Canadian whisky, including sourced Canadian whisky, has been remarkably consistent for a very long time. Sadly, over here in the UK, it isn’t something we get a lot of, certainly not the weirder and more experimental releases.
So, today I am looking at some of the best-rated, and some of my favorite, Canadian whiskies from the IWSC 2026, in the hopes that it will give you something new to explore. This list includes brands you’ll definitely know, but hopefully a few that have flown under the radar as well.
Alberta Distillers Rare Batch 21 Year Old #2 Canadian Blended Whisky, 50%, £80/$105 – Spirits Gold 2025 – 95 Points
Older Canadian whiskies are becoming more and more common. I remember when Canadian Club 40 Year Old launched, and that seems like such a long time ago now.
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READ THE STORYThis second release of the Alberta 21 Year Old Rare Batch has been matured in ex-Canadian whisky casks, ex-bourbon casks, and new American white oak casks. As a result, we have a whisky with some delicate spiciness despite its age and triple-oak maturation, alongside sweet molasses, vanilla custard, and peppercorn notes.
This is something I wouldn’t leave sitting around for too long.
WhistlePig Estate Oak 15 Year Old Rye, 46%, £245/$320 – Spirits Gold 2026 – 95 Points
Originally launched in 2016, this WhistlePig release aims to hit the triple-terroir crown, with the ultimate goal of having all of its grain, water, and oak sourced from the farm itself.
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Matured in new American oak before being transferred into toasted Vermont estate oak for a short finishing period, it gives this rather old rye some delicious notes of caramel and mint. The finish is all about burnt orange and rich Old Fashioned cocktail notes.
It’s a great showcase of what good-quality rye can deliver when it’s in the right hands.
Black Velvet Toasted Caramel Flavored Whisky, 35%, £30/$30 – Spirits Gold 2026 – 95 Points
This is the first time I’ve ever included a flavored whisky in one of these top-whisky lists. We normally reserve those for separate rankings. Watch this space for that!
This sounds like something designed to bring more people into the whisky world through the sweet allure of toasted caramel. It’s incredibly dessert-driven, with a thick texture, and works well sipped neat or over ice.
It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, or glass of whisky, but it serves a purpose and clearly scored very highly with the IWSC judges.
WhistlePig Small Batch 10 Year Old Rye, 50%, £80 – Spirits Silver 2026 – 93 Points
The modern classic! WhistlePig earned much of its reputation through this bottle, and I have to say that if I had to pick one bottle from its entire lineup to drink, it would probably be this one.
The nose is full of fresh mint, toffee, and sweet caramel. It doesn’t drink like a classic rye, instead taking a sweeter approach. Bottled at 50% ABV, it also has the strength to showcase more than some of those traditional, and occasionally two-dimensional, rye flavors.
You can see why it has reached the heights it has.
Black Fox Farm Triticosecale Single Grain, 48.2%, £85/$100 – Spirits Silver 2026 – 92 Points
Named after the Latin names for the grains used in the whisky, Triticum for wheat and Secale cereale for rye, this is matured in new American oak casks and bottled at a rather handsome 48.2% ABV.
This style of Canadian whisky was quite new to me, but it’s something that has gone down really well with both me and my friends. There’s a rather unique hit of cake frosting and maple. It’s rich but has an almost earthy quality to it, followed by sweet orange, peach, and some pleasant coffee notes.
A really welcome addition from the folks at Black Fox.
WhistlePig PiggyBack 6 Year Old 100% Rye, 48.4%, £45/$60 – Spirits Silver 2026 – 91 Points
Another big hitter from the folks at WhistlePig, and the last one on the list, we promise.
This is another 100% rye whisky, albeit at a younger age than we’re used to seeing from WhistlePig. Created by the legendary late Dave Pickerell, this is a rye designed to be enjoyed neat but is also exactly the kind of bottle you want when it comes to cocktail making.
It’s full of chocolate, cinnamon, ripe fruit, and honeyed grain, all finishing with some lovely butter toffee notes.
Cirka Distilleries Burgundy Lion 8 Year Old Cask Strength, 60.4%, £75/$100 – Spirits Silver – 91 Points
A single malt whisky distilled in Quebec, Burgundy Lion uses a surprisingly broad selection of different malts. The recipe is made up of five different types of malt, including locally produced Quebec floor-malted barley, alongside malt from England’s oldest malt house.
Matured solely in new American oak and bottled at cask strength, this is one of the most interesting and outwardly bold styles of Canadian whisky you can get your hands on.
Canadian Whisky Goes Far Beyond The Familiar Names
Canadian whisky is so much more than Canadian Club and Crown Royal, although I do have a soft spot for both, especially Canadian Club.
Across this massive country are some genuinely interesting, experimental, and outside-the-box distilleries. Some are deliberately creating whiskies around very different flavor profiles, while others are trying to draw more people toward the smaller, more independent side of the whisky world.
Either way, there’s far more happening in Canadian whisky than the biggest names alone would suggest.
