J.P. Wiser's 35 Year Old
2018's Big Canadians - Part IV of VII
6 1192
Review by @talexander
- Nose24
- Taste23
- Finish22
- Balance23
- Overall92
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Yes, I'm still trying to complete this series....I mean, it's only June 2019...
Not much to say about this one - it's 35 year old corn whisky bottled at 50%. Simple, right?
The colour is a medium-dark honey. On the nose it is big honeyed corn whisky, with marzipan, butterscotch, wood polish and a hint of nutmeg. With the vanilla we get creme caramel. Milk chocolate. Some cotton candy in the background. Orange pith. With water we get toasty oak and some wood smoke. Absolutely quintessential aged Canadian corn whisky.
On the palate some mint and fennel rests underneath the notes we've already established - butterscotch, vanilla, roasted corn on the cob and brown butter. Caramilk (but dialled down a few notches). Water turns that roasted corn into charred on the BBQ. Delicious and super easy-to-drink for 50% ABV.
The finish is oaky with cinnamon, clove, maple and dark honey. No surprises in this stellar hallmark of the Wiser's brand. How does it compare to last year's release? On the nose, 2017 seems to have richer oak but less honey. On the palate the 2017 is creamier than the 2018, more buttery but also slightly astringent (though that could have been from being in an open bottle for over a year). The 2017 has a spicier finish as well (overall, I think I prefer the 2017 release by a smidge). Now just for shits and giggles, let's compare to a newly opened bottle of 18 Year Old. The 18 is lovely, but with a much thinner mouthfeel; with the exception of that huge oak, all the other notes are dialled down significantly. These three Glencairns in front of me prove the class and beauty of the older Wiser's whiskies.
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Great review, not surprisingly.
Am I correct that this one has a little bit of rye added to the mix?
How does it taste with gi- oh, never mind...