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No ingredient is too wild or adventurous.
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Introducing the BEARFACE
Wilderness Series Matsutake Release.
Our first limited edition batch uses foraged Matsutake mushrooms, that are cask-infused with selected BEARFACE whisky to release the subtle tastes and aromas.
To create this expression, we mature our whisky in hand-selected ex-wine casks and sherry pipes inside repurposed shipping containers in the Canadian wilderness. We call this ‘Elemental Ageing’, and it gives our whisky a bolder, smoother flavour.
We take our inspiration from the ever-changing seasons and the flavours that can be found around our wilderness home.
It’s the unspoilt Canadian wilderness and the freedoms that Canada offers us as whisky-makers that has inspired us to create The Wilderness Series.
At BEARFACE, we believe no idea is too wild
and no ingredient is too adventurous.
If you want to discover the unique taste
of our MATSUTAKE 01 limited-release
for yourself you can buy it here.
The unique liquid from the wine, sherry and Matsutake casks is then blended by Andres Faustinelli, our Master Blender. The Matsutake adds a unique accent of wilderness flavour in the ‘assemblage’. The final result is a complex, layered whisky, with nutmeg, cinnamon and rounded nuttiness, followed by a leafy earthiness and an umami finish.
NOSE
Taste
Finish
Matsutake is a unique wild ingredient that makes for a one-of-a-kind whisky blend. They can fetch thousands of dollars per kilogram at market during the short picking season.
You might know them as White Matsutake, Pine mushrooms (Matsu = Pine tree. Take = mushroom) or Tricholoma Murrillianum. Rare around the world and highly prized, but abundant here in Bear Country.
<em><strong>Where and when we forage.</strong></em>
The Matsutake season normally starts in October and only lasts for a few short months, so as soon as the season starts we are roaming the forests, harvesting just enough to make our next batch.
To protect the habitat and to ensure our supply is managed responsibly, we can’t say exactly where we go foraging. However, we can tell you it’s deep into the forest, in a wild part of British Columbia, about a 3-hour hike from our Bear Country home.
The forager’s code.
Be respectful of the wilderness. Take only what you need. And make sure you can identify any foraged plant or mushroom before you pick and eat it. If in doubt, leave it well alone.
Our Canadian whisky is finished for half a year in hand-selected Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Virgin French oak casks to deliver freshness and brightness, alongside richness, delicious density and structure.
Tasting notes
Dry fruit and cranberry, subtle flavours of saffron, balsamic, apricot and a hint of pear.
Our whisky is matured in a three cask blend of Pedro Ximenez, Cream and Amontillado sherry casks for a deep, unique expression with body and layered complexity.
Tasting notes
Marzipan sweetness with rounded nuttiness, smoked cooking spices and nutmeg.
Along with fresh foraged wild mushrooms, dried matsutake add another dimension too. Together, they are cask-infused for two months in high-proof vintage BEARFACE to give us the subtle umami we seek.
Tasting notes
Savoury and cinnamon, followed by an earthy warmness and elegant umami finish with subtle flavours of the fresh forest floor.
