Black Velvet Canadian Whiskey (175cl, 40%)

Black Velvet is a blended Canadian whisky bottled at 40% in a 1.75 litre handle bottle. It is made at the Black Velvet Distillery in Lethbridge, Alberta, from rye, barley and corn. The brand is known for "blending at birth", a method introduced by master blender Jack Napier in 1951, in which the grain spirits are blended at the distillation stage rather than after separate maturation. The nose is gently sweet, with vanilla, butterscotch and light caramel, then a little rye and toasted bread. The palate is soft, with butterscotch, creamy vanilla, coconut and caramel, and rye spice building towards the back. The finish is spicy and rye-led with burnt toast, ending clean and lightly sweet.