A new day for Canadian whiskyA new day for Canadian whisky

Though it quietly held the title of best-selling whisky in the United States for most of the last 150 years, Canadian whisky has, for the most part, been overshadowed by buzz about more robustly flavored spirits, such as Scotch or bourbon.

“A lot of people don’t realize that Canadian has been the top-selling whisky in the United States since 1865,” said Davin de Kergommeaux, author of “Canadian Whisky: The Portable Expert.” “It was only in 2010 that it was finally surpassed in sales by bourbon.”

But after standing in the wings for so long, Canadian whisky is beginning to step into the spotlight.

After years of making their whiskies lighter and lighter in body to the point that some critics would refer to them as flavored vodkas, distillers are putting the “whisky” back in Canadian whisky.

Long referred to in its home country as “rye whisky” or simply “rye,” most long-standing and popular Canadian whiskies actually do not boast much, if any, strong rye grain character — certainly not the spicy, full-bodied taste that is fueling the straight rye whisky renaissance in the United States. Numerous emerging brands, however, are attempting to change that course.

“[Canadian distillers] are not trying to copy Scotch or bourbon,” de Kergommeaux said. “But about 10 years after the bourbon producers, they are finally catching the wave of premiumization.”

Joseph Cassidy, whisky expert and wine and beverage manager for Toronto’s Via Allegro Ristorante, agreed with de Kergommeaux and pointed to two important trends as key.

“For one, there are a lot more companies putting 100 percent rye or a majority of rye into their new whiskies,” Cassidy said. “What this is doing is taking a product category that was very generic for a long time, with similar-tasting whiskies, and making it a lot more distinctive.”

Also effecting that change are new flavored whiskies, Cassidy said.

“A number of other new products are either spiced or maple-flavored whiskies,” he said. “I thought that they might be just a passing fad, but they really seem to be catching on. The distillers originally marketed them to women, but I see a lot of men picking them up, too.”

The more assertive and flavored spirits are both helping Canadian whisky play a part in the booming cocktail market.

“You’re going to see a lot more Canadian whisky in mixology,” Cassidy said, adding that already at Via Allegro, customers who would normally ask for a simple rye and ginger ale — the iconic Canadian whisky drink north of the border — are now interested in more involved Canadian whisky cocktails.

Asked how restaurateurs and bar managers can best address this Canadian whisky resurgence, de Kergommeaux offered the simplest of advice.

“People need to realize that they’re not tasting Scotch or bourbon, but something with its own elegance and character,” he said. “And the key to that is simply to try these new whiskies and learn how they taste.”

All of which puts the once lagging category defiantly on the comeback trail, awaiting only discovery by a new generation of drinkers.

“Every distillery in Canada but one has in the last three years come up with something new and bold,” de Kergommeaux said. “They’ve caught the wave and are putting out some really good whiskies.”