Lot 40 Canadian Rye Review
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Quick Facts
Is This For Me?
You want a benchmark 100% pot-still rye — dry, spicy and rye-bread-forward with a distinctive floral, dill and herbal character. A connoisseur's rye at a friendly price.
You want a sweet, oaky, bourbon-leaning rye. Lot 40 is deliberately dry and herbaceous, and its palate can read a touch subdued next to its spectacular nose.
Flavor Profile at a Glance
What It Tastes Like
Nose
Dark rye bread and cinnamon baking spice with a signature floral, dill lift, vanilla, and dark fruit.
Palate
Dry rye bread and black pepper with minty herbal notes, brown sugar, orange peel, and toasted oak.
Finish
Medium-to-long — lingering rye grain, peppery warmth, clove, and a cool herbal fade.
Best Ways to Enjoy
Neat
Rewarding neat — the floral, dill-and-rye-bread nose is one of the best in the category.
Cocktails
A superb, spicy backbone for Manhattans and Old Fashioneds — arguably its best-known use.
On Ice
Holds up well; a little dilution softens the pepper and opens the herbal notes.
With Water
A few drops lift the florals; at 86 proof it doesn't need much.
Cocktail Scores
Price & Value
Lot 40 is one of the great value propositions in rye. For around $40 you get a genuine 100% rye distilled on a single copper pot still — a style most brands charge a premium for — with a nose and complexity that punch far above the price. It's twice been named Canadian Whisky of the Year and is widely treated as the benchmark for pot-still rye. If you love its profile and want more intensity, step up to Lot 40 Dark Oak; for another bold Canadian rye, try Alberta Premium Cask Strength. But the standard bottling is the one to own.
Bottle Transparency
- DistilleryHiram Walker & Sons, Windsor, Ontario (Corby Spirit and Wine / Pernod Ricard)
- Master BlenderDr. Don Livermore
- DistillationSingle copper pot still, small batch; aged in new charred American oak
- Mash Bill100% rye (reformulated to all-unmalted rye at the 2012 relaunch)
- HeritageNamed for distiller Joshua Booth's land; first released late 1990s, revived 2012
Full Review: Lot 40 Canadian Rye
The Benchmark Pot-Still Rye
If there's a single bottle that defines modern Canadian rye, it's Lot 40. Distilled on a single copper pot still at Hiram Walker by master blender Don Livermore, it's a true 100% rye — a style most distillers dilute — and since its 2012 revival it's been a critical darling, twice named Canadian Whisky of the Year. It's also refreshingly affordable at around $40.
Aroma & Palate
The nose is the star and one of the best in all of rye: dark, sour rye bread and cinnamon baking spice wrapped in a distinctive floral, dill and herbal perfume, with new-oak vanilla and dark fruit underneath. The palate follows — dry rye bread and black pepper up front, a botanical mid-layer of mint, tarragon and pine, light brown-sugar sweetness, orange and dark fruit, and a tannic, woody backbone. It's rich and slightly syrupy for 86 proof.
Finish & Overall Impression
The finish is medium-to-long and clean — lingering rye grain, a peppery glow, clove and a cool herbal fade. The only recurring critique is that the palate, while excellent, can read slightly subdued next to that extraordinary nose, and there's some batch variation. Otherwise it's about as good as value rye gets.
Our Verdict
Lot 40 is a benchmark — a genuine 100% pot-still rye with a spectacular floral-and-rye-bread character, brilliant in a Manhattan and rewarding neat, at a price that's hard to argue with. If you're serious about rye, it belongs on your shelf.
Community Tasting Notes
Top Reported Flavors
Rating Distribution
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Pros & Cons
Pros
- Benchmark 100% pot-still rye with a spectacular floral, dill-and-rye-bread nose
- Outstanding value (~$40) and widely available
- Superb in Manhattans and Old Fashioneds; rewarding neat
- Twice named Canadian Whisky of the Year; critically acclaimed
Cons
- Palate can read slightly subdued next to the stellar nose
- Dry and herbaceous — not for fans of sweet, oaky rye
- Some batch-to-batch variation reported
- Only 86 proof — the Cask Strength offers more intensity
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Is Lot 40 a 100% rye?
❓ What proof is Lot 40?
❓ Who makes Lot 40?
❓ What does it taste like?
❓ Is it good for cocktails?
