Forty Creek Distillery Review

Never been to tour 40 creek. I live in St. Catharines, my daughter bought me a big bottle of your cream about four years ago now. Game over I was hooked.Use to love Baileys But that stuff can t hold a candle to yours.
I get about three or four big bottles every Christmas. Thank you for making such a wonderful drink.
Mary Christmas to all.
Mr Victor Deverson.

Definitely enjoyed my first visit here. My friend and I were quite impressed. I'm not always big on whiskey but the opportunity to try samples made it so easy to determine what I wanted buy and take home. The tour was informative and Tina did a great job explaining the tasting notes. I was happy to find out they had vodka and brandy. The store is on the smaller side and can get a bit tight when there's a lot of visitors. But all in all very fun visit. Keep up the great work!

Great Tourguide
Great Products
Thank you!

The girl that did our tour was very knowledgeable about all aspects of distillation process and the history of the company. I'm glad that we did it.

I reached out to Forty Creek about six weeks ago by email. I understand that they may get a ton of emails and feedback. But regardless of the circumstances, As the President and GM of a social media and online marketing company, I found it shocking and downright disappointing that I didn't get a response of any type. NOTHING.

Not even a thank you.

In this day and age, if a customer takes the precious time to reach out to you directly, it is of utmost importance to respond...one way of another. Silence is simply an insult.

I feel insulted. I even took the time AGAIN to call the store and inquire...I just wanted the recognition that someone was listening?

By the time I was done, I felt ashamed for having reached out at all. I was told they have lots of people sharing stories about their Forty creek...like that's a bad thing? I am now sorry for trying to include Forty Creek in my life.

I had planned to become an ambassador for the brand as I have for Appleton, and GLENFIDDICH to name a few.
I looked forward to posting some great reviews of their product. (which I have yet try truly try...long story)

I guess I won't bother. Instead I have this story to tell. This is what marketing people call a "missed opportunity"
I will give the other brands I have been enjoying till now my continued attention. Namely Wiser's, Seagrams, and Gibson's. I had an opportunity to sample some Wiser's Special Blend at Thanksgiving (as my 40 Creek was not available)

It was particularly smooth, and even those there who I would consider "scotch snobs" were quite taken with it. (as much as they would admit) So I recommend this, it was excellent. Also a close second was Gibson's Sterling Edition. Very nice as well.

Unfortunately, I will keep my distance from 40 Creek, altough normally I make it a point to support our Canadian companies. (yes I understand they are Italian owned, but they have good sized operation here in Canada) But if they don't care about their customers, why should I form a relationship with their brand?

So I won't. And I am writing this to help you in deciding who is in your glass.

Maybe that's as important to you as it is to me.

Very good Canadian Whisky distiller and good product but Location and tour is looking a bit tired.

Excellent place to visit on I think it was Gabby(Name? ) who did our tasting on Sunday afternoon. Excellent suggestions and service. Very nice whiskey. Definitely recommend. However when we were leaving the girl at the front counter was reprimanding a group that was too large for the public tour. Ok, they should have booked a private tour. Not sure if they knew beforehand and were disobeying but they didn t need to be talked to like children in front of other people. Was awkward... Maybe your experienced staff need a refresher.

Did a tasting, so many products we should probably have done 2 tastings. Their Irish Cream is the best I have ever had. Can't wait to open a bottle at home.

Nanaimo bar cream is what I went for and have always enjoyed all the 40 creek products purchased from the LCBO plus I m a bit of a collector of unique interesting alcohol , first time I ve ever been to 40 creek distillery but have meant to go for a long time. When I entered the shop at 4pm on Oct 1 2020 I was greeted with what I would call an anything but warm reception, I was in a happy mood and wanted to spend some money beyond trying the Nanaimo cream so I could add to my collection but within about 5 seconds of being in that store I told her what I was interested in and she grabbed it and rung it up ( she never asked if that was everything) even though I told her I was interested in something else and she said there they are ... are you kidding me?! I don t even know what I want and your making no effort at all to show me or present me with options for a further purchase?! I actually felt very uncomfortable and just ended it, paid for my $30 bottle of Nanaimo cream and left. This entire experience took 3 minutes so you can just imagine about how fast this woman was completely rude.

I was about to drop at least 300 to add to my collection but unfortunately I don t even have a clue as to what I could have bought that was unique for my collection because I ask what do you have and she says it s all there and points to a wall Well I have no idea about what I want (this is where she should be selling me stuff)

At the end of the 3 minute experience I got the Nanaimo cream and my friends and I reviewed it on FB...we all loved the product but the service seriously needs to be looked at. I actually don t really wanna go there again because of this woman.

Excellent, most Excellent Canadian Whisky. You recently changed your 1.75 L bottle and removed the diffuser insert in the bottle neck. Firstly,why and secondly, this makes it more difficult to pour without overfilling the shot glass. Has this been commented on before?

I have always been a fan of Forty Creek and their products. I recently cracked bottle of premium barrel select and the colour was lighter and the flavour was distinctly off. It tasted sweeter, almost more like a syrup than a whiskey. We opened a second bottle and it was more on par with what we have come to expect from this product. What would cause a difference like this? Are some batches distilled longer? Could there have been a mix up of products?

All in all I enjoy forty creek but this experience was not nearly as enjoyable as I have come to expect from this brand.

I love everything about this company. Don't ever stop being amazing. I have been a loyal customer and will be for life. I bring a bottle with me whenever I travel around the world to get it out there.

Stopped by years ago on a whim and have been back several times since. It's a surprising find that has gotten me into Canadian whiskey. They have friendly and knowledgeable staff, and do tastings of their entire lineup. Once a year during the whiskey weekend, they also include a tour of their aging warehouse (smells amazing!). I find their products great for their price points.

This brand has become impressive because of producing a good product and producing it here in Ontario. With all good things, though, it's only as good as its weakest link, which is, surprisingly, the actual distillery store's staff. The management would be well-served to either vet store employees better or train them better, because a person going to that store is excited to visit the physical presence of a brand they've seen and enjoyed. It's a special event because as consumers, it's not an everyday experience. So, the management, in my opinion, would be well served to train the staff to allow people 'a moment', chat about the product, interact, experience and enjoy the pride. NOT be too busy chatting about party plans they barely stop to point and a cashier who won't look people in the eye. That store has an opportunity to further or deepen a brand loyalty, not make a consumer question it.

Great selection and pricing. Always stop on way back from Niagara Falls

Very friendly staff and incredibly valued selection of whiskey and one-offs!

Forty Crack, because that s what they sell here.

As a Bourbon man I once thought that all Canadian whiskey s were either Rye or blended and that kinda held true for a while because most of what we were getting was mediocre at best (club, mist, seagrams) they were all well or worse. We were doing it all wrong, then comes Highwood, Pendleton, Forty Creek and you realize hey we were just judging them on the wrong stuff. Blending was never a bad thing we just chose to look down our noses at non single malts or single barrels thinking purity was key, but a master blender really does just that, seamlessly makes many things one cohesive offering and places like this really teach you that.

I went in the slow season, so tours were only on weekends, but the tastings were free. I doubt they thought I was really going to try everything they had, but after chopping it up about sports, whiskey and life I decided to buy the rare stuff, the stuff sold out everywhere, the stuff major US markets CA, TX, FL didn t even get. That copper still mixed like a rye and would easily pass in a split base cocktail. The alpen bitter is very citrus7, the fire water vodka would do better as a brandy, and their other spirits just lacked the gusto that goes into the whiskey and all seemed a little flat and unrefined. They sell plenty of trinkets and some very cool quality stuff, not just souvaniers. I'm not going to review each offering, but let you do that on your own, this is really more about the distillery.

The staff is great (that guy Dan is legit), the tasting room is more of a souvenir shop looking room with a pseudo bar in the back corner. The tasting tours start across the hall where you are surrounded by the history of their recently retired 1st master distiller/blender/owner/founder John Hall. He sold to Campari, but stayed on a bit to blend the limited editions and only recently retired leaving the blending to his friend and business partner. The 2016 Founders is his last iteration, glad I got some. They go over the grains used, the barrels used, char levels, and all the major milestones.

I first tried them a few years ago, the barrel select, then confederation, then harmony, all amazing and better than the last. I m excited to crack my founders bottles in the coming years.

Parking seems inadequate and the facility seems kinda of small, but I guess it was never designed to compete with the big boys in that regard. The heart and soul of John lives in every bottle from the cream to limited annuals.

this distillery makes some very good whiskeys and other whiskey based products.

Lovely staff. Very knowledgeable wish we knew tours are on weekends only. Good tasting menu.

Best whiskey in the world only thing they should recognize is that it comes from /Grimsby there s no such place as 40 creek Ontario

Friendly, knowledgeable staff pouring some fun rare tastes. The maple liqueur and 40 creek cream liqueur are great for those with a real sweet tooth.

We had a great tour and learned some amazing things about whiskey! The staff was excellent and very accommodating Will return again and again.

I didn't think I was going to like it this much. Never even had a sip before the tour. Did the tour on a whim and fell in love with the product and the family owned type atmosphere.

For a small tour, it was amazing. The staff was exceptionally knowledgeable. They guided us through the tasting from where to start to have a base taste to compare as you moved through the wide range of tastes that are available. If you like whiskey at all, I highly recommend this tour.

The free tour was entertaining and informative. Lots of free samples at the end of the tour was a surprising bonus. I love their whiskey and really enjoyed the tour!

Great place to spend an afternoon. Tours are very good and super informative. Tasting room gets you 4 samples from the full line of product. Even the premium products.

We were here for a tour last weekend. We love their whiskey, but the person giving the tour was incredibly rude. We had three other stops on our tour that day and, unfortunately, I would recommend all of the other stops except Forty Creek.

I have been an avid 40 Creek customer for over 10years. Finally had a chance to visit the distillery. I went into the gift shop/liquor store on my way home from Niagara Falls. I was always unsure about buying the high end 40 Creek bottles without knowing the taste. The staff member/bartender was extremely helpful and courteous to me and appreciated my support for being a long time customer. He sampled me the premium whiskys as I mentioned Ive had the original, copperpot, and honey spike. Items were not ridiculously priced like other distilleries. I picked up a toque, keychain, glass that had very reasonable prices and of course a bottle of premium double barrel reserve. Absolutely love it. Can't wait to do a tour next time! That was only the liquor shop experience!

Just opened a 1.14 bottle of Barrel Select and it tastes terrible. Not the Forty Creek I have purchased before. If I could return it I would. I drink my whiskey neat so I can t kill the bad taste with mix. Bye bye Forty Creek.

Decent whisky but wouldn't consider for a moment donating to my stag and doe

My favourite Canadian Whisky! Hope I get the chance to visit the distillery one day.

Great stop for tastings and/or tour! Delicious whisky and knowledgeable staff! Next visit we ll be back for more!

Great distillery with some unique products, your guides knowledgeable and handled my stupid questions with ease. Try the confederation oak reserve if you like your whiskey robust and a little spicy.

40 Creek Canadien whiskey is better than crown royal

Was dissapointed to find that a bottle is more expensive there than at the liquor store.

Great staff! Tours available at select times and tasting bar to sample and find you favorite before you buy. With so many great whiskies to choose from this will be the most challenging part of your visit.

Spectacular products across the board! Free tastings at the tasting bar inside the store. Friendly staff that provides guidance according to your personal tastes.

I highly recommend attending the whisky weekend in September with tastings, a tour, and guest speakers. Always well done!

Excellent brewery experience, guides are hilarious and the whisky is always good! If you want to treat yourself, tack on the bbq sauce to your order!

Had a tour and explanation of how they make their whiskey. The was a tasting at the end, and I left with a few bottles. Good time.

Friendly knowledgeable staff, great products. If you take the QEW to/from Niagara, stop by Forty Creek Distillery to try the best Canadian whisky in the market and sample their different whisky expressions.

Awesome product, exceptional customer service at The store

A fantastic tour of the behind the scenes operation, especially for being free. The gift shop has a good selection of products, including ones that can't be found in the LCBO

Staff wasn't friendly, or helpful. Honestly, I rather enjoy their product but the staff turned me off of doing the tour or any other stuff related to the distillery. The staff seemed to dislike their job and felt that myself and my girlfriend were just wasting their time (we were the only two in the shop at the time). As an avid whiskey fan with some knowledge I was treated like an idiot for what I "enjoyed". And that any of the products from forty creek were better. If this is the manner in which forty creek holds themselves than I have no further interest.

Went yesterday for a Tour/tasting. There was a little mix up and didn't get the Tour but Gabby was awesome. The taste testing experience was great and her knowledge on everything from beginning to end help us all understand what we wanted, even the Hat and shirt she wore made us all buy a Hat! Great job Gabby

You guys need to invest in a larger advertising campaign for your "Spike" honey spiced whisky. It's definitely a new holiday favorite, but it needs a bigger audience to gain the fame it deserves.

Market it for the holidays.

Great tour of the distillery. They offer two shots with the tour to sample products. Nice gift shop selling alcohol. The tour guide was amazing and very patient with all of us rowdy guys. Thanks for the great time. The cream whisky is to die for.

We had a great time at Forty Creek Distillery! The free tour was very informative and included four free samples. It was a fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

Thank you thank you! you heard us and came through, brought the plastic pour spouts for the 1.75 litre bottles
I've been pouring the whiskey into my old bottle that I kept for some time now

Stopped by on vacation to get a feel for Canadian whiskey and had a fantastic experience. The staff were amazing and the whiskeys and liqueurs were exquisite.

Made to feel dumb by staff. I was excited to go visit the store since I LOVE the whiskey they make. I had forgotten they were bought out by an Italian company so when we got in there and saw all these different types of spirits I was shocked and curious as to what was going on. I said something to the effect of "Wow I didn't know 40 creek made vodka or bitters etc." and then asked "Is this made here at this location?" Instead of engaging in a conversation I got talked down to with a response of "Yes everything in here is made by 40 creek" (in a very sarcastic tone) but she kept repeating it after every question I had and it never really answered what I was asking. After the 3rd or 4th question I gave up and started questioning whether I was being an idiot for asking questions about the products on the shelves or if the girl was being rude or maybe she was told to not answer certain questions. I am very non confrontational so I left. I will still buy their whiskey but I will be doing it through the LCBO, no need to go to the distillery for me if that is how I will get treated.

Went there last week. Had a great tasting! LOVE your whiskey! Thanks!

Very helpful staff helped an inexperienced liquor-buyer purchase some deliciously smooth cream liqueur.

This product is amazing and temporarily relieves me of whatever problem life may throw at me. Five out of five would recommend.

I really enjoy 40 Creek whisky; however the tasting was a major disappointment. I went there April 13th 2017 to see any new products and taste ones I haven't tried yet. At first this didn't seem like a problem the lady working the retail store took us over the tasting area. The lady who was making drinks for three gentlemen said she I'd have to wait one minute, sure not a problem. I waited around 15 minutes while she went on and on how there is no way you can tell what ingredients she used and how all her drinks are "special". That was entertaining but didn't really feel welcome there waiting so long. Eventually because the girl making drinks was too busy bragging about her amazing skills to said gentlemen the girl working the retail store provided a quick tasting. Overall the experience was a big let down given how much I've enjoyed their products over the years. I would never go back for another tasting.

I have been going to this place for over 6 years. I have brought over 50 clients to them as I want to support local business. HOWEVER, I was very disappointed with my visit yesterday. Lady cashier was NASTY!!! Yes I came close to closing time but she aboslutely had no reason to be rude. I did buy a bottle of their cream liquor as I was out but I can do that at an LCBO. I asked for couple of tasters, to my daiappointment I was served in a cream liquor glass that wasn't washed properly . I mention d it to the young man serving me and to my disbelief all he said was "well its closing time" you decide , do you want to take your friends, your clients to this place? Heck NO!!!

Whisky Weekend 2019 was absolutely amazing! I've been driving past the Forty Creek distillery now for years, and always said I need to stop in and take a tour. A co-worker told me about the annual Whisky Weekend event, and since I turn 40 this week I said let's make it happen.
Let me tell you I was very impressed. The tour was very educational, and the distillery itself was remarkable. The Victory product that was being released was fantastic, and the bottle engraving was a nice touch. Highly recommend attending this event next year. Sunday was a little slower which was nice, but I think i'll do the Saturday next time and make a night of it with the live music.

My favourite Canadian whiskey. Great on site store and very interesting tour. Very helpful and informative staff.

Super nice folks and awesome whisky! Well worth the stop!

Super welcoming staff. Great tasting bar. Must visit for whiskey fans.

Whiskey is fantastic, they let you try all of the options. Staff were standoffish but I would return.

Free tour was pretty good. Informative and the tasting afterwards was good as well.

We just recently tried your whiskey and found it smooth and pleasant. We are seriously considering changing brands- we certainly buy Ontario brands and have found yours to be equal if not slightly superior to a 12 year Ontario product.Keep up the great job!

Easy access from QEW. Free samples. Products range from very good to world class excellent. And it's not just whiskey; on site they make whiskey, brandy, vodka, vermouth, bitters, Irish cream, and more. And the service is great. They also offer tours and classes if you schedule ahead at the right time.

Just tried the special edition Copper Pot Reserve....WELL done guys!!!!

Awesome tour and tasting. Nathaniel? Forgot his name but he was a smart and funny tour leader. Didn't know about all the addition alcohols 40 creek produces. Very cool.

Used to work next door and frequently walked over for for gifts and liquor

We went for a tour and tasting. The tour was fun and informative and the whiskey was wonderful. I couldn't decide between the spiked and the barrel select for my favorite. The cream and maple liqueur were delicious too, it's a shame we can't buy those ones in the states! I suppose we will be taking this drive more often!

I love forty creek for the product and have visited the distillery multiple times. However, on my most recent visit the staff wouldn t even acknowledge the fact that we were there. Absolutely despicable behaviour when I had guests from out of town and wanted to show them a local favourite.
Will think twice about visiting again.

Quite a good distillery. Have a large selection of whiskey. Unfortunately their tour was only at 2pm so we couldn't attend it.

I have been a long time customer of 40 creek products for many years.
They almost lost me as a loyal customer by simply asking for a couple of free glasses after spending over 400 dollars on products.I had asked for two free glasses with the names of cities on them.
The glasses are being given away free if you purchase a 26 oz bottle.
Kudos to the lady in the store who clearly recognizes that a happy satisfied customer is better than one who potentially walks away disgruntled.Because another male employee was dead set against my request!
Because of her I will continue to purchase 40 creek products.