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We Ask J.P. Wiser’s Gina Fossitt About Canadian Whisky

More than 165 years of heritage goes into every bottle of J.P. Wiser’s Whisky, still crafted today by Canada’s oldest continuous whisky producing family at the country’s longest running distillery, The Hiram Walker & Sons Distillery.

We ask Gina Fossitt, Trade and Education Brand Manager for JP Wiser’s to tell us more about Canadian Whisky.

Tell us a bit about the history and heritage of Wiser’s Whisky.

J.P. Wiser’s has a long and storied history.  It is the oldest, continuously produced whisky family in Canada, and it is made at the longest running distillery in Canada – The Hiram Walker & Sons Distillery.  J.P. Wiser himself was born in Trenton, New York. He made the move to Canada in 1857 to remain a British subject before the onset of the American Civil War and to work in his uncle’s distillery. He became sole owner of the distillery after buying out his uncle and his uncle’s business partner.

But, before he was a distiller, J.P. Wiser was an American cattle breeder. He originally entered the distillery business to ensure that his cattle would have an ample supply of high-quality grains. In fact, he is considered a pioneer in the cattle trade as he was the first to export cattle to Great Britain. He owned ranches across North America, including Ontario, Texas, Kansas, and Florida, and he was an accomplished thoroughbred horse breeder. His hard work and dedication to the agricultural industry greatly impacted both the U.S. and Canada and continues to do so today through the whisky brand he built.

Talk to us about what is new at the brand.

J.P. Wiser’s is known to be a traditional style of Canadian whisky – light, soft, easy to drink.  The brand has elevated this style with J.P. Wiser’s 10 Year Old, giving whisky drinkers high-quality whisky aged at least 10 years at an affordable price for all to enjoy.  And it’s taken home many prestigious awards since its launch!

What would you like bartenders to know about Wiser’s Whisky?

J.P. Wiser’s represents the best of a traditional style of Canadian whisky, which is a misunderstood category.  The grains are produced separately, which is uncommon in American whisky. 100% corn whisky and 100% rye whisky that are aged separately with a final blend of new oak, once-used bourbon barrels, and multiple-use Canadian casks.  This adds layers of complexity and texture to this traditional style.

There aren’t many places to look for Canadian whisky education and to learn more about the category.  We are changing that with the Eh, B, C’s of Canadian Whisky Certification, a 13-hour course that gives bartenders a full understanding of the category with expert sessions to fully understand the production, history and applications of the whisky.  We now have over 500 graduates!

Talk to us about the packaging.

The new packaging for J.P. Wiser’s Deluxe and 10 Year Old steps up and tells the consumer that they are getting a whisky that leads the charge, that stands boldly and confidently amongst its whisky peers. However, there are delicate details as well that emulate the spirit of J.P. Wiser’s and the moments of consideration and craft that go into each blend.  Simple, yet bold and premium.  Just like the whisky in the bottle, it’s Wisely Done.

Talk to us about the Canadian whisky segment, where do you see it headed?

World whisky categories are growing as palates expand and consumers become more curious.  And J.P. Wiser’s is no exception.  People are more curious about the brand and the category than we’ve ever seen.  I have people reaching out every day about the Eh, B, C’s Certification, what books they can read, and videos that I can share so they can learn more!  It’s an exciting time!

Whisky brands are innovating to attract new generations of whisky drinkers, tell us more.

The production style of Canadian whisky lends itself to innovation, so J.P. Wiser’s is set up to continue to create interesting whiskies as palates change from generation to generation.  With the grains being produced separately all the way through maturation (no mashbills here!), Dr. Don Livermore and his team are able to create new flavors profiles 10, 20, 30 years later.  Let’s take one grain – corn – for example… The team at Hiram Walker can double-column distill it creating a very light and soft whisky; they can single-column distill it keeping a lot of big grain and yeast characteristics or use other distillation styles.

Then, they can take these different whiskies and age them in different types of wood – brand new oak giving more caramel and vanilla notes, ex-bourbon barrels giving some dried fruit notes, Speyside scotch casks, you name it!  Think of all the different flavor components that are aging in the warehouse that can create a new fantastic blend some day!  And, that’s just one grain. We’ve got rye, wheat, barley and some malts aging as well.  Over 1.6 million barrels ready to create a whisky for the new generations of whisky drinkers.

What is coming down the pike for JP Wiser’s?

J.P. Wiser’s has a new Decade Series launching later this year, which is sure to delight!  The first one was distilled in the 1980s.  The whisky is delightful, and the packaging is stunning.  I’m very excited about the whole series.

The post We Ask J.P. Wiser’s Gina Fossitt About Canadian Whisky appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

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