Seagram's V.O. Canadian Whisky Review

 

Seagram’s V.O. You’ve probably seen this Canadian whisky in almost any liquor store, grocery store, or gas station you’ve visited.

 

Seagram came into existence in 1869 when, at the Waterloo Distillery, Joseph E. Seagram bought his way in as a business partner. In 1883, Joseph became its sole owner and changed the name to Joseph E. Seagram & Sons. It soon became the largest manufacturer of distilled spirits in Canada.

 

Then came Prohibition in the United States. As Seagram’s was a Canadian distillery, nothing was forcing them to shut down, and, in fact, they illegally shipped their whisky across the border to satisfy American demand. Seagram’s got caught and, in 1930, wound up paying a $1.5 million fine.

 

In 1924, Distillers Company Limited purchased Seagram’s and opted to keep the Seagram name alive. Like many spirits companies, Seagram’s had its ups and downs. However, in the 2000s, its assets and brand names were sold to various beverage producers, such as Diageo, Sazerac, and Coca-Cola.

 

That brings us full circle to Seagram’s V.O., which Sazerac now owns. What’s the V.O. all about?

 

In 1916, Thomas Seagram, the son of Joseph, was getting married to Dorothy Pearson. He asked Seagram’s master blender to create a unique blend of whiskies to serve at his wedding. Allegedly, it was so fantastic that Joseph decreed it would be a standard offering from the distillery. There are two stories as to what V.O. stands for. The first is Very Own, which is a nod to its being a family blend, and the second is Very Old, which would be for marketing reasons.

 

Canadian whiskies are blended after aging independently. In other words, if your blend is corn, rye, and malt, then each of those three components must age at least three years in oak before blending. We don’t know what the component whiskies are. A Canadian blended whisky designated for export (of which Seagram’s V.O. states that much on the label) can contain up to 9.09% of either a distilled spirit or wine. It doesn’t have to, but it can.

 

The component whiskies spent at least six years in new and charred oak barrels. It is packaged at 40% ABV (80°), and you can expect to pay about $16-$20 for 750ml. I bought a 50ml taster for $1.99 at a random liquor store.

 

Let’s #DrinkCurious and discover what this whisky is all about.

 

Appearance: I poured Seagram’s V.O. into a Glencairn glass to sip neat. The liquid was the color of straw. A thick rim produced a combination of big droplets and slow, medium-spaced tears.

 

Nose: The whisky’s aroma was industrial, including notes of nail polish remover, baby powder, and floral room deodorizer. Inhaling the vapor through my lips exposed me to lavender.  

 

Palate: The thin, weightless texture introduced my palate to vanilla and brown sugar on the front. My mid-palate encountered apples. The back consisted of oak and white pepper.  

 

Finish: My right eye started to twitch because this went from sweet to spicy to bitter Brussels sprouts. It lasted 1:31, placing it in the medium venue.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: I’m assuming that what’s in today’s Seagram’s V.O. isn’t the same recipe as what Thomas and Joseph came across because I cannot imagine anyone saying, Hey, we should mass produce this! From its manufactured floral smell to the dull palate and then to that bitter finish, there wasn’t anything I’d classify as enjoyable in this sipping experience.

For the record, it took a sip of Mrs. Whiskeyfellow's brandy and Diet Pepsi, two flavored potato chips, and a garlic-stuffed green olive to finally get the taste out of my mouth. Mrs. Whiskeyfellow certainly enjoyed watching me suffer. My right eye eventually stopped twitching.

I suppose Seagram’s V.O. has its fans, but I can’t imagine being one. This Canadian whisky is why a Bust category exists. Cheers!

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you to do so responsibly.