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Whisky Review: Rare Perfection 15

We review Rare Perfection 15. It's a 15-year-old Canadian whisky made with a four grain bourbon-style mash bill that aged in a cold warehouse.

OVERALL RATING

7
$199.00
  • Charles Steele is an attorney and whiskey enthusiast with a penchant for the peculiar.
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Rare Perfection 15 (image via Charles Steele)

Tasting Notes

About:

Canadian whisky. Bottled at 119.7 proof, or 59.86 ABV. Priced at $199 for 750ml.
Appearance:
The whisky is a deep tawny color, with slow legs that cling to the glass.
Nose:
This is an inviting nose; an explosion of smells. Despite the alcohol content there is nothing astringent when smelling the glass. This nose is, however, very peculiar. We start with pear and ripe green apple before evolving into chardonnay. The sweet fruits give way to some spring flowers and dry honey. There are dark earth notes throughout — baking spice perhaps? I cannot place them exactly, only that they hang on with the other notes.
Palate:
We begin with tart espresso coffee and milk chocolate. Upon a second sip we can find notes of oatmeal cookies and overly ripe stone fruits. There is also something herbal, like black tea and currant, but it’s difficult to place. With a third sip the notes all coalesce, along with the funk of something left alone for a decade and a half. The mouthfeel is excellent, it is oily and clings to the teeth. It lingers, and lingers, and lingers. The finish is extremely smooth, with only a quick bite against the throat before settling into the stomach.
Finish:
Comments:
Wow! What a journey. Rare Perfection 15 is fun to drink. It is not for all drinkers though, and not something I would readily offer to friends or occasional whisky drinkers. This isn’t trying to gatekeep this whisky; this is just an oddball. I found myself thinking it’s worth a drink, but I would only drink one glass in a night. There is a lot happening: some of it incredible, some of it less so. Which makes for a complicated and interesting dram of whisky, if that’s your thing.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Charles Steele

Charles Steele, a Portland-based attorney, is a native of the Pacific Northwest. His legal background provides him with an analytical approach to understanding whiskey and other aged spirits. Primarily a legal writer, freelancing for The Whiskey Wash offers Charles a unique opportunity to showcase his versatility as a writer. Although his preference lies with whiskey and whiskey-based cocktails, he has a profound appreciation for all unique and unconventional liquors, from Malört to Ojen - if it's peculiar, he's intrigued.

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