Mister Sam is a cask strength blend of American and Canadian whiskies from the Sazerac Company, named in honour of Samuel Bronfman, the Montreal businessman who built Seagram. The 2019 bottling was the first edition, 1,200 bottles at 133.8 proof.
About This Whisky
The first Mister Sam was bottled at the Old Montreal Distillery at 66.9% ABV and sold in the United States and Canada, 1,200 bottles in all. Sazerac has not published the component whiskies or their ages. Each bottle came in a wooden case with a copy of From Little Acorns, the Seagram history Bronfman wrote on his 80th birthday. Later batches followed in 2021, 2023 and 2025, each at a different strength, so the 2019 bottle is the one that set the style.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Brown sugar, cedar and pipe tobacco, then maple, orange peel, dark cherry and a hint of mint.
- Palate: Thick and warm, with raisins, stewed plums and cherry, then nutmeg, cinnamon and peppermint.
- Finish: Long, with polished oak, cherry cordial and a cool spearmint lift.
Serving & Food
At almost 67% it needs care. Pour a small measure into a Glencairn, taste it neat, then add water a few drops at a time until the fruit comes forward. Keep food simple: aged Gouda, dark chocolate with cherries, or candied pecans.
How to Enjoy
Collectors of North American whisky, and anyone who knows the Seagram story and wants a bottle that tells it.
Product Details
Producer: Sazerac
Expression: Mister Sam Tribute Whiskey
Release: 2019 (first edition)
Style: Blend of American and Canadian whiskies
Master Blender: Drew Mayville
ABV: 66.9% ABV / 133.8 proof
Bottled at: Old Montreal Distillery, Quebec
Bottles Released: 1,200
Volume: 750mL
About the Distillery
Sazerac owns distilleries on both sides of the border, including Buffalo Trace and Barton 1792 in Kentucky and the Old Montreal Distillery in Quebec. That spread of stock is what made this blend possible.
The whisky was composed by Drew Mayville, Sazerac's Master Blender, who spent 22 years at Seagram and was the fourth and last Master Blender of the Bronfman era. Bronfman and his brothers founded Distillers Corporation in Montreal, and the company grew into Seagram. He liked to say that distilling is a science and blending an art, and Mayville was given free choice of Sazerac's American and Canadian warehouses to prove the point.
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