Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye is the bottle that made the whisky world suddenly pay attention to Calgary. This Alberta Premium Cask Strength review is about a 100% rye whisky bottled at around 65%, which won a famous World Whisky of the Year title in 2020 and which is among the best value cask-strength ryes on the market. The Caskable score is 69 out of 100, and I am going to have to defend that.
It is a stunning bit of whisky for the price in North America. In the UK, the price is a different story, and the score reflects that.
Alberta Premium is made by Alberta Distillers in Calgary, owned by Beam Suntory. The Cask Strength is a limited release of the distillery’s 100% rye whisky, aged for at least five years and bottled without dilution. My cask strength explained guide covers why some whiskies are bottled this high.
The strength varies by batch, from about 63% to 66%. This site does not list a fixed strength, because the number depends on the batch. The whisky is a blend of pot-still and column-still rye. My rye whiskey guide sets out the style.
The World Whisky of the Year award in 2020 drew a lot of attention. Whatever you think of such awards, the publicity helped cement the whisky’s reputation and made it hard to find at the original price.
The nose is dark cherry, a little grape and warm rye spice, closer to the lower-proof Alberta releases than you might expect, with a traditional Alberta style of tropical fruit and clean rye character. There is caramel on the finish. It is a cask strength “bruiser”.
There is classic rye spice and vanilla, a deep flavour and a long finish. At this strength the whisky is hot, powerful and intense, with a sweetness that tames the heat. A few drops of water bring out the cherry and the tropical fruit.
In the US and Canada, the whisky has been available for a modest cost, but prices vary widely, from bargain Canadian prices to far more abroad. Here, the site price of £60 is much less of a bargain. That is why I score it lower than the whisky deserves: the whisky is superb, and the price is not.
Neat, with water added slowly. At 63% or more, you will want to dilute it. Start with a teaspoon and taste, then add more. The cherry and rye spice bloom with water. Do not add ice, which dulls the flavour.
It is too strong and too good for most cocktails, but a small measure in an Old Fashioned gives a powerful drink. A Manhattan made with it is dark, rich and not for the faint-hearted. Use half the usual amount.
Batch variation is real. The strength, the age and the flavour change between releases, so a review of one batch may not describe another. The label shows the batch strength, and I would check it before you buy.
It pairs well with dark chocolate, aged cheese, smoked meats and spicy food. Because of the heat, it is best with rich dishes. It also keeps well, since the high strength protects it from oxidation.
There is something enjoyable about the underdog nature of this whisky. Alberta is not a place most people associate with great rye, the distillery is an industrial site on the edge of a prairie city, and the brand sat unnoticed on Canadian shelves for decades. Then a handful of bartenders and enthusiasts discovered that the cask-strength version was a bruiser with real depth, and the secret got out.
That is a nice story, and it is also true that the whisky is very good. It is hot, cherry-rich and gloriously spicy, and it makes the rest of the Canadian category look a bit timid. The only quibble is price. At the sort of money it costs in Canada, it is one of the best whisky bargains anywhere. At UK prices, it is a good whisky at a fair-to-high price, and the score reflects that gap.
At about £60 for 70 cl it is expensive for a five-year-old rye. Wild Turkey Rare Breed sits at about £55 with a score of 74. Four Roses Small Batch Select is about £55 and scores 80. Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel Rye costs about £45 and scores 71.
It costs more than all three and scores lower than two. In Canada, it is a bargain. In the UK, at this price, it is a luxury rye. Check the retailer link before buying.
Think of these as the neighbours of Alberta Premium Cask Strength on the shelf: similar money or similar style, and each with something the others lack.
It is the standard bottle, at half the strength and half the price.
It is the cask-strength bourbon option.
It is the American single-barrel rye.
For a high-proof rye, it is the rare alternative.
It is the affordable one.
Rye fans who love cask strength, collectors of award winners, and drinkers who want a bold, cherry-and-spice whisky. If you are watching your budget, look at the cheaper American ryes.
A powerful, cherry-and-rye-spice cask-strength Canadian rye that is superb whisky and a poor value at UK prices. Caskable score: 69 out of 100.
Dark cherry, a little grape, warm rye spice and caramel, with tropical fruit and clean rye character.
Hot, powerful and intense, with a sweetness that tames the heat. Water brings out cherry and tropical fruit.
Long, with rye spice and vanilla.
Powerful cherry-and-rye Canadian cask-strength whisky. Superb whisky, a poor value at the UK price.
Thomas Grønvold is the founder of Caskable and a whisky enthusiast who believes the best way to learn about whisky is simply to drink it, compare it, and stay curious. From supermarket favourites to bottles from distilleries around the world, he writes about what he actually tastes and experiences, without pretending you need to be an expert to enjoy a good dram.
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