Heaven Hill Old Style Bourbon Bottled in Bond, 6 Years Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 50% ABV $12
What Richard Says: Nose: Slightly alcoholic opening up to sweet caramel covering vanilla pudding before easing into a nice honeysuckle. Palate: Creamy with more vanilla and caramel sweetness with just a hint of leather and black pepper. Very easy to drink. On a follow up tasting session this was more corn forward than the earlier sessions. A bit of fluid bourbon (no pun intended) that changes a good bit depending on the situation and precedents. Finish: A like hot at first and then it smooths out to a little woodiness and a good dose of black pepper and cinnamon. Comments: No “the distillery says” section you ask? Well, that’s because they don’t say much of anything. Even in this day and age you’d be hard pressed to find a website from Heaven Hill featuring or even mentioning this version. It’s an old one that’s been around a while. It doesn’t get a lot of press but like the Very Old Barton Bottled in Bond we just reviewed this is an often overlooked very solid bourbon at a ridiculously good price. It’s not going to rock your world but for $12 you can sit back and enjoy good drink while all the Johnny-come-lately’s are paying $500 for a bottle of Van Winkle 10 year old. Rating: Stands Out, Great Value
Very Old Barton Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Bottled in Bond 50% ABV $12-$15 Website What the Distillery Says: Very Old Barton has been carefully distilled and aged for generations in Bardstown, Kentucky. This classic bourbon whiskey has a bold and rich taste that goes down smooth, just as it has for decades.
The opening sip rushes opulent flavors of vanilla bean, exotic close and worn leather over the tongue. As the experience progresses, the shear mass of this whiskey is realized. The velvety body flows through the pallet leaving a trail of royal splendor. The finish is as decadent as the beginning.
What Richard Says: Nose: Vanilla, caramel, cornbread, cinnamon, and clove. Palate: Burnt caramel syrup, black pepper, polish wood, oiled leather. Finish: A little rough around the edges at first but it settles into a mellow oakiness. Comments: You’ll notice from the photo that this is “Aged 6 Years”. You won’t find that anymore. Instead you’ll find a “6” on the neck in conspicuously the same place. Sazerac owns Barton and it’s brands along with Buffalo Trace. In recent years they keep touting their inventory shortages. I can understand that. Demand for bourbon keeps rising. But what I don’t understand is how the company is handling that. Several of their lowered priced brands have seen their age statements disappear to “allow them the flexibility to bottle the bourbon when it’s ready not when it hits a certain age.” Fair enough, but what isn’t fair is that a number of these bottle still have the number in the same place but without the “aged” and “years” to accompany it. Sazerac says the bourbon in here is still six years old and the taste profile hasn’t changed noticeably to me. However, I do take severe umbrage to leaving the six on there. Sazerac says they did market research and this was the best choice to the consumer but I don’t care. I still think its blatantly dishonest, misleading, and is just another in a series of moves like this by the company. I used to be a Buffalo Trace and Sazerac super fan but the way they are handling their inventory (or profit) problems I find appalling. They still make great whiskey and this is a great bourbon and the price is pretty hard to beat. But integrity is important to me too. It’s up to you to decide how you feel about the labeling (and potential product) changes the company is undergoing. Rating: Stands Out, Great Value
Zafra Master Reserve Rum Aged 21 Years 40% ABV $35 to $45 Website What the Distiller Says: In Spanish, ZAFRA refers to the act of harvesting sugarcane: it is the moment in time when nature rewards men for months of dedicated and arduous labor. After the harvest, our skilled Master Distiller transforms the gathered cane into rum and, after careful maturation in selected oak casks, the alchemy is complete, converting aged rum into the masterpiece we call ZAFRA MASTER RESERVE. We invite you to celebrate the ageless ZAFRA tradition with us as you delight your senses with this rare rum treasure.
What Richard Says: Nose: Vanilla, brown sugar, berries, and caramel. Palate: Oak, brown sugar, and cherries jubilee. Finish: Light oak and quick on the finish. Comments: When I was new to aged rum I saw this on the shelf for around $35. I asked myself how could anything aged for 21 years be $35 dollars. I don’t know a lot about taxes in Panama but by whiskey standards that’s crazy. So I passed on this bottle many time. Finally, one day I decided out of nowhere to take the plunge. I wasn’t disappointed. This isn’t the greatest aged rum in the world but for the price it’s a very nice value. Rating: Stands Out, Great Value
Evan Williams Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Put in oak 2002 Barrelled on 4-2-02 Barrel No. 541 Bottled on 6-11-12 43.3% ABV $20 to $25 Website
What the Distillery Says: This Bourbon was personally selected by our Master Distiller, only after meeting his exacting standards for this vintage. Taken from a single barrel, it is the art of Bourbon making at its finest. Bottled unblended with other barrels to preserve its individuality. Hand-numbered as a sign of its limited availability.
Color Delicate amber gold Nose Dark caramel, sweet oak, and charred wood Taste Lush and spicy; oak with honey, apple, and orange notes Finish Long, graceful and relaxed
What Richard Says: Nose: A grab bag of vanilla and dulce de leche cream candies. Apple wood and a little licorice. Palate: Mild and terribly drinkable. Subtle sweetness and spiciness dance behind the wood. Finish: Medium length and a bit dry. Nothing harsh about it. Comments: This year’s vintage is a lovely and highly drinkable bourbon. It’s not going to knock anyone’s socks off off but no one is going to complain about it if it’s offered. It’s still easily found sub $25 which makes it a great value pick too! Rating: Stands Out, Great Value
John E. Fitzgerald Larceny Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Very Special Small Batch 46% ABV $19.99 Website
What the Distillery Says: Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc., the country’s largest independent family-owned and operated spirits producer and marketer, announces the initial launch of Larceny Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey into 12 markets in September 2012. A super-premium 92 proof Bourbon, Larceny is the heir to the wheated Bourbons that make up the historic Old Fitzgerald franchise that Heaven Hill acquired in 1999. In fact, it is the somewhat controversial history of John E. Fitzgerald and his eponymous Bourbon brand that provides the story, and name, to Larceny Bourbon, the latest new label from the venerated distillery that produces Evan Williams and Elijah Craig Bourbons and Rittenhouse Rye. Larceny Bourbon continues the Old Fitzgerald tradition of using wheat in place of rye as the third or “small” grain in the whiskey’s grain recipe, or mashbill as it is commonly known. The use of winter wheat replaces the spicier, fruitier flavor notes that rye provides with a softer, rounder character that is the hallmark of Old Fitzgerald and other “wheated” Bourbons such as Maker’s Mark and the Van Winkle line.
It is actually the story of the Old Fitzgerald brand, made famous by the late Julian “Pappy” Van Winkle Sr., that forms the historical basis for Larceny Bourbon. According to industry lore, John E. Fitzgerald had founded his distillery in Frankfort , KY shortly after the Civil War ended, making his Bourbon available only to steamship lines, rail lines and private clubs. This story was furthered by S.C Herbst, who owned the “Old Fitz” brand from the 1880’s through Prohibition, and “Pappy” Van Winkle, who purchased the brand during Prohibition and made it his signature label. However, it was revealed by Pappy’s granddaughter, Sally Van Winkle Campbell, in her 1999 book But Always Fine Bourbon—Pappy Van Winkle and the Story of Old Fitzgerald, that in fact John E. Fitzgerald was not a famous distiller at all. He was in reality a treasury agent who used his keys to the warehouses to pilfer Bourbon from the finest barrels. His discerning palate led those barrels to which he chose to help himself being referred to as “Fitzgerald barrels”.
Now Heaven Hill has launched Larceny, whose tagline—“A taste made famous by an infamous act”—sets history straight.
Tasting Notes: Aroma: Fresh bread and toffee, with a note of butterscotch Taste: Buttery caramel and honeyed notes, with a rich mouthfeel Finish: Long, gently sweet and savory
What Richard Says: Nose: Cherries…lots of cherries and vanilla. Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper? Maybe. The is also a little lavender dancing in the back with scalded milk. Palate: Not nearly as sweet as the nose would lead you to believe. Vanilla, a nice oak char, rich, and slightly savory. Well balanced as a good wheater should be. Finish: Butterscotch and dry oak with hints of tobacco and oiled leather. Comments: Definitely the Heaven Hill wheater DNA from the 2010 Parker’s Heritage release. If I had to put Larceny up against Buffalo Trace’s Weller Special Reserve and Maker’s I’d pick this one every time. I may have just found my new sub $25 wheater. Rating: Must Try, Great Value
