Forty Creek 2014 Evolution, 43%

A new direction for Forty Creek's 8^th annual release, which was aged 3 years, redistilled, then aged another 9 years. Quintessentially Canadian, it begins with Caramac candy bar, finishing in white pepper and bitter grapefruit pith. Not as lush as past releases, although the flavors remain a tightly woven panoply of fruit, spices, vegetal notes, and citrus zest. Gooseberries and lime on the nose become black currants on the palate as increasing hints of red wine come to dominate.