Wiser's Legacy

[velocci]

Hi all, Wiser's has a new whisky out called Wiser's Legacy. its pretty expensive at $85 in Ontario. Anyone taste this yet? how does it compare to their 18yo bottle in terms of flavour, how its made and age?

[Megawatt]

Hi all, Wiser's has a new whisky out called Wiser's Legacy. its pretty expensive at $85 in Ontario. Anyone taste this yet? how does it compare to their 18yo bottle in terms of flavour, how its made and age?

Hey, I just noticed this. According to Wiser's it is a rye blend that is pot-distilled, which makes it an attractive prospect, price notwithstanding. Also it is bottled at 90 proof. Here is a review, though this is from a while ago and I see the bottle is different: http://therumhowlerblog.wordpress.com/extras/first-impressions/first-impression-wisers-legacy-canadian-whisky/

[Gillman]

I haven't seen this at LCBO, sounds interesting.

Gary

[Megawatt]

I haven't seen this at LCBO, sounds interesting.

Gary

It just arrived! Based on the final recipe by JP Wiser, hence the name. Or so the story goes...

[Gillman]

Okay thanks I will get some and report.

Gary

[Gillman]

I opened another thread with the same name by accident so will summarize here what I said there to continue the discussion here: it's apparently all-pot still rye whisky, well-aged (but no age statement), got good notes of mint and florals, but with some of the mildness characteristic of Canadian whisky. A very good effort and presumably an example of the flavouring whiskies used here to flavour Canadian whiskies.

Gary

[Gillman]

Forgot to mention the ABV: 45%.

Gary

[velocci]

what does pot-still mean? what is the alternative? which is better and why?

Forgot to mention the ABV: 45%.

Gary

[Megawatt]

what does pot-still mean? what is the alternative? which is better and why?

Made in copper pots stills rather than continuous column stills. In whisky, it means more flavour is left in the spirit. Malt Scotch and Irish whisky are made in copper pots. Canadian whisky is usually made in columns. Not sure about bourbon. It is kind of like the difference between "small batch" and "mass production", in a rough sense.

[Jono]

The review above makes this Canadian sound very enticing...more "bourbon" like than traditional Canadian whiskeys....$85 CN is a bit steep....more like a Scotch.

[velocci]

if someone finds out how many bottles are made, please let me know. I did read a review where the author said it might be a limited production. But i'd like to know officially.

[Jono]

Re Wiser's...I came across some old labels of whiskey online...

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.bottlebooks.com/American%2520Medicinal%2520Spirits%2520Company/0991896.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.bottlebooks.com/American%2520Medicinal%2520Spirits%2520Company/canadian_whiskey_trademarks.htm&usg=__HOmlncdPX0-elKCFRdTCBTqk1mw=&h=250&w=216&sz=53&hl=en&start=3&zoom=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=2AtUf_EuQ5U_zM:&tbnh=111&tbnw=96&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dold%2Bwheated%2Bbourbon%2Blabels%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dopera%26sa%3DG%26rls%3Den%26tbs%3Disch:1

Interesting that Wiser's made a bourbon....Wiser's Special Reserve Old Bourbon Whiskey....in Ontario. I think they should revisit that recipe and brand.

That would be a nice legacy.

[Gillman]

Right, that and other bourbon brands appear to have been made mainly for sale to visiting Americans, i.e., during the Volstead era. The comparison of American rye with Canadian rye labels makes it clear that American straight rye was made for the same purpose. Today, trade agreements prevent the manufacture of bourbon in Canada so-called.

By the way, bourbon (excepting a couple of instances) is made in the U.S. in column stills. However, the key thing to understand is that they are operated in a way to reduce their efficiency, such that under 160 proof distillation will occur thereby preserving grain and other fermentation characteristics in the entered and fully matured product. In a word, the column still is used to emulate an alembic pot still. An interesting factor is that even if you distill out in pot and column stills to the same proof, the spirit will have different co-products (with alcohol) and not taste identical. Generally, the pot still product will be more pungent.

Gary

[Jono]

There is even an "Old Hickory" but it is an "American Rye Whiskey"...another Wiser's brand. Wiser's history appears to have followed a familiar company trajectory with other old firms...founder creates high quality product, dies and then the company is sold to various firms over the years....today it is part of Corby / Pernard Ricard.

http://www.whiskeywise.com/canadian-whiskey.html

"The biggest producers, Seagram's have half a dozen distilleries in Canada, using several different yeasts, and making more than 50 different straight whiskies for blending."

I think this is a good write up of Canadian whisky....it would be nice if more of those 50+ straight whiskys were aged and released.

Nice Wiser's Legacy review - comparison and contrasts with other Canadians...

http://www.canadianwhisky.org/news-views/introducing-the-new-wiser’s-legacy-canadian-rye-whisky-45-alc-vol.html

[dmarkle]

what does pot-still mean? what is the alternative? which is better and why?

These are pot stills. Specifically, Woodford's.

http://www.thefiftybest.com/content/wine/the_wine_detective/images/woodford_reserve_distillery.jpg

This is a column still.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/06/Catoctin_creek_still.jpg

Column stills are more modern, generally more precise and definitely more versatile. They're also cheaper to run. Since they can make very pure alcohol, they can be used to make all kinds of stuff, from industrial alcohol, to vodka, to whiskey. If you're just starting out a liquor-making company and you want to have a diverse product portfolio, you could make a whole host of products with just one column still. If you need to make ginormous amounts of whiskey, you would likewise probably invest in a computer-controlled column still to make the quantity of product you desire. And while you're at it, you'd probably also mix your whiskey with some of the pure grain alcohol you made in your fancy still too (blended whisky producers do this).

Pot stills require multiple distillations to really make pure spirit -- more impurities (flavors) are left in the booze after a distillation. That makes them much more expensive when making purer alcohols. But the fact that they leave so much flavor in the distillate is what makes them good for whiskey. Whiskey distillers usually do multiple distillations to make their products though (two or three runs through the still).

Ah, I knew my organic chemistry class would come in handy one day!

[Gillman]

That quote Jono is I believe from Michael Jackson's 1987 World Guide to Whisky, cited in the bibliography on the site (together with many other excellent sources). I am not sure today Seagram operates in the same fashion. I recall in a Malt Advocate article, it was explained by a Seagram distiller that different ages of 5 basic whiskies are used for Crown Royal, some batch, some continuous-made. Today Seagram produces its brands only in one distillery, in Manitoba, is my further understanding).

Gary