Gibson's Rare 12 Year Old

Gibson's is a popular whisky here in Canada. It was often the third choice behind Canadian Club and Crown Royal, before Forty Creek entered the scene. Not much information about what is in the whisky, but suffice to say it quite representative of the Canadian blended style.

I should also note that there has been rebranding here. This 12 year old was formerly called Gold. It has now been christened Rare, which was previously reserved for the 18 year old. Also, it has a cork stopper as an indicator of its rarity. I will say that it would be rare to find a liquor store in Ontario which doesn't carry this stuff.

Nose: lightly sweet, creamy, with vanilla and an almost effervescent sensation, like nosing ginger ale. A bit of orange peel and almond extract. Fairly subdued overall.

Palate: smooth and supple with light sweetness before oak takes over. Some gentle spice which quickly fizzles out. A pleasant and uncomplicated experience overall.

Finish: oak lingers a while. No bitterness.

Balance: a whisky this straightforward should be hard to mess up. Indeed, Gibson's 12 hits the spot as an easy mixer or smooth sipper, but it has little in the way of memorable characteristics to set it apart from its contemporaries.