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I first had Wiser’s 18 from a tiny sample bottle that a friend gave me from the LCBO. I knew nothing about Wiser’s beyond their Small Batch whiskies and other than Canadian Club, I didn’t know anything about Canadian whiskies either. But I was very impressed with that sample and was delighted to see the full bottle at LCBO for a decent price!

This is a blended whisky (I assumed Blended Grain in the categories below, but I’m not 100% sure what it’s composed of) that’s aged for a minimum of 18 years and is bottled at 40% ABV. I think overall, it’s a fantastic whisky and a great introduction to Canadian whisky for single malt lovers! It’s made me appreciate Canadian whisky and pay attention to other Canadian whiskies such as Lot 40.

In this whisky I got hints of toffee/caramel with a touch of vanilla, nutmeg, and woody influences. It’s very smooth and has a very low alcohol content. After some time after the bottle is opened, I found the whisky needed more time to sit after pouring before the familiar aromas came out, sometimes 15-20 minutes where before it only needed a few. Near the end of the bottle I got more floral notes that I didn’t get as much earlier. I had the bottle open close to a year and near the end I just drank it with ice. It took even longer for the aromas to come out and I think it overstayed its welcome in the bottle. Not sure if this is a reflection on lighter Canadian whiskies or not, but my Lagavulin 16 hasn’t suffered at all after a year so this was a tad disappointing. Just means you have to drink it quicker and invite more friends over.

Overall though, it has a beautiful aroma and it’s a very impressive whisky. I highly recommend it, especially considering its price. I will only issue one more complaint, in that I have no idea how this whisky was made and couldn’t find any information on it either. Casks, whether there is coloring, additives, etc are all question marks and my inquiry was not responded to from the distillery itself. I think they should have more clarity into the production/maturation process for those that are curious.

Purchased: 2011
Opened: Late 2011/Early 2012
Finished: Late 2012/Early 2013

WWC Recommendation: Recommended! Try some quality Canadian whisky if you haven’t already!

ZBL