Lot No. 40 Dark Oak
flavorcamp
January 15, 2026
2 min reading time
TL;DR: A twice-charred Canadian rye that delivers bold spice, roasted depth, and serious structure. Built for Old Fashioned lovers and anyone who wants their whisky unapologetically dramatic.
For the whisky drinker who wants depth, richness, and undeniable presence, Lot 40 Dark Oak doesn’t whisper. It declares. Aged twice in new charred American oak, this modern Canadian rye icon amplifies everything fans love about Lot 40’s 100% rye profile: spice, toast, and texture turned up a notch.
It’s already earned its place on the global stage, named Premium Whisky of the Year at the 2023 Canadian Whisky Awards and World’s Best Rye at the 2021 World Whiskies Awards. Dark, roasted, and confidently structured, it’s a bottle that sparks conversation as easily as it anchors a bar shelf. Savour it neat, pour it over ice, or build a serious Old Fashioned around it. Either way, it shows up bold.
Flavor Camp Taste Profile
- Overall Assessment: 80/100
- Distinctiveness: 7.5/10
- Bottle Appeal: 7.5/10
- Value for Price: 7/10
- Crushable / Daily Drinker
- Cocktail Worthy
- Special Occasion Sipper
- Weird & Wonderful
- Terroir Driven
- Skip It
Tasting Notes
- Appearance: Dark Tawny
- Aroma: Dark chocolate cake and roasted coffee beans. Slight hint of liquorice, cola spices, with a slight hint of menthol. There are also subtle floral notes.
- Palate: Burnt chocolate brownies, gingery spice, menthol, leather, cinnamon, clove, marzipan, astringent but mouth watering.
- Finish: Long, mouthwatering, pleasant, cola.
- Distinctiveness: This definitely stands out as distinctive - between the higher ABV, 100% rye mash bill and use of new American Oak (x2) this is unique and a flavor journey!
- Overall Drinkability & Balance: Very intense and rich; if you like sugarless chocolate cake or black coffee, this is the whisky for you.
Product Details
- Distiller: Hiram Walker Distillery
- Type: Canadian Whisky (Rye)
- Age: No Age Statement
- Still Type: Pot Stills
- Cask Type(s): Char Level 2 New American Oak Barrels then finished in Char Level 4 New American Oak Barrels
- Origin: Windsor, Ontario
- Composition: 100% (Unmalted) Rye
- ABV: 48.0%
- # of Distillations: 2
- Price: $55-60ish CAD
- Other Notes: 2021 World's Best Rye at the World Whisky Awards; Best New Whisky 2021 (Canadian Whisky Awards)
Comments / Conclusions:
Great for cocktailing or for drinking on its own! Check out one of our signature cocktail recipes using Lot 40 Dark Oak.
- Crushable / Daily Drinker
- Cocktail Worthy
- Special Occasion Sipper Only
- Weird & Wonderful
- Skip It
Food Pairing Recommendations: Bleu Cheese Filet Steak
Cocktail Recommendation: The Dark Room or the Dark Manhattan
