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Wiser's Red Letter 150th Anniversary

Landmark Canadian Whisky

0 494

@VictorReview by @Victor

17th Jan 2013

0

Wiser's Red Letter 150th Anniversary
  • Nose
    ~
  • Taste
    ~
  • Finish
    ~
  • Balance
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  • Overall
    94

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Distribution of ratings for this: brand user

Wiser's Red Letter celebrates the 150th Anniversary of J. P. Wiser's distillery in Prescott, Ontario. 6,000 bottles of the whisky were produced in 2007. I thank @paddockjudge for the reviewed sample, which is from bottle # 2640. The reviewed bottle has been open for 1 month. My alternate title for this review is Christmas Spice Cake

This review will be in non-sequential format (SQVH). For more information on this format see my review and comment trail for Royal Canadian Small Batch

Strength: Grain, wood, and wine flavours are all of very good strength in the nose, on the palate, and on the finish. There is a very consistent strength of flavours throughout. Score 23/25 all;24/25 Canadian Category

Quality: the wood flavours are outstanding in the nose, and very good on the palate and through the finish. These are some of the best wood flavours I have tasted in Canadian whisky. It is reported that some new wood was used in the production of the whisky. Maple flavour is the predominant wood flavour present here, but a very ethereal confectioner's-sugar-like high-pitched vanilla is also strong in the nose. The rye grain flavours are top-notch as well, manifesting great spiciness. The other grain flavours blend into the background, as would be expected. The wine flavours are also excellent here, vibrant, alive, engaging. Score 24/25 all; 25/25 Canadian

Variety: the wine seems to pair with the wood flavours, and, together, they act as duet performers with the spicy rye. Overall complexity is very good. Score 23/25 all; 24/25 Canadian

Harmony: there is great harmony of the three sets of flavours here. Beholding the parts of Wiser's Red Letter together is a thing of beauty. This is outstanding Canadian whisky, and outstanding whisky, period. Score 24/25 all; 25/25 Canadian

Total scores: 94 all; 98 Canadian Category

Comments: 1)at this time there isn't much of this whisky to be found anymore, 2)at $ 150, this is one of the most expensive Canadian whiskies on the market, 3)I really hope to get some more chances to sample Wiser's Red Letter in the future

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4 comments

@michaelschout
michaelschout commented

@Victor The more I read about this the more I'm beginning to see it as a Canadian enigma, never having tried it.

11 years ago 0

@Victor
Victor commented

@michaelschout, it is a very pretty bottle, and a very pricey bottle, if there are any more to be had. I looked at it myself in quite a few LCBO display cabinets, knowing I wasn't likely to ante up the $ 150.

@paddockjudge also let me try a sample from another bottle of Red Letter of his which had been open a long time. That older one wasn't nearly as good as this reviewed one was, but I would still have rated somewhere around 90. Because it was long oxidised I wasn't in a position to have an opinion as to whether its flavours at that point had deviated a great deal from its best flavours, or whether they were typical of that bottle. @paddockjudge said he thought that that other bottle was even originally not as good as this reviewed one was.

11 years ago 0

@talexander
talexander commented

I have these samples from @paddockjudge as well (a wonderful guy, so generous) - I can't wait to try them!!

11 years ago 0

@kilo11
kilo11 commented

Have three bottles here. 2 for keeping, 1 open and being enjoyed for special occassions

11 years ago 0