Heaven Hill Distillery announced today the release of Heaven Hill Heritage Collection 17-Year-Old Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, the first edition of the new Heaven Hill Heritage Collection celebrating the distillery’s exacting maturation standards. Each spring, this annual, highly limited release will feature some of the distillery’s oldest inventory of aging whiskey. The Collection […]
Heaven Hill Distillery announced today the release of Heaven Hill Heritage Collection 17-Year-Old Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, the first edition of the new Heaven Hill Heritage Collection celebrating the distillery’s exacting maturation standards. Each spring, this annual, highly limited release will feature some of the distillery’s oldest inventory of aging whiskey.
The Collection will feature one of the six traditional American Whiskey mashbills produced by Heaven Hill. The first edition features Heaven Hill’s Bourbon mashbill comprised of 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malted barley, and bottled at a barrel proof of 118.2. With an age statement of 17 years, this release is made up of 28% 20-year-old barrels, 44% 19-year-old barrels, and 28% 17-year-old barrels pulled from Deatsville, Glencoe, Schenley, and Heaven Hill main campus warehouse locations. Each spring, the release will vary as older barrels are deemed worthy of bottling.
“Over many years, we have been quietly aging some exquisite whiskeys to be introduced under a new collection within our Heaven Hill Distillery portfolio,” said Max L. Shapira, Heaven Hill President. “Of our 1.9 million barrels resting across six rickhouse sites, our master craftspeople have kept watchful eyes on this limited stock of special barrels and we are finally ready to release the first edition.”
Heaven Hill Heritage Collection joins its more experimental counterpart, the Parker’s Heritage Collection, to form the “Heritage Collection.” The Heaven Hill offering will be released in the spring, while Parker’s will continue to be released every fall. Releases from both collections offer a glimpse into the long-term plan across Heaven Hill’s American Whiskey stock and commitment to quality, craft, and innovation.
COST AND WHERE TO FIND IT
Each Heaven Hill Heritage Collection 750ml bottle will be accompanied by a premium box in signature Heaven Hill blue with the double-H insignia stamped in gold to signify Heaven Hill. As will become a signature of the Collection, specific attributes such as warehouse site locations, production dates, mashbill percentage, and other designations will be noted prominently on the packaging. Heaven Hill Heritage Collection 17-Year-Old Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey will launch nationally on a limited basis with an SRP of $274.99.
Combining two of my loves, video games and bourbon… maker Ukonic (also maker of the XBox Mini-Fridge) has listed a Master Chief Decanter set available for pre-order for $119.99 with availability starting in April.This officially licensed Halo ho…
Combining two of my loves, video games and bourbon... maker Ukonic (also maker of the XBox Mini-Fridge) has listed a Master Chief Decanter set available for pre-order for $119.99 with availability starting in April.
This officially licensed Halo home bar collection includes:
56-ounce decanter (1) - in the shape of Master Chief's iconic helmet from the video games
11-ounce whiskey glasses (4) - decorated with the UNSC insignia
Fluted stopper (1)
My Take
Three of my favorite things in life are video games, weimaraners, and bourbon... This hits 2 out of 3 (why aren't there weimaraners in the Halo universe?!!). If you're a gamer and enjoy the Halo games (for what it is worth, Halo Infinite was amazing and my favorite Halo game ever), this is a really cool licensed product. It also would make a great gift for the gamer in your life. I'm going on record that this is awesome.
What do you think? Drop a note in the comments below.
Imagine arriving in Bardstown on your first trip to the Bourbon Trail, with your eyes peeled for rare finds like King of Kentucky that just don’t seem to make it to shelves in your city. You head off the beaten path, asking clerks at liquor stores on country roads if they happen to have any […]
Imagine arriving in Bardstown on your first trip to the Bourbon Trail, with your eyes peeled for rare finds like King of Kentucky that just don’t seem to make it to shelves in your city. You head off the beaten path, asking clerks at liquor stores on country roads if they happen to have any Michter’s 10-Year tucked away and peeking on top shelves for any dusty bottles of BTAC that have been waiting for a whiskey lover to find them for years. Discouraged, you come away empty-handed, contenting yourself with distillery-only releases like William Heavenhill and special Four Roses Single Barrels.
But what if we told you one of the best bottles to buy while in Kentucky was below your sightline all along, and would barely put a dent in your bourbon budget? That’s right, for less than $20, you can try a bottled-in-bond Kentucky classic that will work for cocktails and neat pours alike – and has a stamp of approval from bartenders and bourbon lovers all over the Commonwealth.
J.W. Dant has had a home at Heaven Hill Distillery since 1993, when it was purchased from United Distillers (now Diageo). It was a hugely popular label in its heyday with a name that dates back to 1836, when Joseph Dant first began distilling out of a hollow log.
The logo hasn’t changed in a century and loyal fans have kept it as a daily drinker for decades, but the brand perhaps has no bigger fan that Heaven Hill’s Bernie Lubbers, Heaven Hill brand ambassador and bottled-in-bond evangelist. The distillery is known for famous bottled-in-bond brands like Henry McKenna, but Lubbers tells us the bottom shelf J.W. Dant has more in common with these award winners than you think.
Heaven Hill Brand Ambassador Bernie Lubbers. Courtesy Photo.
“The J.W. Dant recipe is regular Heaven Hill bourbon – we don’t put a brand on our barrels, it just says bourbon whiskey,” explains Lubbers. “So it’s our traditional recipe, and when you think about it, the barrels could be Henry McKenna Bottled-in-Bond, which won Best Whiskey in the World, or it could be 12-year-old Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, which won Whisky of the Year. Apparently, that’s a pretty good recipe,” he laughs. “It’s just six years younger – Dant is [at four years] the youngest brother of Henry McKenna, but still damn good.”
Bottled-in-bond bourbons, by law, must be a distilled by the same distiller at the same distillery in the same distilling season, aged a minimum of four years in a government bonded warehouse, and bottled at exactly 100 proof. It’s been a seal of quality since the law passed in 1897, but Lubbers believes it’s just as important today.
“J.T.S. Brown and Evan Williams White Label are other four-year bottled-in-bonds – all made from the same recipe at the same proof and same age, but we have ten million barrels so we’re able to make them taste a little different.”
The brand has quality and the nostalgia factor in spades, but it was also an important part of building the Heaven Hill business. As the largest family-owned distillery in Kentucky today, Heaven Hill built much of their initial might on brands they bought from other conglomerates.
“We’d just bought the brand and invested a lot of money in this brand and these barrels too, that are in inventory, so what a genius way to build a distillery that only has “x” amount of capacity. The key was buying those old brands, don’t screw them up, and sell them at a great price. The people that drink it like it – so don’t mess it up. It’s the people that don’t buy it that make fun of it – but once you buy it and you drink it, you like it.”
And today, more and more people are liking it.
“Look at Coor’s Banquet, PBR, and Miller High Life – they’re cool again, those labels haven’t changed and bartenders still drink them all over the country and I think that’s one of the keys too is to not change. It’s to Max Shapira credit that he kept these brands alive.”
While the distillery has discontinued the 1.75-liter sizes of J.W. Dant, Lubbers assures us that the traditional 750ml is here to stay. However, that’s no reason not to stock up when you see it. The brand is very tricky to find outside its home state, spotted sparingly in Indiana and a couple other cities, but usually not too tough to find in Kentucky – even though people usually come looking for something else.
“We have some of these little gems that are only in a handful of markets, and we’re the home market so we get to be selfish with J.W. Dant,” admits Lubbers. “When everyone sees J.W. Dant, they say they haven’t seen it before, but that’s because your eyes are looking up. You’re up searching for gold dust on the top shelf, your Parker’s and your Elijah Craig Barrel Proofs, and you should always grab the gold dust when you see it. But remember to look down and see the bricks of gold on the bottom shelf, and put one of those in your cart too.”
PRESS RELEASE provided by Buffalo Trace Distillery: FRANKFORT, FRANKLIN COUNTY, KY (March 3, 2022) – In honor of the 125th passing of the Bottled in Bond Act today, Buffalo Trace Distillery raises a glass to salute E. H. Taylor, Jr. with a commemorative single barrel release hand selected by Grammy Award Winner Chris Stapleton. The Bottled in Bond Act, […]
PRESS RELEASE provided by Buffalo Trace Distillery:
FRANKFORT, FRANKLIN COUNTY, KY (March 3, 2022) – In honor of the 125th passing of the Bottled in Bond Act today, Buffalo Trace Distillery raises a glass to salute E. H. Taylor, Jr. with a commemorative single barrel release hand selected by Grammy Award Winner Chris Stapleton.
EH Taylor, Jr. BiB Day Commemorative bottle with Chris Stapleton
The Bottled in Bond Act, which was passed on March 3,1897, guaranteed the integrity of the whiskey to the American consumer, and among other things, guarantees only water can be added to the whiskey.
The joining of two stalwarts of Kentucky, E. H. Taylor, Jr. and Chris Stapleton, resulted in the E. H. Taylor, Jr. Bottled in Bond commemorative Chris Stapleton Single Barrel Bourbon, which is being donated to Stapleton’s charitable fund, Outlaw State of Kind. Each bottle will be autographed by Chris Stapleton and will be used to raise funds for a variety of charities across the country.
This is the second year for the partnership between E. H. Taylor, Jr. Bourbon and Chris Stapleton’s charitable fund. Two prize packs are available for bidding now through March 17, 2022 on charitybuzz:
One bottle of E. H. Taylor Single Barrel with commemorative sticker noting Bottled in Bond Day and partnership with Chris Stapleton; plus two tickets to winner’s choice to any Stapleton concert in 2022, and E. H. Taylor, Jr. branded merchandise. Live auction link here.
The remaining bottles will be used by Stapleton’s charitable fund Outlaw State of Kind throughout the year to raise funds for various causes. Updates on fundraisers will be posted to Outlaw State of Kind.
“The first glass of E.H. Taylor, Jr. I ever had was in the studio. Vance Powell, engineer of both music and good times, brought a bottle to the session for inspiration. That week we recorded an entire album, and that album was ‘Traveller.’ We’ve made it a point to keep a bottle around ever since. We’re proud to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Bottled in Bond Day with this special Single Barrel bottling. All proceeds raised by these bottles will benefit Outlaw State of Kind, our charitable fund that is dedicated to giving back to the people and communities that continue to play a vital role in our journey,” said Chris Stapleton.
“We’ve very excited to be able to partner once again with Chris Stapleton and Outlaw State of Kind,” said Sara Saunders, vice president, American whiskey. “We were lucky enough to partner with Chris last year, and we are very pleased his charitable fund was able to raise so much money over the past year for so many different causes. We’re excited to kick off this second year of partnership on the 125th anniversary of Bottled in Bond Day, and with two great prizes going live today, we hope fans of both his music and our bourbon can help out even more needy causes.”
The E. H. Taylor, Jr. Bottled in Bond commemorative Chris Stapleton Single Barrel bottling will be available through the charitable organization Outlaw State of Kind. To find out more about Outlaw State of Kind, click here.
Buffalo Trace Distillery is celebrating Bottled in Bond Day in various other happenings as well, including expanded offerings of its Old Taylor Tour and activations in various markets across the United States.
E. H. Taylor, Jr. was instrumental in getting the Bottled in Bond Act passed. Prior to its passing, disreputable sellers would put items like tobacco juice, turpentine, iodine or other unsavory and potentially poisonous additives to a barrel of whiskey to fill it back up, and/or to give the liquid color. Back in those days, whiskey was usually delivered by the barrel to a local saloon, general store or pharmacy where customers could fill up their own jug directly from the barrel, or retailers could bottle it up for resale on the spot. The Bottled in Bond Act was the first consumer protection law passed, pre-dating the Pure Food and Drug Act by nine years To learn more about E. H. Taylor, Jr., click here.
About Outlaw State of Kind
Outlaw State of Kind is Chris and Morgane Stapleton’s charitable fund that supports a variety of causes that are close to their heart. The Outlaw State of Kind Fund was founded in 2016 and is administered by the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.
About Buffalo Trace Distillery
Buffalo Trace Distillery is an American family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich tradition dates back to 1775 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee. Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is a National Historic Landmark as well as is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won 35 distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Its George T. Stagg was named World Whiskey of the Year for 2022 and its Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye was named 2nd Finest Whiskey in the World for 2022. Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 1,000 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com. To download images from Buffalo Trace Distillery visit http://www.buffalotracedistillery.com/media
More industry leading, social media based dramfotainment you
ask, well as ever allow us very gladly oblige!Continuing our sensory story led, teeming throng of industry
leading Tweet Tastings, we’re absolutely thrilled to announce that on March 30th,
we…
More industry leading, social media based dramfotainment you
ask, well as ever allow us very gladly oblige!Continuing our sensory story led, teeming throng of industry
leading Tweet Tastings, we’re absolutely thrilled to announce that on March 30th,
we’ll be teaming up again with our very good friends at The Whisky Cellar, to
pour and explore our way through some of the releases in their much
SMALL DISTILLERS FACING COSTLY BARREL SHORTAGERunning a small distillery is tough, and this VinePair article shows it’s not getting any easier. Not only are barrel prices soaring, their availability to small distilleries is shrinking. FEW Spirits…
SMALL DISTILLERS FACING COSTLY BARREL SHORTAGERunning a small distillery is tough, and this VinePair article shows it’s not getting any easier. Not only are barrel prices soaring, their availability to small distilleries is shrinking. FEW Spirits, founder Paul Hletko said, “All our coopers are calling us up, telling us to get our orders in now. A major barrel crisis is coming." According to the story, part of the problem is a sharp increase in freight and shipping costs. And like so many companies, cooperages are struggling to get materials and workers to assemble them. BOURBON & BANTER'S VIEW >> Hold ...
We’re always looking for veterans of the bourbon industry to bring on the show to talk about their story and career growth. Tawnie Gootee has been at Heaven Hill for nearly 30 years and has done it all. I mean, they used to have to rotate workers to give tours when a small group of people would show up. But Tawnie has excelled in her career and worked with Mike Sonne and other Heaven Hill elites to become one of the most respected palates in the industry and she gives us the low down on the quality control process at Heaven Hill. This episode is also very significant because this year marks the 25th anniversary of the 1996 fire at Heaven Hill. Tawnie remembers the first phone calls and what it was like in the days following the aftermath. It’s a true testament to how the bourbon industry really works together.
Show Notes:
This week’s Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about the taste of bourbon.
Tell us a little bit about your background and how you ended up at Heaven Hill.
What was the tour experience like 30 years ago?
How did you hone your tasting skills?
What happens when you find a barrel that’s not acceptable?
Explain what reading the tank means.
How often do you get complaints?
How long do you keep samples?
Talk about cork taint.
What’s your high end inspection?
Talk about the process of creating limited edition products.
St. Magdalene 27 yo 1983/2010 (52.7%, Part des Anges, Closed Distilleries, bourbon barrel, 132 bottles)St. Magdalene 23 yo 1970/1994 (58.1%, Rare Malts)
St. Magdalene 27 yo 1983/2010 (52.7%, Part des Anges, Closed Distilleries, bourbon barrel, 132 bottles) St. Magdalene 23 yo 1970/1994 (58.1%, Rare Malts)
Del Bac Distiller’s Cut Summer 21 is Whiskey Del Bac’s (Hamilton Distiller’s) yearly limited release. It’s delivered at cask strength, it’s finished in other barrels (like Calvados, Cognac, Madeira or ex-Bourbon) and is something of a creative and innovative outlet for the team. This particular release, the 2021, was finished in ex-Sauternes. This is the […]
Del Bac Distiller’s Cut Summer 21 is Whiskey Del Bac’s (Hamilton Distiller’s) yearly limited release. It’s delivered at cask strength, it’s finished in other barrels (like Calvados, Cognac, Madeira or ex-Bourbon) and is something of a creative and innovative outlet for the team. This particular release, the 2021, was finished in ex-Sauternes.
This is the first one of these Distiller’s Cuts I’ve tried from Whiskey Del Bac. I’ve seen people talk about them and I’ve seen them pop up on social media, but this is the first time I’ve been able to sit down and try one. I’m looking forward to it.
Let’s get to drinkin’
Del Bac Distiller’s Cut Summer 21 – Details and Tasting Notes
Whiskey Details
Cask Strength | Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color
Style: Single Malt (American) Region: Arizona, USA Distiller: Hamilton Distillers
Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley Cask: New Charred Oak, ex-Sauternes Age: NAS ABV: 58.15%
Batch: 2021 – Sauternes Bottles: 755
Del Bac Distiller’s Cut Summer 21 Price: NA – $80*
“Distiller’s Cut is always 100% barley and 100% sippable. Enjoy neat, on ice or with a drop of water. Whiskey Del Bac blenders draw from our two flagship whiskeys, Dorado and Classic Sonoran, then finish in select barrels.” – Whiskey Del Bac
Del Bac Distiller’s Cut Summer 21 Tasting Notes
EYE
Ruby caramel
NOSE
Fruity sweet, malty sweet, oak, toffee, slight herbal baking spice and sweet tobacco.
Aroma is dominated by that malty fruity sweetness, but if you give it a little time and water the supporting notes arrive.
PALATE
Herbal spice, winey-fruity sweetness, nutty, tannic oak and some touches of wood and Twizzlers.
The palate is quite dry and tannic, but I’ve had worse. The notes though are decent.
FINISH
Medium -> Fruity sweetness, tannic oak and cocoa fade out to herbal spice.
BALANCE, BODY and FEEL
Decent balanace, medium-full body, dry tannic feel.
Del Bac Distiller’s Cut Summer 21 – Overall Thoughts and Score
To be honest, I like the other Del Bac releases I’ve had more. This isn’t bad by any measure, but it doesn’t quite feel right. It feels like a return to their early days where that tannic, dry, woody, nature stood out heavily in their whiskey. I know some people don’t mind it, or even enjoy it, but that note can be a killer for me.
The rest of the notes in the whiskey are fine, it’s not off, there are no other major flaws in the profile, it’s just that significant tannic dryness. It’s so dry, the first thing I thought of was that Redwood Grizzly Beast, where it sucked all the moisture out of my mouth. Most Cask strength whiskey is a bit drying from the alcohol, but rarely enough to comment on. Though like the Grizzly, this is beyond the norm.
It’s ok, it’s drinkable, but after I did my review passes I wanted to see if a cocktail could help even this one out and I have to say… the Del Bac Distiller’s Cut Summer 21 mixes well. I used the last 1.25 oz to make a Bull and Bear and it worked perfectly. So, at least there’s that.
SCORE: 2.5/5 (average, drinkable, possible minor flaws – C+ | 77-79)
*Disclosure: The bottle for this American Single Malt review was graciously sent to me by the company without obligation. The views, opinions, and tasting notes are 100% my own.
Last week I chatted with Chris Uhde of Impex Beverages and this week I’m reviewing the Glendale Glass and the Barrell Batch 024. Interviews, glassware (whiskey and cocktail), accessories, equipment and cocktails are where the videos will be focused. Yes, whiskey will be featured in the reviews, but these will not be whiskey reviews, more […]
Last week I chatted with Chris Uhde of Impex Beverages and this week I’m reviewing the Glendale Glass and the Barrell Batch 024. Interviews, glassware (whiskey and cocktail), accessories, equipment and cocktails are where the videos will be focused. Yes, whiskey will be featured in the reviews, but these will not be whiskey reviews, more like whiskey comments. There are enough whiskey reviewers on YouTube already, I don’t need to join in, plus I write my reviews here.
This first video is a bit rough, a bit uneven and a bit rushed, but for a first try, I don’t think it’s too horrible. Especially since I shot it on my cell phone in my old apartment right before I moved. I’ve also just started learning how to edit video, so it will get better as we go. And speaking of WE.
If you want to help pick the equipment, glassware, video themes, etc. (and possibly win some of it) then join me on Patreon. The Patreon community is where I’ll be asking for new ideas, holding contests to give away the stuff I’m reviewing, and more down the road. If you enjoy the site and enjoy the content then please consider supporting and help choose the direction of the content all at the same time.
Imagine arriving in Bardstown on your first trip to the Bourbon Trail, with your eyes peeled for rare finds like King of Kentucky that just don’t seem to make it to shelves in your city. You head off the beaten path, asking clerks at liquor stores on country roads if they happen to have any […]
PRESS RELEASE provided by Buffalo Trace Distillery: FRANKFORT, FRANKLIN COUNTY, KY (March 3, 2022) – In honor of the 125th passing of the Bottled in Bond Act today, Buffalo Trace Distillery raises a glass to salute E. H. Taylor, Jr. with a commemorative single barrel release hand selected by Grammy Award Winner Chris Stapleton. The Bottled in Bond Act, […]
