J.P. Wiser's Dissertation

To begin, the Dissertation from J.P. Wiser’s is not for everyone. While it offers a great deal to appreciate, one must focus intently to grasp its subtleties. If you lack the time for this, choose a different spirit with immediate rewards. The aroma is, to put it mildly, intriguing. It's earthy, musty, and slightly bitter, revealing maple, bright golden hues, and charred sugars with a hint of vanilla, presented almost as a curiosity. Take your time. These elements don't burst forth. They exist as minor details within the experience. Discovering them is akin to finding an old artifact in a room and examining every scratch and dusty mark. They speak of a distant past. This dram offers a medium texture with a hearty warmth that lingers for a considerable time. It's dry, impacting the upper palate rather than focusing on the tongue. The finish is smooth with a pleasant richness. Similar to the aroma, it's distinctive, concluding with notes of aged leather and old rope. If I had to summarize all these qualities in a single word, I would call J.P. Wiser’s Dissertation “transportive.” It evokes a navigator meticulously charting a course. I don't always desire this sensation in a whisky, as the experience can be quite intense. However, in certain moments, that connection to an ideal, to history, to a way of life I've never known, is precisely what I seek. (FWF Share #63 [3/8/2018])

What better spirit than this to mark the successful completion of a PhD defense? I purchased and cellared this last year, and now I finally get to open it. It's a delightful little spirit, though a fellow reviewer below is accurate in noting its strong resemblance to the now-discontinued Wiser's Legacy. I'm a big admirer of the Wiser's decanter-style bottle. The aroma presents notes of dill, clove, caraway seed, vanilla, a subtle hint of burnt rubber (in a good way), some wood smoke, and a caramel sweetness. The taste is mellow—less intense than the aroma suggested—starting with a caramel/vanilla sweetness and developing into a sharp spice, notes of fresh wood (cedar?), black pepper, and brining spices (again, clove, dill, caraway). There are also hints of citrus pith, ginger, cinnamon, and mint. It's a bit thinner than I prefer, with a finish that leans towards dry and woody. A very respectable spirit, passing with minor adjustments.

I was captivated from the start. Perhaps my expectations were too high, or I was in the right frame of mind, but I enjoyed this bottle immediately. The aroma offered oak, maple sugar, red apples, and some allspice. The taste introduced a buttery quality, transforming the sweetness into baked brown sugar with cooked darker fruits and cinnamon. The finish was warm, extended, and certainly brought forth more wood and spice. It had a drying effect, balancing the sweet initial impression of the whisky. This definitely shows a significant rye influence, so keep that in mind if you're considering a purchase.

The limited edition whiskies from Canada over the past few years have been excellent, and this one is no exception. Its creamy aroma suggests bourbon more than rye, but the taste strongly aligns with the mash bill: black pepper combined with orange syrup and a subtle dairy note. The spices persist, playing on the tongue. A fine example of what this distillery can produce, and a great value if you can find it.

Comparable to or better than many American ryes Nose: Red Apples, Maple Syrup, Cloves, Spearmint, Green Apples, Marshmallows, Grass, Banana Butter Cake, Honey, Coconuts, Cherry Cola, Root Beer, Cooked Agave, Cookie Dough Palate: Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Walnuts, Cloves, Baking Spices, Cashews, Brown Sugar, Pecans, Cherries, Peaches, Anise, Dark Chocolate Finish: Dark Chocolate, Honey, Coconut, Cloves, Nutmeg, Baking Rye Spices, Marzipan

If you can't find this, get the also currently scarce Wiser's Legacy. From what I recall, they taste identical. It's definitely among the top Canadian offerings. Well-rounded with notes of caramel, oak, floral, and rye spice. Costs $65 in Ontario.