is at the heart of that.”
Master’s Cut retails for $79.95 and is currently available for sale in Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and PEI.
Forty Creek Continues to Challenge the Status Quo with Ontario Limited Release, Taproom
Forty Creek’s recent Taproom collaboration with Niagara’s premiere craft brewery, Bench Brewing reinforces the distillery’s relentless commitment to innovate whisky products that Canadians love.
Through Taproom, excellence in craft beer and mastery of craft whisky come together in search of the equilibrium between liquid and oak barrels and beer and whisky.
The unique collaborative aging process involved Bench Brewing aging beer in Canadian Oak barrels that previously housed Forty Creek Confederation Oak Whisky, then returned to the Distillery to be used in a secondary aging of the whisky blend. The result: a whisky that delivers an outstanding flavour profile with spice, hops and an appealing bitterness paired with a citrus and mint aroma.
“This was a very special project for us,” says Sarah Casorso, Master Brewer, Bench Brewing. “We have an extensive barrel aging program at Bench, but they are filled almost exclusively with local wine barrels. So, when we started talking to Bill and the team at Forty Creek about a ‘shared barrel’ collaboration, we jumped at it. It was a great opportunity to take some of their amazing Canadian white oak whisky barrels and share creative thinking from the craft beer and spirits worlds. Bench and Forty Creek are only about 15 kilometers apart, so it was a lot of fun and something that is innovative and uniquely local to Niagara.”
Without using the 9.09% rule to add beer to the whisky, the beer notes come purely from the aging process and transfer through the oak barrels. Each whisky is packaged in a growler as a nod to the partnership.
“We released our first Fortified series of beers from these barrels last fall and they were a huge hit. We’re really excited for both whisky and beer lovers to try Taproom,” adds Casorso.
Taproom retails for $39.95 and is available for a limited time at the LCBO and FortyCreekWhisky.com as of September 23rd, 2021.
As Forty Creek continues to elevate the standard of Canadian whiskies and create new expressions with both national and global appeal, the list of accolades continues to grow, encompassing Canada Whiskey Distillery of the Year and Canada Master Whiskey Blender of the Year as awarded at the 2020 New York International Spirits Competition, and an additional 3 awards at the esteemed, world-class 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
To learn more about Forty Creek, its award-winning liquids, or to purchase Master’s Cut or Taproom, visit fortycreekwhisky.com.
About Forty Creek Whisky
Named after the river running through the center of Grimsby, Ontario, exactly 40 miles from Niagara Falls, Forty Creek Whisky was founded in 1992, in a region renowned for its unique geography and climate.
Forty Creek boasts a range of premium Canadian Whiskies suited for every occasion. These exceptional liquids span from fine sipping whiskies to delicious cocktail varieties, and unique amongst Canadian whiskies for their remarkably smooth taste and approachability.
Produced in Grimsby, Ontario, Forty Creek employs both column and pot-distilled methods, aged in a variety of barrels and blended to perfection. Forty Creek prides itself on whiskies that are smooth, achieved through the art of blending different whiskies made from different grains. This produces a complex variant with a well-rounded taste experience – an exceptional quality whisky that no other Canadian whisky can offer. Subtle and intricate nuances are prized over brash flavor, resulting in spectacular whiskies crafted from the same base grains as whiskies from other regions.
Forty Creek became part of the Gruppo Campari portfolio in 2014.
For more information: www.fortycreekwhisky.com.
Please enjoy responsibly.
About Campari Group Canada
Campari Group Canada serves as the nationally-focused extension of global beverage leader Campari Group. Designed to fortify the Campari Group legacy across the national landscape, Campari Group Canada serves as owner, importer and marketer of a diverse portfolio of over 30 internationally-recognized brands spanning across all fine spirits categories. Among them is Canadian spirits company, Forty Creek Distillery Ltd., known for its award-winning range of complex, yet approachable whiskies. With the Grimsby, Ontario-based Forty Creek location serving as the company’s bottling plant and warehouse, and corporate office headquartered in Toronto’s bourgeoning Liberty Village, Campari Group Canada’s portfolio of internationally-renowned brands includes Aperol, Appleton Estate, Bulldog Gin, Campari, Cinzano, Forty Creek, Grand Marnier, Glen Grant, SKYY Vodka, Espolòn Tequila and Wild Turkey.
For more information: www.camparigroup.com/en.
Please enjoy our brands responsibly.
About the Campari Group
Campari Group is a major player in the global spirits industry, with a portfolio of over 50 premium and super premium brands, spreading across Global, Regional and Local priorities. Global Priorities, the Group’s key focus, include Aperol, Appleton Estate, Campari, SKYY, Wild Turkey and Grand Marnier. The Group was founded in 1860 and today is the sixth-largest player worldwide in the premium spirits industry. It has a global distribution reach, trading in over 190 nations around the world with leading positions in Europe and the Americas. The Group’s growth strategy aims to combine organic growth through strong brand-building and external growth via selective acquisitions of brands and businesses.
Headquartered in Milan, Italy, Campari Group owns 22 plants worldwide and has its own distribution network in 22 countries. The Group employs approximately 4,000 people. The shares of the parent company Davide Campari-Milano N.V. (Reuters CPRI.MI – Bloomberg CPR IM) have been listed on the Italian Stock Exchange since 2001.
For more information: www.camparigroup.com/en.
Please enjoy our brands responsibly.
About Bench Brewing
THE BEER FROM WINE COUNTRY
Bench Brewing Company crafts premium quality, award winning IPAs, ales, lagers, and barrel-aged sours.
Bench is located on 8-acres of farmland in Ontario’s beautiful Niagara Region. With 3-acres of hops grown on-site, and surrounded by some of Canada’s finest agricultural land, the neighbouring orchards, vineyards, and tender fruit farms provide direct access to ingredients resulting in beers that reflect their local terroir.
Bench honours the rich history of their home in the Town of Lincoln, with their taproom located in the fully restored Maple Grove School that was built in 1944. Guests can enjoy gorgeous views from their outdoor beer garden while exploring the delightful seasonal menus from the Kitchen at Bench – their full-service restaurant that also draws on the abundance of locally produced ingredients.
Bench strives to be a responsible member of its rural community with a focus on sustainability and the environment. As a Certified B Corporation and Certified Carbon Neutral business, Bench is a conscientious steward of the land and their water resources, committed to being a zero wastewater footprint facility.
Embracing the local surroundings of Niagara’s wine country, Bench celebrates community, innovation, and environmentalism as they endeavour to bring the best of Niagara to beer lovers across Ontario, Canada and beyond.
Learn more about Bench Brewing at www.benchbrewing.com
