For the first time ever the World Whisky of the Year is Canadian

One of the world's most closely-watched whisky guides crowned a Canadian Rye best in the world for the first time ever.

The 2016 edition of Jim Murray's Whisky Bible has named Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye the whisky of 2016.

"Crown Royal Northern Harvest pops up out of nowhere and changes the game," said Murray of the whisky, which he awarded a record-tying 97.5 out of 100 points.

"It certainly puts the rye into Canadian Rye. To say this is a masterpiece is barely doing it justice."

Last year the top honor went to a Japanese whiskey for the first time, Yamazaki Single Malt Sherry Cask 2013.

What this should tell you is that whisky's popularity has exploded around the world in all of its various forms.

If you're not familiar with Canadian Rye, you should know it has a more peppery flavor than its cousin to the south, bourbon, and none of the peaty taste of its Scottish predecessor, scotch.