J.P. Wiser’s 27 year old Mizunara Oak (62.1%)

For various reasons, I have found myself tasting several well-aged Canadian whiskies of late, so it seemed fitting to finally turn my attention to this now 2+ month old special release from J.P. Wiser’s. At $600, it is a pricey spirit for sure, but still a relative bargain relative to such comparably aged Scottish whiskies as The Macallan Sherry Oak 25 year old at $5490 and The Balvenie 25 year old ($1700, but currently on sale at the LCBO for $1352).

As the name implies, this was finished in rare Japanese Mizunara oak, which is certainly having its moment right now in the whisky world. According to the Wiser’s press release:

“The Mizunara oak tree requires 150–200 years of growth before it can be harvested. Unlike other oak species, Mizunara grows with twisting, multi-angled limbs, making it incredibly difficult to source pieces large enough to craft full casks. While most whiskies on the market rely on Mizunara oak inserts, this release is uniquely matured in full Mizunara casks, infusing a flavour complexity that few have experienced.”

Only 1,000 bottles were produced – and no, they didn’t send me one, but rather just a small sample bottle – and of those only 100 remain in the distillery’s store at the time of writing, according to the Wiser’s website.

The aroma certainly shows the difference Mizunara aging can make, as it is quite unlike any other Wiser’s whisky I’ve encountered. The first sniff is remarkably floral, and perhaps I am put in mind of cherry blossoms only because of the Japanese connection, while a second whiff reveals notes of light chocolate, Granny Smith apple, fresh cherry, and a particularly fragrant and elegant vanilla.

Sipped neat, it shows sweet vanilla, fig, and chocolate up front, growing understandably hot on the mid-palate, with dried fruit and brown spice, honey and apple, before a more cocoa- and spice-driven finish. It is an interesting experience and not at all unpleasant – in fact, something I would highly recommend trying before adding water – but just a bit too intense to be appreciated long-term.

With a drop of water, then, the aroma becomes even more floral, with enhanced apple and vanilla notes and more reticent chocolate and cherry. The flavour mellows too, of course, but here it grows far more open and inviting, with fig and date notes, layers of different sorts of chocolate, and some fruity, plummy notes that escaped me in the cask strength version.

While I am generally a proponent of drinking higher end whiskies as they were packaged, the 62% of the Mizunara is simply too much for at least my palate. With a glass of water and a dropper at its side, however, this is a lovely experience and represents yet another side of Canadian whisky, thanks once again to the creativity of Wiser’s master blender Dr. Don Livermore.

Is it worth $600? If you’re a habitual purchaser of ultra-aged whiskies, most definitely, and in fact it’s a bargain. If not, well, you might have other, more pressing needs.

91 ($600 from the distillery store)