J.P. Wiser's 1998 22 Year Old Ex Libris Smaller Hero (70cl, 64.5%)

Smaller Hero is a Canadian blended whisky from J.P. Wiser's, distilled in 1998 at Hiram Walker & Sons in Walkerville, Ontario. It matured for 22 years in seasoned oak and was bottled at cask strength, 64.5%, in a 70cl bottle, non-chill-filtered and without added colour. La Maison du Whisky chose it for the Ex Libris series, a small-batch edition of 1,428 bottles. The name refers to Mordecai Richler's novel Son of a Smaller Hero, and the maple leaf and restrained design recall a book binding. In the glass it is topaz. The nose opens with varnish, balsamic and musk, then apricot kernel, heather honey and rye. The palate brings cinnamon, ginger, coconut and mocha, and the long finish is fruity with fig, pineapple, candied orange and liquorice.