Canadian Hunter Canadian Whisky Review

 

Once a powerhouse in distilled spirits production, Seagram came into being in 1869 at the Waterloo Distillery in Ontario when Joseph E Seagram purchased a stake in it, along with George Randall, William Roos, and William Hespeler, and, in 1883, Seagram became the sole owner, and then renamed it as Joseph E. Seagram & Sons. Seagram was known for making high-quality Canadian whisky.

 

In the 1920s, Samuel Bronfman was building his company, Distillers Corporation Limited, and part of the reason for his success was Prohibition in the United States. In 1928, Distillers Corporation acquired Joseph E. Seagram & Sons from Edward F. Seagram, and this now bigger company retained the Seagram name. Meanwhile, Bronfman was the major supplier to bootleggers while quietly building whisky stocks, anticipating that Prohibition would end in the near future.

 

When Prohibition finally ended, Seagram wanted to open a distillery in the United States. Fully aware of Bronfham’s prior involvement, the United States government assessed a $60 million fine against Seagram. Bronfham somehow negotiated it down to $1.5 million.

 

Meanwhile, the company enjoyed explosive growth, and by the 1990s, Seagram was the world’s largest producer of alcoholic beverages. In 1984, it launched Canadian Hunter, an entry-level Canadian whisky with Alaskan motifs on its labels, including sled dogs and a hunter.  

 

Seagram was flush with cash and expanding well beyond its distilling roots. In 1995, Edgar Bronfman Jr, its then-CEO, decided that Seagram was entering the entertainment industry, eventually owning Universal Studios and PolyGram Records, which led to its downfall. Then, the great sell-off began, and most of Seagram’s distilling assets and brands were picked up by Diageo and Pernod Ricard. In 2016, Canadian Hunter became one of the many brands under the Sazerac umbrella.

 

That brings us to today’s review. There’s not a ton of information about Canadian Hunter online – while it has almost a cult following, it doesn’t even appear on Sazerac’s website beyond a list of brands it owns, and, even then, you have to hunt (pun unintended) for it! It is considered a high-volume economy Canadian whisky brand.

 

I couldn’t find anything beyond a 1.75mL bottle, until I stumbled upon a 50mL bottle at a random liquor store. I picked it up for the sole purpose of writing this review. Let’s #DrinkCurious and find out why this has such a devoted fanbase.

 

• Whiskey Type: Canadian Whisky
• Distiller: Seagram plant in Ontario
• Age: 3 years
• Mashbill: Corn, rye, and malted barley
• Cooperage: Undisclosed oak casks
• Alcohol Content: 40% ABV (80°)
• Price per 1.75mL: $14.99

Appearance: I used a Glencairn glass to explore this whisky neat. It had a pleasing yellow gold appearance. However, it must be noted that Canadian whisky regulations allow up to 9.09% of additives, such as E150A caramel coloring. A medium-thick rim produced fat, sticky droplets that clung to the wall like glue.

 

Nose: After allowing Canadian Hunter time to breathe, I brought the glass to my nose and drew in the aroma. I discovered caramel, rich vanilla, and an industrial citrus smell. There was a hint of oak. When I took the vapor into my mouth, I tasted vanilla and oak.

 

Palate: A creamy texture greeted my tongue, as did a sting of alcohol and oak spice. With the second sip, I encountered cream like the inside of an Oreo, lemon oil, and oak on the front of my palate. The middle was challenging to nail down because it came and left in the blink of an eye, but I believe it is supposed to be honey. The back was a combination of black pepper and caramel.

 

Finish: At 41 seconds, this whisky’s finish was quick on the draw. Lemon oil, caramel, ethanol, and oak were the stars. I couldn’t describe it as harsh, but it was unappealing.  

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Canadian Hunter is a basic Canadian whisky that I assume most folks don’t drink neat. The industrial component never faded; I smelled it with every sip, and it seemed more intense with each subsequent draw.

 

I’ve had some truly awful Canadian economy whiskies, and I wouldn’t put Canadian Hunter in that category. It is drinkable; it’s just not something I could ever imagine saying, “Sure, pour me a glass of that.” I suppose it would make for a decent mixer?

 

I’m assuming its bargain-basement price is the major driver of Canadian Hunter’s popularity. For a mere $5.00 more, you can get your hands on much better Canadian whiskies (although you’ll only get 750mL instead of 1.75L). Canadian Hunter fits somewhere between a Bar and Bust, and whenever that happens, the lower rating wins. 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.