Up to this point, I hadn’t had the pleasure of tasting and reviewing a Canadian whisky that I really enjoyed. Unfortunately, Crown Royal has never been a palate pleaser for me, and of the countless whiskies I’ve tasted, so few have come from Canada it’s almost questionable. No shade to Canada, because I’ve no doubt the country has many fantastic options, what with the expanse of unique terrain that would certainly affect the terroir of any small batch and craft whisky. When I sat down and cracked open this bottle of BEARFACE Wilderness Series Matsutake 01, I couldn’t help but picture the Canadian wilderness and the Bear Country the distillery sits on the edge of, fantasizing about sipping the very whiskey in my hand beside a warm fire on a snowy evening and wanted more, more, more.

As an Oregonian, I understand the importance and beauty of the great outdoors, including crystal clear waters of icy rivers and climatized aging and finishing conditions. The folks at BEARFACE Canadian Whisky practice Elemental Aging, their own unique process of repurposing shipping containers to mature their hand-selected oak casks and exposing them to the elements of the Canadian wilderness. The Matsutake 01 Release is the first in the Wilderness Series and is a limited-edition release Elementally Aged in a trio of French Oak, Sherry Pipers, and Casked Matsutake.

For those who don’t know, the Matsutake is a rare mushroom that grows only once a year in the Canadian wilderness, so is completely unique to the region, offering a special aspect to this BEARFACE expression that is cask-infused with foraged Matsutake mushrooms that really stands out when tasting, adding a kind of earthiness that reminds me of wet dirt and moss, in all the best, rustic ways.

In the press release preceding this sample, Master Blender Andrés Faustinelli states, “With each new limited release, we strive to shatter category norms and challenge traditions. I know BEARFACE Matsutake 01 does just that. As seen with the latest spirits trends – umami flavors are in. The Matsutake mushroom grows once a year in the Canadian wilderness making it highly covetable and rare and brings a sophistication to this bottle unlike any other whisky.”

The whisky comes in at 42.5% ABV and is sold at an SRP of $44.99 on the BEARFACE Whisky website. Follow @BEARFACEwhisky on the socials to watch their exciting growth and upcoming releases!

Aesthetic:

The whisky is tangerine orange in color with medium body.

Nose:

Essence of pine and orange blossom waft from the glass, subtlety in favor of power, with wafer and citrus notes and a fatty, floral element that promises a happy palate.

Palate:

Soft honey sweet, the whisky is buttery and offers a flavor that resembles mead (a honey liquor). Mid-palate I find elements of vanilla bean and waffles, along with cooked fruit. The finish is soft and long.

Rating: 🥃 🥃 🥃 🥃/5

**This whiskey was provided as a review sample by those who created and released it. My reviews are my own, and I tell it how I taste it.**