Clean wood, butterscotch, molasses, floral and fruity tones, rye spices, ginger and something almost meaty. Glowing hot peppers fading into sweet citrus notes. ★★★★★

Although it’s now long gone, the success last year of JP Wiser’s limited edition Canada 150 bottling continues to bear dividends for whisky drinkers. It inspired the JP Wiser’s team to return this year with another special edition, this one celebrating the 200th anniversary of the 49th parallel. For those who don’t know, that’s the 5,525-mile straight line that marks Western Canada’s southern reaches.

Last year’s whisky was an amped up 18 year old. This year’s is essentially the same blend of rye and corn whiskies except that it is a year older. JP Wiser’s Canada 2018 is bottled at 43.3% abv, as was last year’s One Fifty edition. Darn! I thought they might go for 49% given what they are commemorating.

Officially, the treaty that established the 49th parallel as the southern border of Western Canada is called The Convention Respecting Fisheries, Boundary and the Restoration of Slaves between the United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, or simply the Treaty of 1818. It was signed on October 20, 1818, by the United States and the UK. Well, heck, July 1st is Canada Day; that’s close enough.

Limited to just 16,000 bottles and exclusive to Canada, JP Wiser’s 2018 Commemorative bottle sells for about $50.00. It’s well worth grabbing a bottle. And for collectors, maybe a second. It sounds like the commeorative series will continue into the future with new Canadian milestones to celebrate each year.

Happy Canada Day!

Nose: Newly sawn wood, butterscotch, faint rye spices, ginger, some floral tones and vaguely meaty.

Palate: Caramel, molasses, hot peppery spices, quite fruity, fresh water plants, mid-palate glow.

Finish: Long, and peppery, fading into sweet hints of oranges.

Very highly recommended. ★★★★★
$49.95 at LCBO

Also new for 2018 – JP Wiser’s Seasoned Oak is reviewed here.