Heaven Hill’s first installment of its new Heaven Hill Heritage Assortment set a excessive water mark proper out of the gate, incomes a spot on our high 10 whiskeys of the yr checklist — to not point out an aftermarket worth that now hovers round $1500. For spherical two of this assortment, launched each spring, Heaven Hill is popping to a curious providing: Kentucky straight corn whiskey, aged 20 years.
Constructed from a mash of 80% corn, 12% malted barley, and eight% rye, this is identical mashbill you’ll discover within the iconic Mellow Corn — solely a lot, a lot older. Drawn from the third flooring of Heaven Hill’s Rickhouse 1K, a complete of 110 barrels had been produced and have now been bottled for our enjoyment.
Let’s give it a whirl.
To make certain, it doesn’t a lot resemble Mellow Corn, partly due to the age and partly due to the proof — which hits 57.5% abv. The nostril provides you an enormous, woody beatdown, which is wholly to be anticipated after this size of time within the barrel. That classically corny character that evokes peanut shells and popcorn lies in wait beneath, however quietly, giving time to notes of darkish chocolate and a contact of black cherry, neither of which you’ll discover in any Mellow Corn expertise.
Powerful on the palate at full power, lumberyard parts dominate as a stronger caramel corn and darkish chocolate character work to push by means of. The exuberant fruit of a well-aged bourbon doesn’t ever materialize right here, irrespective of how a lot you need it to, reminding you that you just’re sipping on corn whiskey in the long run. Give it time in glass, nonetheless, and a extra soothing butterscotch notice makes an look late within the sport, alongside parts of tea leaf and ample baking spice. Water? To make certain it’s a good suggestion, although this creates a culminating end paying homage to iced tea, flippantly sweetened — maybe essentially the most “corn whiskey” high quality you’ll discover within the expertise. As with Mellow Corn, complexity stays an elusive high quality ’til the tip.
I can’t say this can be a whiskey I significantly liked — there’s loads left in my pattern bottle — however it’s one I had enjoyable tasting by means of and fascinated by. I don’t think about it will hit the stratospheric costs or cult following that the 2022 HHHC demanded, although I’m certain Mellow Corn fanatics are gonna completely freak out.
115 proof.
B+ / $290 / heavenhilldistillery.com
Heaven Hill Heritage Assortment Straight Corn Whiskey 20 Years Outdated (2023)
$290
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