J.P Wiser's Union 52

@Spitfire I hear the Scotch blend is like 4%. That said I would do it. Matter of fact one of my co-workers is heading for BC soon and I am asking him to pick up one of these for me if possible.

It's a brand new release, so it's hard to say at this point. I'm not aware of any proper reviews. It is a limited run only to be released in BC though, in that way it's kinda similar to The Last Barrels release in Ontario earlier this year.

It's a blend of 15 year old Canadian whisky and 52 year old Scotch, and based on some comments on Don Livermore's Instagram feed, it sounds like it might be worthwhile. Here's a link: instagram.com/p/BMhxfWMgmBx/…

@Nelom Thanks. Based on that, I'll pick up a bottle--for the rarity if nothing else.

I did pick up a bottle of 40 Creek Founder's Reserve 2016 today...just because...

You're welcome.

Also, Dave Mitton has some more info. He says that Union 52 contains "some 15 year old double columned distilled 100% corn whisky blended with a 52 year old peated highland single malt whisky" and he also mentions that there's fewer bottles of this than The Last Barrels, which was limited to 2000.

There's a bit more in his Instagram post: instagram.com/p/BMhwxAXAU2d/…

@Nelom, The Last Barrels release is 6,000 bottles Ontario only. Three thousand in spring of 2016 and three thousand more in autumn 2016, as told to me by Don Livermore.

@Spitfire What did you think of the Founder's reserve? I have yet to get a bottle, as last year was very disappointing.

Rare, schmare. Every single-cask IB release is rare, and that doesn't make them worth any more.

@OlJas

If a batch of 5 casks has a total of 1000 bottles you can sell them for $xxx a bottle and every collector wants one. However, if you split them up into 5 single barrels every collector now wants one of each. The demand quintuples and you can sell each bottle for twice the price. Same amount of juice, double the profit.

@Nozinan , who is "you" in that scenario?

•The marketer? Yeah, sure: They can use packaging strategies to drum up demand for a whisky among the collector crowd. But I think buyers who bite that lure are being baited. (Unless, I suppose, they're flippers. See my next point.)

•The average Joe, like Spitfire? Yeah, I suppose if you live in a place where you can flip bottles and you find one that's flappable, you can make some money. But I presumed the subject here was whether this Wisers thing was worth $70 as a whisky to drink, not as a commercial good to trade for profit. Maybe I'm wrong on that. If you DO want to drink it, why does it matter how rare it is? Unless you're actively seeking one out and can't find it due to rarity, I don't see how it matters.

By the way, @Nozinan , thanks for the meaningful reply. I much prefer that to a silent drive-by down-vote just because someone disagrees with an opinion. Cheers.

That 52 year old scotch sounds a bit gimmick-y

@paddockjudge Oh, thanks for the correction. I got the 2000 from that post by Dave Mitton that I linked. Amusing that he of all people got it so wrong. :) Although now that I think of it, didn't they originally say 2000 cases? Maybe he just typed bottles and meant cases...

Then again, 6000 bottles and 2000 cases doesn't make sense either. Three bottles per case? Anyway, no matter. Unless of course it's 6000 bottles so far, and another batch of bottles is coming down the pipe... Anyway, doesn't really matter.

@Nozinan Haven't opened the FR yet, may not for a bit. I agree, last year's special release was disappointing--but I do love their Conf. Oak, so hope for the best.

@OlJas Not sure if the sarcasm came out correctly. I was agreeing with you about the term "rare" and observing how any run of the mill malt could be rarified simply by labelling and marketing, certainly not advocating the practice.

I agree, comments are better than thumbs, but on the positive side, if I like a comment and have nothing new to add, a thumbs up is ok in my opinion.

So, got a bottle of Union 52, and a bottle of Ninety 20 for good measure.

This store (I'm on a work trip right now) also has Gibsons 18 yo on the shelf...I note that the price has gone up since I last bought some, and is now twice the price of the Ninety 20 (it's also $20 more than the 40 Creek FR, which itself is just a bit more than their Conf Oak Reserve, my current favourite Canadian).

@Nozinan , I was indeed wearing my sarcasm blinders last night!

Later this trip, I hope to be able to find some other bottles I'm interested in: the Glendronach Cask Strength Batch 5 (opened my 2nd Batch 4 recently with friends, it was very well received--and the Batch 5 won a gold medal at the 2016 World Whisky Awards), and maybe some E H Taylor Single Barrel bourbon.

These are part of the BC gov't liquor stores "Premium Spirit Release." I will start another thread and post a link to their brochure.

@Spitfire I check the LCBO website all the time hoping to see Glendronach Cask Strength there. They had a few bottles here some time ago but where gone before I could do a store search.

@Astroke

LCBO used to have a lot of nice things a while back...Glendronach. Springbank 12 CS, Amruts.... ah, the good old days

@Nelom, note of interest, Last Barrels has been on the shelves for six months with a current balance on hand of 2100.

@paddockjudge

Not because it's no good... but because it's plentiful.

To all my good people who silently down-voted my previous posts — in this discussion that oh-so-ironically included criticism of silent drive-by down-votes! — all I can say is...

klaek.

@OlJas, that deserves a thumbs-up!

klaek!

@paddockjudge

Agreed. Klaek!

@Spitfire what did you think of Union 52?

@Nelom Hi, Nelom.

Have to admit, I haven't even opened the Union52--in truth, kinda forgot I had it. Hmmm...that reminds me...

@Spitfire Why not wait until the spring... if the Opposition party wins the election all the unions will be celebrating...

Yeah, here in BC they will be.

we can only hope...

Anyone mind shipping me a bottle of Union52 to Ontario? Can reciprocate, Wiser's Last Barrels, etc.