reviewing Shelter Point's French Oak Double Barreled Single Malt Whisky.
Vancouver Island is home to majestic ocean vistas, old growth forests, and the province's heritage capital. A distillery just outside Campbell River wants to add something to that list: whisky. More specifically, single malt whisky. And, judging by how we enjoyed their bottling of French Oak Barreled Single Malt whisky, we think they'll succeed.
The French Oak Single Malt is the result of 4 casks aged for over 6 years in American oak, then finished in Pinot Noir bottles, just shy under 3 months. Although this is bottled at cask strength (50% abv), to us, the alcohol brought up the notes but didn't overpower them. We found just the opposite: there was a delicate balancing act with all the scents that came to the fore.
Our pairing suggestion:
Mention the words "single malt" and scotch would reflexively pop into one's mind. However, distilleries like Shelter Point are politely, and deliciously showing that Canadian Single Malt, like their French Oak Double Barrels, deserves to be in your bar's collection.