Heaven Hill Heritage Collection 22 Year Bourbon Review - Where Were You in 2003?

“Write your story as it needs to be written. Write it honestly, and tell it as best you can. I’m not sure that there are any other rules. Not ones that matter.”

–Neil Gaiman

What were you up to in 2003? You might have found yourself curating the perfect iTunes mix, furiously tapping away at a flip phone, drafting a T9 text to your friend, or enwrapped in an argument over if Clay Aiken should have won American Idol over Ruben Studdard. Regardless of what you were doing, the fine folks at Heaven Hill Distillery were busy laying down new-make bourbon in their signature recipe. With the acquisition of the Bernheim Distillery in Louisville wrapped up in 1999, this was the powerhouse production facility that Heaven Hill needed, operating under D.S.P. KY-1 which you can find on the front label of this release alongside their bottling plant in Bardstown under D.S.P. KY-31.

Twenty-two long years later, we find ourselves in a very different world. We've mostly forgotten about Britney Spears and Madonna kissing at the VMAs and have thankfully left low-rise jeans as a thing of the past—yet much of how we enjoy bourbon has somehow stayed the same through this vast transition. When you look back at some of the old forums like StraightBourbon.com you see familiar whiskey nerd banter: friendly disagreements about ratings, rankings, lists, and value. Not far off from the Reddit threads or Instagram comments of 2026, are they?

The whiskey from these barrels, however, has changed quite a bit in those 22 years. Starting off clear as water when it went into the new charred white American oak, it has slowly picked up depth of flavor and richer caramel color with every passing year, sitting bung-up in the hot racks of Warehouse Y in Bardstown, Kentucky. I don't want to know how much liquid was lost to evaporation in that time, but I'm sure glad the whiskey that survived has found its way to my glass. I bought this bottle with my own money for the purposes of this review, alongside personal enjoyment, of course. Let's dive in for a review, shall we?

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Company on Label: Heaven Hill Distillery, Bardstown, Kentucky

Whiskey Type: Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey

Mash Bill Percentages: 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley

Proof: 129.2° (64.6%)

Age: 22 years

Buy Online: Frootbat

Further identification: The 2026 release of Heaven Hill Heritage Collection features whiskey aged at the Heaven Hill rickhouse site, with 270 barrels being pulled from the 5th and 6th floor of Warehouse Y, where they have been resting since 2003

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Nose: Rich vanilla and obvious oak tones waft out of the glass from a distance, two recognizable hallmarks of ultra-aged Heaven Hill bourbon. Bringing the nostrils closer to the liquid amplifies allspice, black pepper, and old newspaper. Behind those sharper notes, I find a comfortable home in sweet cherry blossom, caramel, and molasses. It's a bourbon in every way that my nose has been trained to understand. Hints of coconut and chocolate offer the complexity a whiskey of this age ought to have. After a long rest, the whiskey becomes creamy in a tiramisu kind of way, leading me to wonder if the mouthfeel might follow suit. My curiosity is urging me to inquire. After a taste, my nose is far more infatuated. Rich buttercream frosting aromas swirl my mind into a comfortable paste. Long inhales are covered in chocolate, milk chocolate now in the distinct form of Hershey's Kisses. Just a hint of vintage earthy clay can be found if you really get to digging. As the liquid level gets lower, the sweet bourbon aromas just get better and better here. They haven't changed or evolved too much; it's still a base character of vanilla, angel food cake, and caramel, but the enjoyment factor is quite high now. The empty glencairn smells of milk chocolate, graham cracker, and marshmallow.

Palate: My first sip presents distinctly as expected, both from the nose experience and my historical tastings of Heaven Hill bourbon. Waves of sweet vanilla frosting carry gobs of cherry and raspberry toward the tongue before crashing into the taste buds with dark chocolate and black pepper tones. The wildness of the first sip doesn't dissuade me from another in the least. This one produces strawberry shortcake and chocolate chip cookie tones alongside unmitigated, proofy heat. Taking a break before revisiting reveals a slightly tamed experience still brimming with vanilla and toffee tones, now with a light dusting of cinnamon and red fresno pepper. Overall, I am left a bit wanting in the depth department as I patiently taste with my usual careful intention. Sipping near the bottom of the glass illustrates a classic, enjoyable, old bourbon. At the final taste of my pour, my taste buds report back a blanket of flavor: vanilla woven with graham cracker that settles gently before dissipating into the comfort of a black, starless night. The finish is slightly shorter than expected, but full of caramel and cream tones.

TL;DR: A straightforward and enjoyable old Kentucky bourbon that is undeniably Heaven Hill

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Rating: 4/5

Really good. I want one of these on my shelf.

I'm a little surprised by how ordinary this whiskey landed. At an MSRP of around $320, I'd expect to find something a little more profound than the handful of tasting notes listed in the press release, which happen to be right on point, by the way. While I thoroughly enjoyed my bottle, especially sharing it with friends and loved ones, I'm not exactly sad to see it go. Given the cost involved with procuring a backup, I believe I'll be spending my money elsewhere. Craft, perhaps?

Comparing this new Heritage Collection release to the 17 year expression, widely regarded as one of the best Heritage Collection releases to date, is quite the interesting tasting. The comparison itself instantly reveals that there really is no comparison. The 17 year Heritage Collection from 2022 just has way more depth that is readily available and instantly apparent. While the base whiskey is definitely still the same DNA—Heaven Hill through and through—the 17 year release has the orange peel, the nuttiness, and the coffee tones I absolutely adore. If you haven't read that full review, you're going to want to pull that up next.

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WRITTEN BY: NICK ANDERSON

With over a decade of sipping experience, Nick Anderson brings a well-calibrated palate to his profound passion for the whiskey industry. Beginning with Irish whiskey before expanding into bourbon, rye, and beyond, he has long been taking the ephemeral observation of unspoken enjoyment and translating it into meaningful words. He is the owner and primary long-winded whiskey writer for AmongstTheWhiskey.com, and he hopes you find resonance in the patient conveyance of an honest whiskey review.

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