Lot No. 40
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Made from 100% rye at Hiram Walker and bottled at 43%. Sources disagree on still type and minimum age, so those are not stated here.
- Aging
- New charred oak, no age statement
- Mashbill
- Rye 100%
- Grains
- rye
- Congeners
- High
- Histamines
- Moderate
- Polyphenols
- Moderate
- Sulfites
- Low
- Tannins
- Moderate
- Sugar
- Low
- Additives
- Low
In its favor
- ✓Rye-only mash, not a light blend
- ✓Higher strength with no added blending whiskies
What to watch
- !Rye spirit carries more congeners than a light Canadian blend
- !Rye means gluten
- !43% strength
Factor by factor
Congeners High ▾
Byproducts of fermentation (methanol, acetaldehyde, fusel alcohols). Strongly linked to hangover severity; darker, less-distilled spirits carry more.
Histamines Moderate ▾
Produced by bacteria during fermentation/aging. Trigger flushing, headaches, congestion in sensitive drinkers. High in red wine, beer, aged spirits.
Polyphenols Moderate ▾
Plant compounds with antioxidant activity. Slightly protective at low doses but at high concentrations may worsen hangover via tannin/quercetin reactions.
Sulfites Low ▾
Preservatives (SO₂) added to wine and some beers. Common trigger of headaches, asthma, and allergic-type reactions.
Tannins Moderate ▾
Astringent polyphenols from skins, seeds, barrels. Bind proteins, slow alcohol clearance, and aggravate dehydration-style symptoms.
Sugar Low ▾
Residual sugar amplifies hangover via blood-sugar swings and dehydration. Liqueurs and cocktails are the main offenders.
Additives Low ▾
Colorants, flavorings, glycerin, propylene glycol, sorbates. Cheap spirits and ready-to-drinks often hide these in trade-secret formulas.
Lot No. 40 is a rye-forward outlier within Canadian whisky. Without the light corn base, the chemistry is closer to a rye whiskey than to a typical blend.
Lot No. 40 questions
Is Lot No. 40 gluten-free? ▾
Not by label. Lot No. 40 is distilled from rye, so US rules bar it from claiming gluten-free. Distillation does remove the gluten protein, and the Celiac Disease Foundation considers distilled spirits safe for most coeliacs. If you would rather avoid the question, pick a spirit distilled from corn, potato, grape or agave.
What is Lot No. 40 made from? ▾
Lot No. 40 is made from rye, with a mashbill of 100% rye.
What proof is Lot No. 40? ▾
Lot No. 40 is 86 proof, which is 43% alcohol by volume.
Does Lot No. 40 give you a bad hangover? ▾
Lot No. 40 scores 6/10 on the SpiritFacts Hangover Index, against 6/10 for canadian whisky overall. The main drivers are its congeners.
Is Lot No. 40 vegan? ▾
Yes. Lot No. 40 is listed as vegan, with no animal-derived ingredients or fining agents.