J.P. Wiser's Legacy Canadian Whisky

Along with Lot 40, it's probably the pinnacle of the new breed of (American rye-esque) Canadian whiskies. Flavours of creamy, bright vanilla, butterscotch, caramel, natural (not fake syrupy) maple, big, big oak--fresh cut and toasted, with a bit of cedar, too. Wood-sap. Green apples, red apples, spicy rye, dusty rye, rye bread, pickles, sourdough, clove, cinnamon. . . . Velvety taste but with a nice rye spice, white pepper, granny smith, fresh bread and baking spices, faint citrus. Oak-y on the finish. Legacy is the star of the Wiser's line-up, and it's not even the most expensive regular offering (hell, it's not even the *second* most expensive regular offering, and it blows both the 18 year and the Red Letter away). Recognizably Canadian, but demonstrative of the fact that, if pressed, the Canadian whisky industry can do really interesting things without losing what makes the style unique. Delicate and light, and yet complex, too: balanced, lovely oak-spice flavours, and just a bit of sweetness. Take your Crown Royal Northern Harvest, this is--perennially--my Canadian whisky of the year.