Gary

Managing apostle and whiskey enthusiast

Heaven Hill Select Stock 9 Year Malt

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

Heaven Hill Select Stock 9 Year Malt
Kentucky Straight Malt Whiskey

59.7% ABV
$150
Website
Heaven Hill Select Stock BottleHeaven Hill Select Stock 9 Year Old Kentucky Straight Malt Whiskey

What the Bottle Says

Mashbill: 51% Malt, 49% Corn
Rickhouse: MM
Special Characteristics: Our Master Distiller selected this limited offering of 9 year-old Small Batch Malt Whiskey to have a unique mashbill with 51% Malt resulting in a smoky, sweet flavor with a long, lingering finish.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Malty, dark fruit notes of raisins and blackcurrants, smokey, hint of cedar and honeysuckle.
Palate:  Rich mouthfeel, sweet and fruity with plums, berries, peaches, anise, cloves and cinnamon.
Finish:  Moderate to long, drying, fruity with baking spices.
Comments:  Very different whiskey. If you’re a fan of scotch – this isn’t that (but some similarities). If you’re a fan of bourbon – this isn’t that (but again, some similarities). The whiskey is really dark in the glass, and with a bit of water the nose opens up with orchard fruits like peaches and pears, and the palate thickens more and also brings out some peaches and apples. My dad and I took the opportunity to partake in the Heaven Hill offering of “You Do Bourbon” during our Bardstown trip in April 2024. For $40 a person (plus taxes & service fees, all told it was about $46 and change per) you get to hear a bit about Heaven Hill’s history and mashbills – and get to taste Elijah Craig barrel proof, Larceny barrel proof, Bernheim Wheat whiskey barrel proof, and a ‘special selection’ which varies. If you like what you tried, you have the opportunity to bottle your own bottle (1 bottle per person). It isn’t a ‘single barrel’, but rather an ‘exclusive batch’ that you can only get there. And if you buy the ‘special offering’ – you can only buy one – period! Even if you were to buy another tour ticket for the next day – they restrict that mainly to deter ‘flippers’. Anyways – my dad and I both were really impressed with this 9 year malt whiskey, and he bought a bottle and was nice enough to let me bring a sample home. I wound up buying the Elijah Craig Barrel Proof as that stood out as a really nice pour – better than I recalled many of the retail batches (although I really wanted one of these too). Crossing my fingers he won’t drink it all before I get up to visit at the holidays!

Rating: Must Try

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Parker’s Heritage Collection 10 Year Bourbon Heavy Char Barrels

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Parker’s Heritage Collection Heavy Char Barrels
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 10 Years

60% ABV
$120-150
Website
Parkers Heritage Collection Heavy Char 10 Year Old Bourbon

What the Distillery Says

The 14th edition of Parker’s Heritage Collection features Heaven Hill’s traditional rye Bourbon mashbill, aged in specialty barrels that were charred for a full minute and a half, as opposed to our traditional 40 seconds. These “Level 5” barrels were aged for a full 10 years, where the heavier char allowed the Bourbon to penetrate further into the barrel, bringing forth caramel and maple sweetness. These 102 barrels were aged on the sixth floor of rickhouse Y, and developed a pleasant smokiness after 40 Kentucky seasons of maturation. It is bottled without chill filtration at 120 proof.
TASTING NOTES
Color: Deep copper
Nose: Balanced and fruit forward.
Taste: Smooth, rich marmalade. Sweet but not cloying.
Finish: Very long & warm. Cloves & cinnamon linger.

What Gary Says

Nose: Dark chocolate, graham cracker, roasted marshmallow, caramel, walnuts and oak.
Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, turtle brownies with chocolate, walnuts and caramel, nutmeg and brown sugar.
Finish: Long, syrupy fudge with subtle oak.
Comments: Damn this is just a lovely bourbon! The Parker’s Heritage Collection rarely (can’t say never) disappoints, and this is no exception. This is just a delicious, intense, well balanced pour. I do miss the days when I could find these behind the counter of my local liquor store, but am always thankful for having the opportunity to try someone else’s (thanks Dad!) This was the 2020 release, although my tasting notes are from the summer of 2024. If you see this laying around – I can’t imagine not grabbing it (aside from outrageous overpricing).

Rating: Must Buy

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New Riff Single Barrel Bourbon 2023

/ / Bourbon, Review /

New Riff Single Barrel Bourbon

Distilled February 2019, Bottled March 2023
Barrel 17082
57.7% ABV
$50
Website
New Riff Single Barrel Bourbon

What the Distillery Says

BARREL PROOF WITHOUT CHILL FILTRATION
AGED AT LEAST 4 YEARS
HIGH RYE MASH BILL – 30 % RYE

New Riff Distilling’s core Bourbon expression is a genuinely high-rye, full bodied whiskey offering savory, spicy character, bottled at Barrel Proof without Chill Filtration. Featuring a mash bill of non-GMO grains at 65% corn, 30% rye, and 5% malted barley, it represents a new riff on Kentucky’s most hallowed whiskey traditions. Aged four years in 53-gallon toasted and charred new oak barrels, there are no shortcuts taken in our production. All New Riff whiskeys are made with the full sour mash Kentucky Regimen; all carry an age statement, and are always bottled without chill filtration.

At New Riff, single barrel expressions are a way of life. As former Kentucky liquor retailers, we are intimately familiar with some of Kentucky’s most famed private barrel Bourbon selections ever, and we bring that experience to New Riff. A New Riff Private Barrel selection, whether for trade or private clients, offers an unparalleled experience, replete with tasting notes and an immersive process in our warehouse. Each New Riff single barrel has been tasted and approved by our production panel. Our retail and on-premise partners then select each of their private barrels themselves. In the end, you can taste a New Riff Single Barrel knowing it was fully vetted and thoroughly tasted and approved.

TASTING NOTES
While each Single Barrel owns its specific flavor profile, New Riff Bourbon generally shows big and spicy flavors. This is not a light, delicate, simple whiskey—we have crafted for robust and fulsome flavor from start to finish. Our unfiltered bottling regimen allows all the character of the barrel to shine through in the glass.

Aroma: Polished, dark brown sugar, char, cherries
Palate: Dark cocoa, dark fruit, fruity, cherries

What Gary Says

Nose:  Salted caramel, charred oak, vanilla, molasses, cherries, dark chocolate, raw walnuts.
Palate:  Bitter dark chocolate, pepper spice (almost chili oil), caramel, cinnamon and walnuts.
Finish:  Moderate in length, drying with pepper spice, chocolate and cinnamon.
Comments:  There’s a lot of variation in single barrel bourbon, so I don’t necessarily review every one I try. This one was unique in that the first/last New Riff Single Barrel Bourbon I had reviewed was bottled in 2019, and this one was distilled in 2019. Also, a friend brought it to a whiskey tasting where a couple other folks who tried it claimed it “wrecked their palates” (which in my experience is a claim usually associated with a super peaty/smoky scotch). Now this is odd – with a strong pepper bite tending towards chili oil. That can be off putting but it didn’t wreck my palate; and I found that a bit of water tamped it down completely, bringing out notes of leather on the nose and leaving the dark chocolate notes on the palate less bitter. Kevin allowed me to take what was left in the bottle to review and share, although having been sold a year and a half earlier – unlikely you’ll run across it on a shelf.

Rating: Stands Out

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Barrell Bourbon New Year 2025

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Barrell Bourbon New Year 2025

56.05% ABV
$85
Website
Barrell Bourbon New Year 2025
We would like to thank Barrell Craft Spirits and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Blender Says

New Year. New beginnings. New traditions. The new year is a time of renewal and fresh starts, a chance to reflect on past accomplishments and look to what lies ahead. Barrell New Year Bourbon 2025 celebrates the possibilities and optimism that every new year brings.

BLEND COMPONENTS:
Kentucky Bourbon: 5, 6, & 9 years old
Indiana Bourbon: 5, 6, 7, 11, & 12 years old
Tennessee Bourbon: 8, 9, & 15 years old
Wyoming Bourbon: 9 & 12 years old
New York Bourbon: 5 years old
Texas Bourbon: 5 years old
Ohio Bourbon: 5 years old
Maryland Bourbon: 6 & 7 years old

DERIVED MASH BILL:
Corn: 75%
Rye: 20%
Malted Barley: 4%
Wheat: 1%

  • A blend of straight Bourbon Whiskeys
  • Crafted and bottled in Kentucky
  • 112.1 proof cask strength bottling

FLAVOR NOTES
A gentle cask influence underlies the palate while it builds on the diversity of fruit and herbs. An initial note of candied pineapple hints at a tropical depth revealed only with a splash of water.

​Neat
Appearance: Radiant copper.
Nose: Undertones of chamomile tea and a squeeze of lemon, followed by chardonnay and pear. Dried pineapple nods toward a hidden tropical depth. A richness is revealed by notes of beeswax, wheat cracker and white chocolate. There’s a vibrant piquancy that conjures ginger ale as well as just a hint of minerality.
Palate: A whole host of herbs typical of alpine liqueurs, notably thyme, lemon balm, and peppermint. Juicy notes of Meyer lemon and key lime pie recall the citrusy aroma. The fruit then diverges, adding lychee and grape soda. While initially subdued, the oak gains steam over time, carrying with it allspice and vanilla.
Finish: A brief flash of wasabi jolts all the senses awake. Oils coat the palate, notably tea tree and grapefruit, but also a note of fried plantain. Maraschino liqueur, rosehip and coconut water linger.
With a splash of spring water
It blooms with the tropical papaya, passionfruit and orange marmalade. The fruits keep coming: tart cherry, applesauce, cantaloup and more. The lower proof renders the palate richer, creamier, and spicier.

What Gary Says

Nose: Vanilla, tropical fruit notes, pear, lemon zest, toasted oak, honey, hint of tea and a subtle mineral note.
Palate: Cross between lemon meringue and key lime pie with orange marmalade on top, honey, vanilla, caramel and herbal spices.
Finish: Moderate in length, drying with tropical fruit notes, lemon-lime and a bit of pepper spice.
Comments: This is very nice bourbon, and very unique! I can’t recall another bourbon that has included a blend from a minimum of 8 different distilleries (8 different states, and with different ages – it could be more distilleries than that!) Nice citrus-forward dram, that surprised me with the derived mashbill. I would have guessed 35%+ rye, but this showcases how blending different bourbons from different distilleries can really lead to something quite. I remain blown away by whomever does their tasting notes (I avoid reading them until I have done my own review, but often find they call out things I couldn’t put my finger on but definitely experienced). A versatile whiskey that I enjoy neat or with a few drops of water, but the citrus bend would lend this to working well in a rye or bourbon-based cocktail!

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Woodinville Founder’s Find

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Woodinville Founder’s Find
12 Year Old Whiskey from a Bourbon Mash

53.5% ABV
$130
Website
Woodinville Whiskey Founders Find
We would like to thank Woodinville Whiskey for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

Woodinville, WA – This fall, as part of its annual Harvest Release, Woodinville Whiskey will introduce its first sourced whiskey, Woodinville Founder’s Find, a discovery too exceptional not to share.

“Working on new whiskey innovation projects with Moët Hennessy, our parent company, introduced me to the world of sourced whiskey,” says Woodinville Whiskey Co-founder and CEO, Orlin Sorensen. “One bourbon I encountered really called out to me and, when Brett and I tasted it together, we knew it was something special.” At that moment, Woodinville’s new Founder’s Find collection was born.

The first bottling in this exciting line of rare and unusual whiskeys is a 12-year-old whiskey from Tennessee, blended six years into aging with a small dose (4%) of 15-year-old Indiana bourbon. Its viscous body, incredible depth, and mile-long finish comes not only from the liquid but from the uncommon way it’s been aged: in a reconditioned barrel, a process by which used barrels are scraped clean and freshly toasted and charred. Years ago, a group of renowned distillers proposed the use of these barrels and began experimenting, only to be rebuffed by lawmakers. Which is how Orlin uncovered this forgotten barrel in the back corner of a legendary rickhouse, patiently waiting for someone to notice and appreciate it.

Confident they’d happened upon something extraordinary, Orlin and Brett entered Woodinville Founder’s Find in the 2024 San Francisco Spirit Awards Competition, where it earned Double Gold medals. The esteemed judges also selected it as one of four finalists for “Best in Class” in the American Blended Whiskey category. The judges’ tasting notes were: “this whiskey boasts an aromatic nose with notes of dried fruit, spice, and a hint of caramel. The palate is smooth and well-rounded with flavors of rye spice, vanilla, and a touch of oak.”

Woodinville Founder’s Find earned Double Platinum in Fred Minnick’s 2024 ASCOT Awards, and it was propelled to the top in a blind tasting by a panel of judges. Out of 900 entries it was a finalist for “Best in Show” and, while not the ultimate winner, Fred selected it as his personal vote for #1 Best in Show Whiskey. Judges gave it these tasting notes: “Aromas of caramel, vanilla and baking spices on the nose while dark cherry and mint shine through on the palate, concluding with a truly incredible finish.”

The first 500 numbered bottles of Founder’s Find (107 proof) will be released exclusively at the distillery’s Harvest Release on October 19 at $129.99 per bottle. The Harvest Release will also feature Woodinville Bourbon Sauternes Finish, a grain to glass offering, priced at $69.99 per bottle. Woodinville Bourbon Sauternes Finish also earned Double Platinum in the ASCOT competition and the judges gave these tasting notes for it: “Fresh and cooked orchard fruit on the nose hangs around on the palate where it’s met with gentle oak and hints of freshly brewed coffee notes and a lingering finish.” The first 500 numbered bottles of this bourbon will also be available that day, when Brett and Orlin will be joined by Fred Minnick to taste the whiskeys and sign bottles. Both Harvest Release whiskeys will be available online at a later date.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Caramel, dried orchard fruit, cinnamon, nutmeg, freshly toasted oak, walnuts, cocoa, crème brûlée and Flintstones™ Vitamins.
Palate:  Creamy, sweet with caramel, cherry, honey, nougat, milk chocolate, cinnamon, mint and a bit of pepper spice.
Finish:  Long with caramel apple, milk chocolate and a bit of pepper.
Comments:  The mineral note on the nose is a hallmark of Dickel, but don’t mistake that this is simply Dickel with a different label. It is absolutely unique. The oak on the nose reminds me of fresh wood shavings from taking wood shop as a kid. The reconditioned barrel as well as the blending of an older bourbon definitely adds to the complexity on both the nose and palate. I really enjoyed this one, and coaxing the notes out over time. Shame that this experiment didn’t get more traction (thanks Tennessee lawmakers), but glad that Woodinville is bringing this to market so we can enjoy it!

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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