IW Harper
Cabernet Cask Reserve
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Cabernet Sauvignon Casks
90 Proof
Suggested Retail Price: $49.99
Review
Please enjoy our IW Harper Cabernet Cask Reserve Bourbon Review!
I.W. Harper Bourbon History
IW Harper whiskey was first produced by the Bernheim Brothers Distillery back in the late 1870’s. You may be familiar with the name Bernheim. There’s the (new) Bernheim Distillery in Louisville, KY, where Heaven Hill currently produces its whiskeys, Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest and Bernheim Original Wheat Whiskey, also produced by Heaven Hill. So who was this Bernheim?
Who was this I.W. Bernheim?
Well, Isaac Wolfe Bernheim was a German-Jewish immigrant who first arrived in the US back in 1867. He was not a distiller at the time. He eventually found work as a bookkeeper either for two distillers or a wholesale liquor company, depending on which source you believe. Eventually, after earning enough money, he brought his brother to the US and the two started a distillery (or liquor wholesale business) of their own, called Bernheim Bros. They eventually started blending whiskey and released a brand of their own.
What’s with the I.W. Harper name?
So why is this brand called I.W. Harper and not I.W. Bernheim? Well, because of the social climate and prejudices at that time, the Bernheim Brothers felt that it was best to have an American sounding name. So I.W. Harper was born.
The brand did very well until bourbon’s decline in the 1990’s. Then it was sold in foreign markets only, predominantly in Asia, but was brought back to the U.S. in 2015. I.W. Harper is currently owned by Diageo. This Cabernet Cask Reserve is their latest release.
I. W. Harper Cabernet Finished Bourbon Tasting Notes
Let’s taste I.W Harper Cabernet Cask Reserve Bourbon:
Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn
Nose: Subtle spearmint, honey, caramel, hint of ginger, mild oak; dark stone fruits, like dark plums and black cherries; relatively light but noticeable alcoholTaste: Subtle caramel, honey, vanilla; mild sweetnessFinish: Cabernet flavor shows up in the finish and lingers. Black pepper and tannins build, linger, and blend with some barrel char. Moderately long finish.
Summary
I.W. Harper Cabernet Cask Reserve is an easy drinking bourbon. Generally I am not a fan of cabernet finishes, but this one I like. The cabernet is subtle, and doesn’t really make itself known until the finish. Sure, there are some dark stone fruits up front that are probably the cabernet flavors, but they are not dominant and blend well with the bourbon.
Are you a fan of cabernet finished bourbons? Cheers!
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