Review: Bearface Canadian Whisky Wilderness Series 01: Matsutake

Vancouver-based Bearface has launched a new whisky series called the Wilderness Series, each bottle to be aged and infused with products sourced from or inspired by the great outdoors. Up first is a version of Bearface infused with wild matsutake mushrooms — which may be a first for us.

Per the company, the whiskey is “an Elementally Aged trilogy blend of French Oak, Sherry Pipes and Casked Matsutake, resulting in a first-of-its-kind whisky in the U.S. that’s unique in both flavor and composition.” There’s no further detail on the aging regimen, but standard Bearface – 100% corn — undergoes three different barrels of aging and hits the bottle at 7 years old.

An initial nosing doesn’t particularly evoke mushroom, but rather the sweetness endemic to most Canadian whisky (and to rack Bearface), with notes of spun sugar and sesame oil particularly heavy. A more savory, umami character does blow its way into focus in short order: green onion, soy, and black pepper, with some mixed fresh herbs following along after. There’s a mild industrial quality to the nose that gives it a particular sharpness, but it’s never off-putting.

On the palate, the more umami-driven qualities of the whisky are dominant, and after a reprise of soy, that mushroom flavor does make itself known. Toasty barrel char, onion rings, roasted mushrooms, and a healthy slug of red wine makes this whisky come across like a side dish you’d pair with your favorite steak… or maybe use to make some kind of decadent sauce. More mixed herbs, some anise, and additional, ruddy char linger for quite awhile on the finish — touched just so with maple.

It’s a complex formula that works better than it should. It may be damning with faint praise to say that I’d prefer to cook with it, but the possibilities on that front have me drooling just a bit.

85 proof.

B+ / $45 / bearfacewhisky.com 

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