Shelter Point Blacktail Rye
January 13, 2025
Shelter Point Distillery, renowned for its exceptional single malts, steps into new territory with Blacktail Rye—a masterful blend of rye and malted barley grains. This unique combination brings together the spicy, robust character of rye with the smooth, biscuity sweetness of malted barley, creating a whisky that’s complex yet approachable.
Review: Flavor Camp
Photo: Reece Sims
Flavor Camps
Overall Rating
Total Score: 33.5/50
Aroma: 6/9
Taste: 6/9
Finish: 3/5
Distinctiveness: 4/5
Overall Drinkability/Balance: 6/9
Value for Price: 5/8
Appearance: 3.5/5
Tasting Notes
- Appearance: Brown sherry
- Aroma: Creamy red fruits (strawberry danish), ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, toasted hay, white pepper, red apples and a hint of bubblegum.
- Taste & Mouthfeel: On the palate it's almost like cinnamon toast crunch - there's an interesting interplay of vanilla, heather, and honey (from the malt), with cherry, menthol, baking spices and ginger (from the rye).
- Finish: The finish is moderate and leaves you with menthol and a slight sweetness.
- Distinctiveness: This is a unique marriage of malt and rye! Definitely a distinctive profile.
- Overall Drinkability & Balance: This is fun to sip on - with each new drink there are new flavor notes that unfold.
Product Details
- Distiller: Shelter Point Distillery
- Type: Rye Whisky (Canadian Whisky)
- Age: No Age Statement
- Still Type: Forsyth Copper Pot Stills
- Cask Type(s): Ex-Bourbon & New American Oak
- Origin: Campbell River, BC, Canada
- Composition: A mix of rye and malted barley (mash bill not disclosed)
- ABV: 46%
- # of Distillations: 2
- Price: $69.60 (2024) CAD - You can purchase direct from the distillery!
Comments / Notes:
Three things to remember about this whisky:
All Locally Sourced Ingredients: Made with BC harvest Rye & (Malted) Barley
Traditional Scotch Stills: Shelter Point crafts its whisky using traditional Forsyth copper pot stills, imported from Scotland, ensuring a rich, authentic flavour profile that pays homage to time-honoured distillation techniques.
Inspiration behind the name: A blacktail is a type of deer native to the Pacific Northwest of North America, specifically the Columbian black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus). Known for their distinctive dark tails and graceful appearance, blacktails thrive in coastal forests and are an iconic symbol of the region’s wildlife. Their name often evokes the rugged natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest, making it a fitting namesake for a whisky crafted in the heart of Vancouver Island.
- Crushable / Daily Drinker
- Cocktail Worthy
- Special Occasion Sipper Only
- Weird & Wonderful
- Skip It
Food Pairing Recommendations: Apple tart, sharp cheddar
Cocktail Recommendations: Gold Rush, Old Fashioned
