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Learning About Whisky from the Best

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#whisky #whiskytips #whiskies #spirits
Published
11/14/2021 by

Whisky is Canada's most popular spirit; according to Statistics Canada, one of every three bottles of spirits sold in this country is a bottle of whisky.

But it is such a broad category that can be confusing — just in Canadian whisky alone there are roughly 140 different varieties from which to choose. And that says nothing about the American bourbon, Irish whiskey and Scotch (to name but a few whiskies from around the world) rounding out the choices.

To help people navigate through this complex maze, J.P. Wiser's Master Blender Dr. Don Livermore has launched The Canadian Whisky Master Class, a series of books to shed some light on the rich history of distilling whisky in Canada. The first two volumes in the series — The Keeper of History and Blending 101 — have been released simultaneously and are currently available online at the Shop on the J.P. Wiser's website.

The Keeper of History

Offering an inside look at the history of the Hiram Walker and Sons distillery in Walkerville, Ont. (today part of Windsor, Ont.), one of Canada's oldest and largest whisky distilleries, and producer of many of Corby Spirit and Wine's award-winning whiskies including J.P. Wiser's and Lot 40. The book charts the lives of early Canadian whisky barons, industry consolidation during the wild Prohibition years and the industrialization and modernization of Canadian whisky post-Prohibition.

Meticulously researched and lushly illustrated, this book highlights Dr. Don's 25-year contribution to the Canadian whisky industry, including how he has helped reshape early 21st century whisky production.

Filled with personal insights, Dr. Don also explains the rigid distilling and blending processes to ensure the final products are unique, exceptional and pleasing.

The book also explains – in layman's terms – how a Master Blender designs new styles of whisky and ensures it maintains its unique characteristics, from batch to batch.

Blending 101

Whisky connoisseurs and amateur enthusiasts are constantly seeking ways to better understand the many differences between Canadian, Scotch, Irish and American whiskies.

J.P. Wiser's launched "Blend Your Own" whisky classes to help consumers better understand the distinctive characteristics of more than 140 different styles of Canadian whisky. During these sessions, participants also have an opportunity to blend whisky to their tastes. "Blending 101 - The Canadian Whisky Master Class" is a compendium of these sessions.

This book introduces Dr. Don's innovative Canadian Whisky Flavour wheel, illustrating how grain, fermentation and aging in wood casks contributes to unique whisky flavour profiles. Next, it examines the importance of the distillation process and its impact on whisky. Lastly, it explores various blending methods, which brings everything together to create unique Canadian whiskies.

This tome also charts Canadian whisky-making practices from the mid-1800s through the 21st century, including the evolution of the science and precision required to develop consistent, high-quality Canadian whisky.

The Canadian Whisky Master Class pairs perfectly with J.P. Wiser's Blend Your Own Whisky kits, a unique idea that gives whisky lovers the chance to play the role of the Master Blender. Each kit includes five 200mL bottles of different whiskies to blend and create their own whisky to enjoy at home, an empty 375mL bottle to fill with your own concoction, a graduated cylinder and pipette and Dr. Don's Master Blending Guide.

A limited number of the kits are available this holiday season online, at LCBO outlets across Ontario by early November and in BCLS stores in British Columbia by November 13th. 

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