Vacation reviews continued! Been a great week of river reviews. Drinking drams with my old man is always a great time. Even better when we are catching beautiful brook trout too. Tonight we have an old staple, coming back around in a new barrel. Let’s see how this one drinks!
Company on Label: Heaven Hill
Whiskey Type: Bourbon
Mash Bill Percentages: 78% Corn, 10% Rye, 12% Barley
Proof: 100°
Age: 10 years
Further identification: Barrel 9862; barreled on 12/22/10
Nose: Rich stewed stone fruits immediately like plum and cherry. Powerful citrus zest pops out alongside a tame caramel. Molasses pools heavy in the corners. Dark Heaven Hill cloth/paper note I'm starting to become really accustomed to finding. Similar to the note on HH BiB. Nice herbal chocolate blend with some orange zest and pepper. Really feels like a Lindt "Intense Orange" bar. Thoroughly powerful and complex.
Palate: Delicious syrupy plum and apricot. Slight candied apple, but primarily vanilla and caramel coming through. Darker and packed with more flavor than some other Henry McKenna barrels I have tried, this is definitely the type of barrel I prefer. I think 1/3rd of the bottles I've bought have been winners like this one now. More citrusy today than when I first cracked this one yesterday for #McKennaMonday, it's a little different today. Some more spiciness today too but not a cinnamon hots or pepper spice hot... it's something tied into the vanilla or molasses. Thorough mouth coating with mint and vanilla, the finish yields a relaxing medley of dark fruit and sweet vanilla that can do no wrong. Despite the inconsistencies, I'll be regularly keeping this #AmongstTheWhiskey.
Rating: 4/5
