Hello all. Today, Talking Bourbon is tasting an odd one, Ensign Red Fine Canadian Whisky. And yes, that is how they spell whiskey, something to do with the English royalty; it didn’t interest us enough to dig deeper. We say odd because this is a hard one to track down info on. It says on the bottle that it is made in Canada but doesn’t say the company. The bottle also states that it is “crafted by one of the most lauded master blenders in North America” but doesn’t say who it is. It says on the bottle that it is bottled in Kentucky by K. D. Distilling Co. But there is almost no info about them on the web, strange. Adding to all this is the fact that it is only available at very few places, with Total Wine being the main retailer.
At first glance, Ensign Red looks like a Crown Royal rip-off. It has a coat-of-arms-like symbol that evokes royalty. It says it is expertly blended, while Crown says it is a deluxe blend. Both say fine Canadian Whisky, and of course, both are made in Canada. The only thing missing is the nice bag that Crown comes in.
Ensign Red is 80 proof, like Crown, sells for around $20, might be hard to find depending on where you live and comes in a plain-looking corked bottle. And that is about all we know. It states that it is slow aged but does not say for how long and there is no mash bill info.
While we think the name Ensign Red reflects the English Navy, what if it really references the old Star Trek series where the ensign who beamed down wearing red, was always killed. If that is true, should we kill the bottle? We don’t want any bad karma. So, as you can see from the pic above, we didn’t take any chances.
NOSE
Frank: A muted fruit and vanilla with some oak and rye. Ice killed the nose for me.
Matt: Light traditional aromas with rye up front over everything else. Also pick up some oak, vanilla, brown sugar, and some green apple. Ice added fruit and changed the oak to a wet wood type smell.
Todd: Besides rye, really no other strong scents. A little wood, malt, and sweetness with a bit of apple. Ice brought more sweetness.
TASTE
Frank: Sweet and smooth with oak and rye upfront. Also get some sweetness and a fruit that falls between a white grape and a green apple. Ice smooths it out even more.
Matt: Still get the oak, rye, and vanilla but my green apple turned into an orange liquor. Some maple syrup makes an appearance as well. Ice brought out all the sweet flavors especially vanilla.
Todd: Not overly complex with smooth tastes of rye, corn, and vanilla. Has an overall sweetness to it as well. Ice didn’t change it much for other than making it even smoother.
FINISH
Frank: Medium with a hint of leather.
Matt: Short to medium with more sweetness and a bit of spice.
Todd: Medium with an earthiness and more vanilla.
OVERALL
Frank: A decent, sweet, and smooth drink, worth the money.
Matt: A refreshing whiskey that I prefer neat. Good for the price.
Todd: Definitely worth $20.
Nose 3 out of 5
Taste 6.5 out of 10
Finish 2.5 out of 5
Total score 11.75 out of 20 barrels.
This is a typical Canadian whisky, very smooth without a lot of depth. Again, think Crown. But unless it is just really bad, it is hard to go wrong with a whiskey that sells for $20 or less. Would we break this out for an old friend stopping by? Of course not, but it makes a decent Old Fashion, won’t break the bank, and can be a good intro to your friends who are just now getting into brown liquor.
Our recommendation, if you can find Ensign Red at the above price, we suggest buying a bottle. Granted you might have to go to a Total wine to get it, so hopefully there is one close to you. As to whether you need to kill the bottle once it is opened, better to be safe than sorry.