Got to try a few fancier Wiser's over the last couple months. Here are my thoughts:
Wiser's Red Letter: 45% abv, $100 CAD, finished in new oak.
Sniffing her:
Out of sample bottle: very classic, full flavored Wiser's profile. Rye spice, cloves, and vanilla. Out of glass: same, just not as full.
Cheers!
Vanilla nailpolish. Caramel. Little rye spice. Little oak.
Overall/Review: Very standard Wiser's, well balanced, a little thin for my liking. Similar profile as the 35 year below except the 35 feels much better and better rounded. Not going to be looking to have this again and would not recommend unless you love Wiser's. 73.
Wiser's 22 Cask Strength finished in Ruby Port: 59.7% abv, $150 CAD, finished in Ruby Port casks.
Sniffing her:
Out of sample: Spicy vanilla. Out of glass: black liquorish, vanilla, oak, damp forest, baking spices. Generically fruity sweet. Don't really get the port influence on the nose, and surprisingly approachable for 60% abv.
Cheers!
There's the ruby port! This is wonderful. Very sweet, think PX, old sherry, loads of vanilla, fruit baskets (dates dried and fresh berries, plums), very spicy but in a warming welcoming way that's balanced well by how flavorful this is. Sweet oak. Syrupy.
Overall/Review: This is a finish beautifully done. The port is there but it's not overwhelming the standard Wiser's syruppy vanilla oak character. Definitely going to be looking to grab a bottle of this. 89.
Wiser's 23 Cask Strength: 64.3% abv, was available 3 years ago for around $140 CAD, but good luck finding it now. Likely around $200-$250 on secondary. Blend of corn and rye mashbill.
Sniffing her:
Very mild nose for a 64% abv. Nutty. Vanilla. French vanilla. Marzipan, like almond pastries. Honey. Little ryeish note, but the vanilla and almond pastries are the dominant notes.
Cheers!
Tons of desserts: marzipan, vanilla, caramel pastries. Little herbal note with licorice/fennel, but it's all very sweet and sugary. Like fancy pancake syrup. Honey molasses. Menthos taste and feel.
Overall/Review: This hides its proof so well. Blind I would guess this is 50%. Full flavored pastry goodness, and the mild nose keeps it from stinging my eyes the way most +60% abvs do. Extremely well made, well intergrated. I would pick it up at $140 if it was still on the shelves. I'll pass at secondary prices though. 89.
Wiser's 35 years old: 50% abv, one of the oldest Canadian whiskies out there. Released in 2018 for around $190 CAD. Goes for closer to $400-$500 on secondary these days.
Sniffing her:
Out of the sample bottle I get a candy factory: all sorts, red & black liquorish, swedish fish, malty rye. In the glass it loses a lot of the candy. All sorts still. Vanilla. Smells like a generic Canadian rye.
Cheers!
Malty. Honey. Cereal. Vanilla. Rye spice. All sorts. Little herbal. Nice long caramel finish. Thicker mouthfeel. Crazy smooth.
Overall/Review: so, this is a well done Canadian rye, but there is no punch to this at all, and no unique flavors. It's got a good feel to it, as opposed to the Red Letter, but otherwise it's a mild-medium flavored, well balanced Canadian rye. Tastes similar to the 23 CS but dialled way down. Nothing in this screams 35 years. Just a solid rye with a solid feel. I would not hunt down a bottle at the original price. I do admit this is the kind of whisky that will make your bud light drinking uncles go nuts. 80.
Over-overall: I am personally impressed with the limited edition Wiser's. We did the 19 year Seasoned Oak as a team last spring and were all impressed with it too. I think the crew will start paying more attention to the yearly Wiser's releases going forward.
Cheers!
Simon from S&P.
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