WHISKYAMBASSADORS

BEHIND EVERY GREAT WHISKY EXPERIENCE IS A GREAT GUIDE.

While whisky begins at the distillery, it often comes to life at the bar, the table, or the tasting glass. That’s where educators and ambassadors play a critical role by translating heritage, flavour, and craft into moments people enjoy.

Dave Mitton and Colin MacDougall are two of the voices shaping how Canadians (and the world) experience J.P. Wiser’s today. With decades spent behind the bar, on the road, and in front of curious drinkers, they bring Canadian whisky to life through education, hospitality, and approachability.

In these conversations, Dave and Colin share how they introduce people to Canadian whisky, how they challenge outdated perceptions, and why versatility is one of the category’s greatest strengths.

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DAVE MITTON

GLOBAL BRAND AMBASSADOR

Dave (Mitty) Mitton is credited as being one of the catalysts of the modern cocktail renaissance in Canada. 

A bartender’s bartender, restauranteur, and bon vivant turned Global Brand Ambassador, his elbows have rubbed thousands of bars in his decades as the consummate spirit guide. 

Over the past decade, Dave has been Head of Education and Advocacy as the Global Brand Ambassador at Corby Spirit and Wine (Pernod Ricard). Passionately sharing the rich history and innovation of iconic spirits with bartenders around the world. 

Dave was the co-owner and operator of award-wining restaurants and bars Czehoski and The Harbord Room in Toronto. He and his drinks have been featured in numerous publications around the globe and he’s been a featured guest on multiple lifestyle television, news shows and documentaries. He has been   a featured speaker at many cocktail and spirit festivals around the world. 

Dave’s expertise has made him a sought-after consultant for restaurants and bar beverage programs and cocktail designs, as well as giving talks on spirits, classic and modern cocktail practice, and innovation. 

Dave was recently honored with the following awards in 2024.

“Best International Brand Ambassador” – Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards

“Brand Ambassador of the Year” – Canadian Whisky Awards

What is one thing you wish every person knew about Canadian whisky before they walk into a tasting?

One thing I wish everyone knew is that Canadian whisky is one of the most innovative and versatile spirit categories in the world and also one of the most misunderstood.

For a long time, it was seen as unassuming or even boring. It wasn’t exotic like Irish or Japanese whisky, or bold like bourbon, so it didn’t feel “cool.” But that perception is changing.

Today, Canadian producers are embracing diversity, experimentation, and creativity, and more people are discovering just how broad and exciting the category really is.

When someone tells you ‘I don’t usually drink whisky,’ how do you help them find their first J.P. Wiser’s pour?

Many non-whisky drinkers still think whisky can only be enjoyed a certain way, by a certain kind of person and that it isn’t a versatile spirit. That simply isn’t true.

Whisky is a beautiful, complex category that can be enjoyed on its own, with water, over ice, mixed long, or in cocktails. It offers a wide range of compelling flavours, which makes it accessible to far more people than they expect.

When introducing someone to J.P. Wiser’s, I often suggest the 18-Year-Old whisky. It’s a beautifully balanced blend of soft, double column-distilled corn whisky aged in used Canadian whisky casks, which highlights grain and yeast character. On the nose, you’ll find vanilla, cedar, autumn florals, hints of fresh pine, and mature oak. On the palate, it’s very soft and extremely smooth, with notes of baked apple, spice, rich caramel, and a touch of citrus. It’s ideal for sipping neat or over a single cube at the end of the day.

Can you share a memorable guest moment or question from a tasting that really stuck with you?

After more than a decade in this role, it’s hard to choose a single moment from the countless tastings and events I’ve hosted around the world. Some of the most rewarding experiences come when someone in the U.S. tells me they “don’t like Canadian whisky,” or when I’m working in the UK or Europe with people who have never tried it at all. Being the person who introduces them to the category, changes their perception of our national spirit, and sees that first smile after a sip that never gets old.

Is there a J.P. Wiser’s whisky-and-food pairing you love to recommend that surprises people?

Whisky and chocolate are a classic pairing, and with J.P. Wiser’s 10 Year Old, I usually recommend a semi-sweet chocolate to complement its richness. If you’re pairing whisky with dessert instead, English sticky toffee pudding is a standout match. The caramelized sweetness works beautifully with the whisky’s depth and oak character.

If you had to describe J.P. Wiser’s in three words to someone who’s never tried it, what would they be, and why those?

J.P. Wiser’s is historic, smooth, and complex 

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COLIN MACDOUGALL

NATIONAL BRAND EDUCATION SPECIALIST

While he’s a dyed-in-the-wool “Bluenoser” who originally hails from Nova Scotia, Colin MacDougall travelled the corners of the earth before settling back into Canada on its Pacific Coast. Here he continued his passion for the spirit and wine industry, becoming a specialist for an already well-respected and dedicated team at Corby’s/Pernod-Ricard.

Colin knows that everything in life tells a story, and he has been telling the story of the beverage industry since the early 2000s. He is an expert on the multitude of diverse stories and nuances world spirits have to offer, is a seasoned beverage program consultant, an award-winning cocktail menu architect, and was a familiar face behind the bar as manager at a number of prestigious restaurants including Melbas on the Park, West, Pourhouse, and Blue Water Café.

For Colin, spirit education is more than simply an occupation – it’s a golden opportunity to educate loyal fans and new acolytes alike, championing the very best that the world’s distilleries have to offer.

What is one thing you wish every person knew about Canadian whisky before they walk into a tasting?

One thing I wish people knew is that Canada has its own distinct whisky history and heritage, and that history is what led us to create one of the most diverse whisky styles in the world.

In the late 1800s, figures often referred to as the Canadian Whisky Barons, including Hiram Walker and John Phillip Wiser, helped define what Canadian whisky could be. Their influence set Canada on a path that ultimately saw Canadian whisky distributed and enjoyed around the world.

When someone tells you ‘I don’t usually drink whisky,’ how do you help them find their first J.P. Wiser’s pour?

One of the great strengths of Canadian whisky is its range. The category includes bold, unapologetic styles like Lot No. 40, as well as lighter, more approachable expressions like J.P. Wiser’s Special Blend.

I always encourage people to start with approachable whiskies, but also to explore traditional serves. Cocktails like the Whisky Sour, Whisky Collins, or even a Rye Tai show how versatile Canadian whisky can be. These drinks are easy drinking and flavour-forward without being overly bitter or spirit-heavy like an Old Fashioned or Manhattan.

Can you share a memorable guest moment or question from a tasting that really stuck with you?

Absolutely! A master distiller from Scotland once told me there is no single right way to drink whisky. The right way is the way you personally enjoy it.

Adding water or ice is often done by very experienced drinkers, but he also advised that when tasting a whisky for the first time, it is best to try it as-is. That gives you a clear sense of its character and how the whisky was intended to be experienced.

Ice and chilling can mute some flavours, and too much water can do the same. That said, if that is how you enjoy your whisky, then that is the right way for you.

Is there a J.P. Wiser’s whisky-and-food pairing you love to recommend that surprises people?

100%! A Lot No. 40 Manhattan with a steak can stand up to any Cabernet. And a J.P. Wiser’s 18 Year Sazerac alongside a crème brûlée is one of those pairings that will change your life.

If you had to describe J.P. Wiser’s in three words to someone who’s never tried it, what would they be, and why those?

It’s tough to sum up the entire portfolio, but for J.P. Wiser’s Deluxe, I often describe it as time travel whisky.

The recipe was first released in 1857 and has remained largely unchanged ever since. When I pour it for someone, I ask them to close their eyes and imagine sliding onto a saloon stool in 1890.

I also like to call it a heritage style whisky. As trends have come and gone, this style has stood the test of time, not just for J.P. Wiser’s, but for many of Canada’s whisky producers who followed.