Tastes

Heaven Hill (Blended) 80% grain neutral spirit, 20% whisky 3 years of age, 40% abv. Aroma: sweet, candy like, vanilla. Taste: minor oak notes, moderate candy/vanilla sweetness dominates the flavor. For a cheap blended whisky with grain neutral spirits it is okay/average. Cost: $9.95 for a 1 liter glass bottle. Grade: C range.

Glencullen 10 year. 80 proof single malt scotch. Aroma: sweet/sherry cask. Taste: moderate sherry, sweet barrel notes, minor oak, sweet finish. very smooth. I had this about a year back and definitely going to revisit this one for some more details. It may be the cheapest single malt scotch on the market. Cost: 20 plus tax for a 750 ml bottle. Grade: B-

Pendleton Midnight, Canadian Whisky bottled in Oregon. 45% abv. No age listed. Minimum: 3 years, a portion is finished in brandy barrels. Aroma: minor sweet notes, leather. Taste: plenty of brandy notes, over time this is lost and more oak notes come through. It is very one note from my experience but it is a decent offering from Pendleton, definitely deserves a revisit. Cost: 28.99+tax for a 750 ml bottle. Grade: B-/B

Pendleton Rye, aged 12 years. 40% abv. Canadian whisky bottled in Oregon. 100% Rye. Aroma: all sweet, vanilla/caramel. Taste: Brandy like sweetness dominates, some rye spice, and minor barrel notes. It taste more like a brandy than a rye to me, I will probably revisit this in the future to see if I can get more notes. It is a solid and enjoyable whisky. Cost: 29-30 +tax for a 750 ml bottle. Grade: B range.

JP Wiser's 18 year. Made and bottled in Canada, 80 proof, color possible added. Chill filtered. Aroma: not much, grainy, mild white oak. Taste: mild oak, peppery, grainy, spicy finish, some barrel bitterness. I was glad there was not much sweetness, if any. Cost me $49.99 plus tax. Grade: B-/B (it was good but I expected better)

Pike Creek 10 year (rum barrel finished), bottled in Canada, 42% abv made by Pernod Ricard. Aroma: rye, light rum, odd sweetness. Taste: sweet, vanilla, some oak, not really getting any rum but more of that odd canuck sweetness. It has a little of the generic/cheaper Canadian notes. Which I was not expecting for a more legitimate/pricier bottle. Very smooth nice sipper. Wooden top. Coloring possibly added. Cost: 29.99+tax (overpriced) Grade: C+/B-

Henderson, 80% grain neutral spirits, 20% bourbon. "Crafted and bottled in Texas by southwest spirits." Aroma: cigar box/tobacco notes, sour apple/fruity, bourbon notes. Taste: like a cigar box/oak forward, this changes as the whisky breathes, grainy, vanilla sweetness, some bourbon fruitiness. Very smooth. Wooden top with synthetic cork. A very decent blended whisky for the price. Cost: 7.99 plus tax Grade: B- Revisited on 7-20-22 Aroma: only vanilla, like eggnog almost Taste: vanilla, sweet with a little sourness, very one/two note Cost: 10.99 plus tax Grade: D Probably an older bottle or bad batch, had plastic top instead of wood. Color was a lot lighter, this smelled and tasted nothing like the first time I tried this. I ended up dumping the bottle out of disappointment. Note: the Henderson's website is now showing a different label and calling it vanilla flavored whisky.

Pendleton (Canadian), no age listed, minimum age is 3 years. Imported then bottled in Oregon. 40% abv. Aroma: semi sharp, some odd sweetness and oak. Taste: some sweetness, minor oak, and some some odd notes. Its average at best in my opinion. Cost: 20 plus tax Grade: C

Redneck Riviera, 80 proof, bottled in Oregon. 95% american light whisky aged 2 years, 5% 1 year american malt whisky. Aroma: light vanilla, sweetness, minor oak. Taste: minor barrel notes, minor sweetness (vanilla), some astringency. Very average. Cost: 17-18 + tax on sale, overpriced in my opinion, other places might have this for an even higher price. This should be a budget whisky but is marketed otherwise. Grade: C range.

Bearface, bottled in Canada but is sourced from other distilleries. 85 proof, aged 7 years. Aroma: painted oak, cork, sweetness. Taste: light spice, oak, minor hard to discern sweetness which overtook the other tasting notes after it sat a little while. Cost me 32.99 plus tax for a 750 ml bottle. It is overpriced in my opinion, it taste fine but I was expecting better for such a whisky that goes through such a complex process according to some sources. Grade: C+/B-