J.P. Wiser's Hopped Dark Ale Style Whisky

J.P. Wiser's Hopped Dark Ale Style Whisky proved impossible for me to ignore. I was compelled to pick up a brown 750mL bottle of the stuff. According to the copy on the label, this 40% spirit is a "distinctive blend of J.P. Wiser' whisky and hops for a rich, dark ale finish."

The whisky is produced by Toronto, Ontario's J.P. Wiser Distillery Limited. It's a very pretty auburn tonic that has an unusually sweet, caramel tinged aroma. The hops added to the distillation aren't immediately evident, at least not in the sense of an India pale ale. However, there is a slight brown ale vibe here that I found fairly agreeable. More than that, though, I found there to be cola notes--caramel and vanilla.

I'm no kind of expert on brown spirits, though I know what I like and I have tried a fairly wide selection of whiskies, bourbons, and scotches. My take on Wiser's Hopped is that it is to be commended for its innovation, though the execution proved a bit too sweet for me, at least on its own. This whisky proved much more enjoyable over ice and mixed with ginger ale than straight up.