Pendleton Director’s Reserve 20 Year Canadian Whisky

My Price: $159.99 (now 199.95)

Country/Area:  Canada/Hood River, USA

Distillery: Undisclosed (bottled by Hood River Distillers in Oregon)

Proof/ABV: 80 proof/ 40% ABV

Mash Bill: Undisclosed

Barrel: Undisclosed

Age: 20 year

Nose: Ethanol, Metallic Vanilla, Honeysuckle

Taste: Maple, Oak, Sweet Cream

Review: Growing up in Oregon less than an hour away from Hood River meant I was always aware of the Pendleton Brand of Canadian Whisky. Years after I began drinking Pendleton it did dawn on me how strange it was to name a Canadian Blended Whisky after a very famous Rodeo in Oregon. But I digress. Because it was Pendleton that was my gateway to the whiskey world and because my wife thought the leather adorned bottle looked “pretty” I decided to bite the bullet on what was at the time, the most expensive bottle by far, I had ever purchased. The nose is not terribly different than its much, much cheaper non-age stated sibling, the taste however does offer a smoother experience with significantly more oak and sweetness. Compared to many of the other 15+ year old whiskies I’ve tried this one comes off as more approachable and less tannic. It’s lower proof likely lends itself to how sweet and mild it tastes while still seeming a bit alcoholic on the nose. Is this bottle worth more than $100? Probably not unless you want it strictly for its age statement and presentation piece of a bottle. The booze inside does leave a bit to be desired but it is a bottle I plan to always have in my bar just for nostalgia’s sake. Cheers!

My Rating: Shoot it. If it was sub $100 it would rate higher. Cheers!

May the miles you hike be filled with wonder and the glasses you raise be filled with whiskey.

Cheers!

Rating scale:

-Spit: Don’t bother with this one. If a friend gives you a dram of it, are they even your friend?

-Shoot: Good enough to get you drunk.

-Sip: Tasty enough to enjoy neat or on the rocks.

-Stock: I’d recommend keeping a bottle on hand.