JP Wiser’s 18 yo

 ABV:   40% ABV

Price:  £42.95

 John Philip Wiser emigrated from New York to Ontario, Canada in 19C. His mother’s parents purchased a distillery in Ontario and in 1857, Wiser became the distillery's manager, distilling & barrelling whisky 10 years before Canada was er… Canada!

 Transformed it into of the largest and most prestigious distilleries in the country. J.P. Wiser was the first to use the term “Canadian Whiskey” on a whisky label when he introduced his spirit to the World at the Chicago’s World Fair in 1893.

 Today, Wiser's Whisky continues to be handmade using the same traditional methods envisioned by J.P Wiser over a century ago.

 Canadian whiskies are blends of corn, barley and rye – distilled and often matured separately. Traditionally, Canadian whiskey is called ‘Rye’ but no minimum % of Rye required

 Wiser's 18 Year Old Canadian Whisky is crafted by Don Livermore, Wiser's Master Blender. Livermore spent 15 years as a blender before completing his Ph.D. in brewing and distilling in Edinburgh at the Heriot-Watt University (he studied the effects of wood on aging whisky for his doctorate).

 This whisky is a blend of Canadian Corn and Rye whisky which are milled and mashed separately before being distilled and matured in oak casks of ex-bourbon casks for 18 years. – earned Gold medal and 93 Points from the Beverage Tasting Institute in 2016.

 Today Wiser’s is distilled at the Hiram Walker Distillery in Walkerville, Ontario, and aged in their facilities at Pike Creek near Lakeshore Ontario.

 Jim Murray (Whisky Bible) quote: “The whiskey is a flawless young yoga instructor. The way she bends with slow grace and precision fills my head with thoughts not suitable for a whiskey site.”

     

Nose:

Pencil shavings; fresh sawn timber, sweet barrel notes, fresh citrus, layers of butterscotch and honey.

Palate:

Vanilla, sweet fruits (prune), caramel, very smooth velvety, think pear. Hints of black pepper and spicy cedar sit in the background.

Finish:

Slightly nutty, with more hot oak and a generous dollop of caramel.