Pendleton Rye 1910 Canadian Rye Whisky

I’m a big fan of rye whiskey, so when a 12 year bottle of rye shows up on the shelves for a fair price, I have to buy it. Pendleton Rye 1910 is Canadian rye whisky, but much of the bottle pointed towards Oregon.

I mean, it’s cut to proof with water from Mt. Hood, the highest peak in Oregon, it’s bottled by Hood River Distillers in Oregon, and it’s named after a rodeo that takes place in Oregon. It’s safe to say that the inside and outside of the bottle of Pendleton Rye caught my attention.

After touching on some of the history and distilling practices of Pendleton Whisky, we’ll dive into the specifics of the 1910 rye whisky. We’ll cover the taste, price, value and more to give you an idea of whether or not Pendleton Rye 1910 is worth buying or not.

Pendleton Whisky Overview

Things can get a little tricky when it comes to Canadian whisky, especially when it’s labeled rye whisky. First, let’s deal with the obvious. How is this Canadian whisky if it’s cut and bottled in Oregon and named after an Oregon rodeo?

Well, Canadian whisky only requires that the product is mashed, distilled, and aged a minimum of 3 years in Canada. So after that, the barrels are shipped to Oregon where they are cut to proof and bottled.

Canadian Rye Whisky

Canadian Rye Whisky can be tricky because the ‘rye’ label doesn’t always equate to much, if any at all, rye grain. Canadian whisky was originally made with wheat, but they eventually began adding small amounts of rye which they called rye whisky.

Here in the states rye whiskey must contain 51%+ rye in its mash bill. The same does not apply in Canada. Worry not, Pendleton Rye 1910 is 100% rye whisky. Check out our post on the different types of whiskey to learn about the standards and regulations of all major whiskeys.

Pendleton Round-Up

The last portion of this overview concerns the whiskies namesake, The Pendleton Round-Up. The Pendleton Round-Up is one of the oldest and largest rodeos in the west, and it takes place in Pendleton, Oregon.

The rodeo features all the main events such as bull riding, bronco riding, steer wrestling, and much more. That’s why on every bottle of Pendleton Whisky you can see a cowboy riding a bronco.

Pendleton Rye 1910 Overview

Now that we’ve covered some of the basics of Pendleton Whisky, we can get into our review of the 1910 selection. Pendleton Rye 1910 is a 100% rye whisky that has been aged for 12 years. After aging, it’s cut to 80 proof (40% ABV) with glacier-fed spring water from Mt. Hood.

Pendleton Rye 1910 Tasting Notes

Does Pendleton taste good? What does Pendleton 1910 taste like? Time to pour myself a glass and find out.

Nose: Leather and tobacco with aromas of darker fruits such as cherries and figs.

Taste: Brown sugar and cherry lead the way. Some light butterscotch notes sit in the background.

Finish: A lighter flavor on the palate turns into a lingering finish plenty of warmth. A bit dry with some light pepper.

Pendleton Rye 1910 Taste Summary

I had this whiskey the other night socially and did not like it. It was after a couple drinks already, so I thought my tasting today would make it worse. Suffice to say, I was wrong. This isn’t the best rye or even close to my favorite, but it’s better than I originally gave it credit for.

I drink 99% of my whiskey over a large ice cube. Yes, sometimes it mutes some flavors, but it can also bring other flavors out. It also tends to make it more drinkable for someone with a younger palate (and heartburn). However, ice seems to make this rye worse. It dulls out most of the flavors with the exception of ethanol.

Pendleton Rye has a fairly warm finish without ice, but it’s definitely the way to go when drinking this whisky.

Pendleton Rye Price

How much does a bottle of Pendleton Rye 1910 cost? I look at prices from Total Wine all across the US to come up with a price range. As a note, prices may vary depending upon individual store and location.

Pendleton Rye 1910 750ml Price: $35-40

I found prices as low as $30, but 95% of locations had a bottle listed between $35 and $40.

Pendleton Rye Value

Now that we’ve discussed the price and taste, we can begin to talk about this whiskies value. Pendleton Rye is decent. There is a unique flavor to it that some people may love, but I just don’t. It’s not particularly thick and rich but neither is it thin and cheap.

In terms of the quality of the whisky, I find Pendleton Rye 1910 to be average. You’re not going to rave about the quality, and you’re not going to hate it, so much of it comes to flavor. As a fan of rye whiskey, there are too many options I love for a similar or cheaper price.

Ultimately, you may really appreciate the flavor of Pendleton Rye, the only way to know is to try it yourself. I’d recommend you try it from a bar or a friend before you go out and purchase it yourself though. Your money may be better spent on something you know you’ll like.

Pendleton Whisky Military Edition

Pendleton released a We’ve Got Your 6 Military Edition bottle, and $100,000 of the proceeds from sales are going to the Bob Woodruff Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to helping active military members as well as veterans.

We’ve recently incorporated the charity work and donations of liquor brands into our content. It shines a light on the good that these businesses do, it may get you to buy a bottle to support the non-profits, or it may push you to donate yourself. Check out out recent articles on Noble Oak Bourbon and Yellowstone Bourbon, two brands investing in reforestation and national park conservation efforts.

Pendleton Rye 1910 Canadian Rye Whisky Summary

There’s a couple noteworthy things to remind you of off the bat. While this is a Canadian whisky, it is cut and bottled in Oregon, named after an Oregon rodeo, and marketed and promoted to much of the northwest US. Furthermore, while Canadian rye whisky doesn’t always have a lot of rye, Pendleton is 100% rye whisky.

In terms of the liquid inside the bottle, Pendleton Rye isn’t my favorite. It’s not low quality, it just has a unique flavor I don’t love. Furthermore, I find the whisky to be much better neat than on the rocks. Ice and water seem to dilute the flavors, and it tastes much more like alcohol.

Ultimately, I think many people will like Pendleton Rye and I think many won’t. Find a bottle and try it for yourself. If you don’t like it, it actually makes a pretty good old-fashioned.

FAQ

Below are frequently asked questions about Pendleton Rye. Many of these are answered in the article above.

Where Can I Buy Pendleton Rye 1910 Whisky?

Pendleton Rye 1910 and many of their other selections will be available at most liquor stores. Pendleton is one of the 5 most popular Canadian whiskies, so it’s widely available.

How To Drink Pendleton Rye 1910?

You can drink Pendleton Rye neat or on the rocks. I much prefer it neat than on the rocks even though I drink 99% of whiskey on the rocks. Pendleton Rye isn’t my favorite rye whisky, but it does make a good old-fashioned. Break up a sugar cube, add a couple dashes of bitters, an orange peel or orange syrup, and pour 1.5oz of Pendleton over ice in a glass.

What Kind of Whisky is Pendleton Rye 1910?

Pendleton Rye 1910 is a 100% rye whisky. It may seem obvious that Pendleton Rye is a rye whisky, but sometimes Canadian whisky is called Canadian rye whisky even though it may not contain any rye at all. This whisky does use a 100% rye mash bill, though.