Brian Haara
Bourbon. Law. Author.
Sipp’n Corn Tasting Notes: Parker’s Heritage Collection, No. 14, 10-year Heavy Char
Heaven Hill’s annual fall limited release of Parker’s Heritage Collection is one that I try to find every year. For 2020—the fourteenth edition—Parker’s Heritage Collection is a 10-year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Before people say “meh” to the age, remember that the fantastic Promise of Hope (7th edition) was also 10 years, and the highly-acclaimed single barrels from the 11th edition were 11 years old, so don’t be fooled into wanting older bourbon all the time. Heaven Hill has a knack for finding honey barrels at any age.
The uniqueness this year comes from aging this bourbon in heavy char (Level 5) barrels, as opposed to the customary Level 3 for Heaven Hill. That’s 90 seconds of intense flame! Composed of 102 barrels aged on the sixth floor of rickhouse Y at the main campus in Bardstown for the past 10 years, this bourbon had plenty of time to interact with this extreme char.
Plus, as with previous years, Heaven Hill continues its support of ALS research in honor of Heaven Hill’s late Master Distiller, Parker Beam. Since 2013 with the Promise of Hope edition, Heaven Hill has raised more than one million dollars for ALS research and patient care by contributing a portion of the sale from each bottle. This remarkable effort by Heaven Hill should be much bigger news than it is.
Parker’s Heritage Collection Tasting Notes
| Bourbon: | Parker’s Heritage Collection 10 Year Old Heavy Char Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey |
| Distillery: | Heaven Hill, Bardstown, Kentucky (distilled in Louisville and aged in Bardstown) |
| Mashbill: | 78% corn; 12% malted barley; 10% rye |
| Age: | 10 years |
| ABV: | 60% (120 proof) |
| Cost: | $120.00 |
Appearance:
Dark golden brown, but not as dark as I had expected from the heavy char.
Nose:
So many aromas—lots of leather, tobacco, and oak to go with caramel, black pepper, old barn, and a whiff of slight sweetness reminding me of a rich, malty imperial stout. While I could tell that it’s high proof, I would never have guessed 120 proof.
Taste:
The high ABV was not evident here, either. While sharing many similarities with what I expect from Heaven Hill (like Elijah Craig 12 year Barrel Proof—and I tasted side-by-side with batches B517 and B520), the caramel in particular was more prominent, and there were flavors of maple syrup that I don’t usually find with Heaven Hill. With more rich cocoa flavors and robust oak and spice, this Parker’s Heritage Edition is extremely well-balanced and bold.
Finish:
Medium in length led by an initial charge of rich caramel and fading with dryness of tobacco, leather, and toasty oak.
Bottom Line
Heavy char doesn’t mean more smokiness. To the contrary, the greater time on fire means more hemicellulose breaking down into sugars, which explains the heavier caramel flavors. But enough science; this is a great bourbon that combines a robust punch with rich sweetness without the heat distraction that is all too common in high-proof bourbons. This is a beautiful tribute to Parker Beam and I highly recommend it.
Disclaimer: The brand managers kindly
sent me a sample for this review,
without any strings attached.
Thank you.
Sipp’n Corn Tasting Notes: Heaven Hill Batches C920 of Elijah Craig 12-Year Barrel Proof and Larceny Barrel Proof.
Bourbon Heritage Month has now passed, fall is in full swing in Kentucky, and after all that has happened in 2020, it’s fitting to start the last quarter of the year with some barrel proof power, especially with the last batches of 2020 of Elijah Craig 12-year Barrel Proof and Larceny Barrel Proof.
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C920 Tasting Notes
Bourbon: Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
|Distillery: Heaven Hill
Age: 12 years
ABV: 66.4% (132.8 proof)
Cost: $60.00
Appearance:
Dark amber brown.
Nose:
Butterscotch, brown sugar, and caramel for sweetness, oak power that is practically a trademark of Elijah Craig, and some faint cocoa and cherry.
Taste:
Brown sugar, again, and honey, along with black pepper and great oak, but hot to start. Let it rest and cocoa develops with butterscotch and peanut.
Finish:
Long, warm, drying finish.
Larceny Barrel Proof C920 Tasting Notes
Bourbon: Larceny Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distillery: Heaven Hill
Age: NAS, but 6-8 years
ABV: 61.62% (122.4 proof)
Cost: $49.99
Appearance:
Brown without much amber.
Nose:
This really took until my third pour to open up, but it nailed butterscotch, brown sugar, and cinnamon apples.
Taste:
Whew that’s hot, even when I poured it over an ice sphere. Let this one air out a little, and you’ll find a classic caramel wheater.
Finish:
Led by a punch from the heat, and the warmth lingers with caramel sweetness.
Bottom Line
So, we’re finally at the end of 2020, at least as it relates to Heaven Hill barrel proof releases. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof was full of home runs in 2020 with B520 leading the way in my book, but all three prove that Elijah Craig is the top barrel proof brand out there.
And another silver lining for 2020 is that it was the inaugural year for Larceny Barrel Proof, which I’m still betting will ultimately position Larceny as the leading wheated bourbon. Hopefully we’ll get some more age in Larceny Barrel Proof (again, can you imagine a barrel proof 12-year Larceny to go along with Elijah Craig?!?), but until then, you still need to try these.
Disclaimer: The brand managers kindly
sent me samples for this review,
without any strings attached.
Thank you.
Sipp’n Corn Tasting Notes: Yellowstone Limited Edition, 2020
Great things continue to happen in Lebanon, Kentucky at Limestone Branch Distillery. It seems like forever ago when I first met Steve Beam, they had about 50 barrels of aging bourbon, and the gift shop sold a dozen flavors of sweet “moonshine.” In recent years, we’ve had a regular supply of the standard expression of Yellowstone, along with Minor Case straight rye whiskey finished in Sherry casks, and each fall a limited release, always showcasing some innovative twist.
This year, Limestone Branch finished a seven-year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey in French Armagnac casks. Some other brands have toyed with Armagnac cask finishing, but this Yellowstone—even at relatively low limited edition distribution numbers—is probably the most ambitious effort yet.
Yellowstone Limited Edition Tasting Notes
| Bourbon: | Yellowstone Limited Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished in Armagnac casks |
| Distillery: | Undisclosed |
| Age: | 7 years |
| ABV: | 50.5% (101 proof) |
| Cost: | $100.00 |
Appearance:
Light amber gold.
Nose:
Unexpected earthiness with a lot of other aromas swirling around: sweet floral scents, botanicals, clove, tea leaves, licorice, and a melon note that kept me coming back. I was digging hard for traditional caramel and vanilla, but other than rye spice that made it through, the Armagnac really took over.
Taste:
Seemingly low ABV led squarely by rye grain and Armagnac. There’s also toffee, orange cream, and melon again to with a touch of oakiness.
Finish:
Short, all-sweet fruity finish with warmth that lingers a bit longer.
Bottom Line
Limestone Branch has proven their skill at barrel finishing time after time, and I give them props for managing the Armagnac influence to create this unique whiskey worthy of carrying its limited edition title.
Disclaimer: The brand managers kindly
sent me a sample for this review,
without any strings attached.
Thank you.
If National Lampoon started a Whiskey Company…
The Ohio River was the waterway for bourbon in the 1800’s, so it is not surprising that many distilleries were built to take advatage of this easy access to the whiskey market. German immigrant, August Krogman, saw opportunity and built his distillery in Tell City, Indiana, in 1863, rising to regional acclaim. Krogman’s was long gone, but MAD Beverage registered the trademark in 2019 and has now lauched a unique single barrel set of the nine masbills distilled at another certain Indiana distillery.
As Krogman’s explains, “Each whiskey is bottled at cask strength, with no chill filtering, featuring a unique nickname for each barrel used. The name of each whiskey reflects a different aspect of the American Whiskey world as it exists today on secondary selling and social media sites. While the names may be ironic, the liquid in the bottles certainly is not. The nine bottle set features four straight bourbons, three straight ryes, a single barrel corn whiskey, and a single barrel light whiskey. With a full set you can taste the entire array of bourbon and rye flavors.” Suggested retail price is $49.99 each.
- Tater Bait Single Barrel Bourbon 115-117 proof – (60% corn, 36% rye, 4% malted barley) This extremely high rye bourbon is a masterclass in balance and depth of flavor. Rich, fruit coating mouthfeel with mid-palate notes of leather, honey, and cocoa.
- Maxx Profitzz Single Barrel Rye 115-117 proof (95% rye, 5% malted barley) This is the rye mashbill that changed everything. Used as a straight whiskey in small proportions in blends for many years, this spice bomb, as a straight release, revolutionized the way bartenders and consumers looked at American rye. At cask strength with no chill filtering all the raw power and flavor are still there and stronger than ever.
- Dusty Hunterzzz Single Barrel Bourbon 115-117 proof (75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley) This particular mashbill is ubiquitous in the industry, utilized in many brands, renowned for a balance of smooth red and tropical fruit, and a long cinnamon spice driven finish.
- Waxx Dippzz Single Barrel Bourbon 115-117 proof (51% corn, 45% wheat, 4% malted barley) This takes “wheater” to a whole new level with 45% wheat in the mash, the super lifted fruit notes lay over a bed of soft spice. More than doubling the wheated standard, this drinks like grain brandy.
- U.N.I. Corn Whiskey 115-120 proof (81% corn, 15% rye, 4% malted barley)
Lashings of fried sweet corn and butter. Candy corn, leather, mint. This whiskey is bursting at the seams with sweet corn flavor. - Smash Bill Single Barrel Rye 115-117 proof (51% rye 45% corn, 4% malted barley) This corn forward rye combines the oily sweetness and mouthfeel of a bourbon with the mellow baking spices of a rye. Perfect for any occasion.
- Flipperzz Single Barrel Light Whiskey 134 proof (99% corn, 1% malted barley) Invented to compete with vodka, light whiskey is still used effectively in blends. High proof, but perfect for a high ball!
- Chuggzz Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey 115-117 proof (99% corn, 1% malted barley) The extremely high corn content makes this a delectably sweet, fatty, oily, and unbelievably smooth single barrel.
- Buyy It Noww Single Barrel Rye 115-117 proof (51% rye, 49% malted barley) This is a malt lover’s dream. The biscuit sweetness and vanilla cake smoothness of a scotch, combined with the classic Lawrenceburg spice is a double knock out.
Traveling Spirits – Because Bourbon is Best When Shared with Friends and Family.
I tend to bring bourbon with me to poker night, when stopping by a friend’s house, Friday night driveway drinking during covid, and on trips up to Michigan. Let’s just say that it’s sort of my thing. But it’s always a tough decision to find the right bottle for the occasion and I often wish that I could bring a few different bourbons to try.
Traveling Spirits just solved my dilemma.
The Traveling Spirits “Sampler Box” includes six two-ounce Boston round bottles with attractive caps and numbered tops, two Glencairn glasses, and a two-inch stainless steel funnel, all housed in an impressive handmade Baltic Birchwood box with a magnetized clear acrylic top. Available for $149.00 online at https://travelingspirits.co/, the Traveling Spirits Sampler Box is my new go-to traveling companion for trips with bourbon.
After a long covid hiatus, next week I’m meeting with a client and good friend to catch up over some bourbon. I’ve poured and packed a 1948 Old Taylor Bottled in Bond, a 10-year old Elijah Craig private barrel aged in Deatsville, and a nearly 11-year old Four Roses Brent Elliott gift shop OESV weighing in at almost 60% ABV, which we’ll save for last. I’m looking forward to two-ounce pours for each of us, and time to catch up with a dear friend after six months.
This is precisely the sort of comradery that inspired the Traveling Spirits Sampler Box: a father and his four sons, a fishing trip, and bonding over blind samples of bourbon. I have such fond memories of spending time with my dad on distillery trips and sipping bourbon on his deck, and the Sampler Box would have been perfect for traveling back and forth.
I highly recommend the Sampler Box, although I’m thinking about the Traveling Spirits 12-Pack (12 bottles in the same type of Baltic Birchwood box, but no Glencairn glasses) as we start to approach the gifting season. Check out the website here: https://travelingspirits.co/, and cheers to friends and family.
Brian Haara 