John Sleeman & Sons (Spring Mill Distillery) Sherry Finished Single Malt (45.5%)

Just before Christine Sismondo and I submitted the final copy for our definitive Canadian distilleries guide, Canadian Spirits, I heard tell of the opening of a new distillery by a gentleman with whom I was already quite familiar, John Sleeman. He is, of course, the founder and figurehead of the Sleeman Brewing & Malting Company in Guelph, Ontario, which he sold to Japan's Sapporo Breweries in 2006.

Although Sleeman remained under contract with Sapporo at the time, he was also nursing an itch to start a new business, which he did with his sons Quinn and Cooper, and ex-Sleeman Breweries head brewer turned Heriot-Watt-educated distiller, Doan Bellman. As when he opened his eponymous brewery, Sleeman skimped not a bit in purchasing equipment for his newly minted Spring Mill Distillery, buying the kit from Scottish still-maker, Forsyths Ltd.

(Between then and now, Sleeman evidently decided that his name might sell better than the Spring Mill one, so bottles are now labelled with John Sleeman & Sons in significantly larger font than Spring Mill Distillery.)

At the time, Sleeman and Bellman had a vodka and a gin primed for the market, both of which Christine and I rated favourably in Canadian Spirits. But the pair were also busy barrelling whiskies, which given the pedigree and quality of the equipment being employed, boded well for the future.

First out were a Traditional Straight Whisky, their take on a bourbon-style spirit, and a Rye Whisky, crafted from 75% corn and 25% rye. Of greatest interest to me, however, is the distillery’s first single malt release.

This is a four and a half year old single malt that was finished in Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks, monitored carefully to achieve ‘maximum sherry,’ and then blended with what Cooper Sleeman told me was a very small amount of unsherried single malt of the same age to get it to the right character.

On the nose, I find that the PX asserts itself just a bit more than does the Oloroso, with cocoa and black walnut notes more apparent and gentle marzipan, orange peel, and very soft cinnamon consigned to the background. Also, as begets its youth, it noses a bit hot and alcoholic.

The palate entry shows sweet and chocolaty caramel with a bit of orange – Terry’s Chocolate Orange comes to mind – before settling down to a still fairly sweet and creamy body with chocolate easing off, replaced by more almondy toffee, honey, and slightly fiery alcohol notes, followed by toasted walnut and a bit of peppery spice as it settles into its woody, tannic, and still fairly hot finish.  

As with numerous Canadian single malts, while this is showing well at present, its real value is found in the potential it shows for the future. And in the case of John Sleeman & Sons, I’d have to say that the future seems most promising.

81 ($75)