Gooderham & Worts Four Grain Canadian Whisky 750ML

Gooderham & Worts Four Grain Canadian Whisky 750ML is a 44.4% ABV Canadian whisky that blends four individually distilled and aged grains — corn, wheat, barley, and rye — in a single 750ml bottle. Awarded five stars by respected Canadian whisky authority Davin de Kergommeaux, this expression revives one of Canada's most storied distilling names through a genuinely grain-forward approach uncommon in the category.

Quick Facts: ABV: 44.4% (88.8 proof)  |  Origin: Ontario, Canada  |  Four Grain Blend  |  Distillery: Hiram Walker & Sons, Windsor

Production & Heritage

The Gooderham & Worts name dates to one of the most influential distilling operations in Canadian history, originally founded in Toronto in 1832. The brand is now produced at the Hiram Walker & Sons distillery in Windsor, Ontario, under the ownership of Corby Spirits and Wine (a Pernod Ricard subsidiary). What distinguishes this whisky is its commitment to processing each grain independently: wheat, barley, and rye are distilled using both pot and column stills, while corn undergoes double column distillation for a cleaner, softer spirit. Each grain component is aged separately — in a combination of new virgin oak casks and used bourbon barrels — before final blending. All grain is sourced entirely from Ontario. The bottling strength of 44.4% ABV was deliberately chosen above the Canadian standard of 40% to better showcase each grain's individual character and the wood influence in the blend.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with warming freshly baked bread and roasted nuts, then moves into cinnamon, licorice, and light brown sugar. Delicate floral tones and dry grain add complexity underneath the sweeter top notes.

Taste: On entry, rich caramel and toffee coat the palate, giving way to brown sugar, green grain, and ginger snap cookie spice at mid-palate. Warming rye spice builds through the peak alongside mature oak and pithy citrus notes. The mouthfeel is full and round, carrying more weight than many Canadian blends at this tier.

Finish: Medium-long with a smooth, clean exit. Lingering notes of red apple and fresh bread fade into barley malt and a warm oak close with a final touch of spice.

How to Drink Four Grain

At 44.4% ABV, this whisky has enough structure to drink neat, where the interplay between the four grains is most transparent. A few drops of water open the floral and citrus elements without collapsing the body. For cocktails, consider these three:

• Old Fashioned — The caramel and baking spice profile dovetails naturally with bitters and a sugar cube, producing a rich, grain-forward version of the classic.
• Whisky Sour — The green apple and citrus undertones brighten against fresh lemon juice, while the full body holds up to egg white if used.
• Toronto Cocktail — A historically fitting choice: the traditional recipe calls for Canadian whisky with Fernet-Branca, simple syrup, and Angostura bitters, and the four-grain complexity gives this drink real depth.

Best For

• Canadian whisky enthusiasts exploring grain-forward expressions beyond standard blends
• Gifting someone interested in Canadian distilling heritage and history
• Old Fashioned drinkers looking for a spicier, fuller-bodied base spirit
• Side-by-side tastings comparing single-grain versus multi-grain Canadian whiskies

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Four Grain taste like? Gooderham & Worts Four Grain leads with rich caramel, toffee, and brown sugar before moving into cinnamon spice, green grain, and pithy citrus. The finish carries red apple and warm oak with lingering barley malt.

How does Four Grain compare to Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye? Both are premium Canadian whiskies bottled above 40% ABV, but they differ in grain emphasis: Northern Harvest Rye leans heavily on rye spice and is a predominantly rye-based blend, while Four Grain balances four grains equally, producing a rounder, more cereal-driven profile with less aggressive spice. Multiple reviewers have drawn direct comparisons between the two expressions.

Is Four Grain good for sipping neat? Yes — the 44.4% ABV was intentionally set above the Canadian standard to highlight each grain's character and oak influence, making it particularly well-suited to neat drinking.

Where is Four Grain made? Gooderham & Worts Four Grain Canadian Whisky is produced at the Hiram Walker & Sons distillery in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. All grain used in the whisky is sourced from Ontario.

What foods pair well with Four Grain? The caramel and baking spice notes complement pecan pie and brown butter desserts. Smoked pork or maple-glazed bacon echo the sweet-savory balance. Sharp aged cheddar plays well against the rye spice, while apple tart or strudel mirrors the green apple finish. Gingerbread cookies amplify the cinnamon and ginger snap character already present in the whisky.

What sizes does Four Grain come in? Gooderham & Worts Four Grain Canadian Whisky is widely available in the standard 750ml bottle.

Is Four Grain worth the price? This expression positions in the mid-premium tier of Canadian whisky, and the separately distilled and aged four-grain production method represents a level of complexity unusual at its price point. The five-star rating from Davin de Kergommeaux and the higher-than-standard 44.4% ABV reinforce its value within the category.

Why Four Grain?

Most Canadian whiskies blend a base spirit (typically corn) with smaller amounts of flavoring whisky, but Gooderham & Worts takes a fundamentally different approach: each of the four grains is distilled separately using the still type best suited to it — pot and column for wheat, barley, and rye; double column for corn — then aged independently before blending. This process, combined with a dual-cask maturation strategy using both new virgin oak and ex-bourbon barrels, creates a layered whisky where each grain remains identifiable. The five-star rating from Canadian whisky expert Davin de Kergommeaux reflects how well this method translates into the glass. For drinkers who find standard Canadian blends too neutral, Four Grain delivers genuine grain character at a strength that doesn't require proof adjustment to enjoy.