A little background

Mister Sam is a new release from Sazerac named in honor of Samuel Bronfman, a Canadian businessman who played a prominent role in the growth and development of the whiskey industry in North America. Bronfman and his brothers initially started Distillers Corporation Ltd. in Montreal, Quebec in 1924 and the company quickly experienced tremendous success due, in part, to prohibition in the U.S. After only four short years this company acquired Joseph E. Seagram & Son out of Waterloo, Ontario, and renamed itself Seagram’s, just in time to start doing business in the U.S. after the repeal of prohibition. Bronfman managed the company for the next four decades and built it into the whiskey behemoth we all knew and loved.

Mister Sam Tribute Whiskey is a blend of American and Canadian whiskies that was created by Drew Mayville, the current Master Blender for Sazerac who was also the Master Blender for Seagram’s for 22 years. Rumor has it that Mayville was given carte blanche to select whiskey for this blend from Sazerac’s massive stock of whiskey in the U.S. and Canada. This whiskey comes in at 133.8 proof (66.9% abv) but no other information on the blend has been provided. The bottle comes in a beautiful wood box and is accompanied by a copy of “…From Little Acorns…”, a history of the Seagram’s company that was written by Bronfman on his 80th birthday. Only 1200 bottles of this rare and unique whiskey were released in the U.S. and Canada, with the MSRP being around $250.

(Tasted neat from a Glencairn Glass)

Color

Dark Amber

Nose

I could talk about the nose on this whiskey all day! Ethanol greets you initially but it dissipates quickly revealing light notes of tobacco leaf and cedar wood. These notes give way to a rich bouquet of dark spiced fruit, fresh vanilla, a hint of maple syrup, and plenty of musty oak. The layers of aroma here are nothing short of spectacular and continue to impress over time.

Palate

On the palate, there is a fair amount of heat but it is not overpowering by any means. Oak presents initially, along with some baking spice (nutmeg), but this is quickly balanced by plenty of sweet flavors consisting of dark brown sugar and sweet fruit preserves, particularly dark cherry, plum, and a few hints of citrus fruit.

Finish

The finish is wonderfully long, smooth, and flavorful. The rich fruit notes continue but oak tannins begin to create a more dry finish, which emphasizes the multitude of baking spices that are present throughout the sip. I also found some tobacco leaf and more musty oak on the back end.

In closing

Mister Sam Tribute Whiskey is fantastic! This bottle absolutely delivers on every level and I can honestly say this is some of the best whiskey I’ve ever tasted. The nose is warm, rich and inviting, and layered with complex aromas that continue to develop over time. On the palate, this whiskey is velvety smooth and full of bold flavors that are well-developed and that all fit together seamlessly, culminating in an extremely well-rounded pour.