Wiser's NHL Alumni Series Dave Keon 14 Year Old

I'm a Habs fan through and through. Heck, my father proposed to my mother the night the Montreal Canadiens won the Stanley Cup in 1973. When we watched La soirée du hockey Molson on Radio-Canada, my grandfather would tell stories of Maurice Richard during the intermissions. And of course, the villains in the stories were always either the Boston Bruins or the Toronto Maple Leafs. With that in mind, it remains difficult for me to say anything nice about a whisky associated with the Leafs. Ok, maybe not that difficult. I enjoyed the Wiser's Wendel Clark release but the Lanny McDonald was not at all to my liking. Let's see what the Dave Keon release has to offer.

Tasting notes, neat from a Glencairn, compiled over many tastings

• Nose: a touch of acetone at first that quickly dissipates, wood polish follows, then some apples, vanilla, and dark fruits (prunes and figs would be my best approximation). There's a bit of rye spice (cloves mostly), and something sweet, maple syrup maybe.
• Palate: easy arrival, medium bodied, fresh oak, rye spices, black tea, Macintosh apples, maybe some honey.
• Finish: medium length finish, with more fresh oak, a bit of fresh tobacco, black tea again, and a smattering of dark fruit that's almost reminiscent of brandy, Armagnac or Cognac (I'm not sure my palate is sophisticated enough to tell the difference).

This is an interesting whisky. I think I'd like it even more if it was a bit heavier and maybe more spice-forward. But at around $45 or so, it's a great deal for a 14 year old whisky not bottled at the bare legal minimum.

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