Canadian Club & Black Velvet Tasting Class BYOB (#362)

Canadian Club and Black Velvet are the second and third Largest Lines of Canadian Whisky in the world.

Canadian Club is the second oldest Canadian Whisky that is still being produced today dating back to 1858 when Hiram Walker erected his distillery in Walkersville, Ontario as close to the finest grain as possible. Prior to the turn of the century this whisky could be found in Eastern and Central Canada but in the U. S. it was scarce and could only be found in the finest "Clubs." After a short time it began to be called "Club Whisky." When this club whisky became so popular and even hurt the sales of Bourbon in the U. S., the federal government stepped in a required that the country of origin be stated clearly on the label, hence the name Canadian Club.

In 1920 Prohibition was passed in the U. S. and Canadian Club moved its operations to Windsor, Ontario (where it sits today) right across the river from Detroit. Prohibition made celebrities out of smugglers like Al Capone and made Canadian Club the number one whisky and spirit in the United States. Canadian Club has received "Royal Warrants" from six British Monarchs including Queen Elizabeth II due to its high quality. Canadian Club has now been purchased by Beam Suntory brands.

Black Velvet Whisky is a Canadian Whisky brand owned by Heaven Hill, out of Bardstown, Kentucky. It produced in the Black Velvet Distillery in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. It has a smooth taste and is known for its black labeling.

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