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).
The whisky inspired by a rock song – remixed This is our seventh edition of Flaming Heart, the whisky that revels in the harmonies between heavy peat and toasted French oak. Imagine Metallica with a backing orchestra, and you’re getting close. With the best bands, each album is an opportunity to explore and experiment; every record is an evolution from the one before. For fans of Flaming Heart, we always seek to evolve the ‘sound’ and have introduced a deep fruitiness to the arrangement for the 2022 version. The smoke machine is powered by a combination of malts from the Laphroaig, Caol Ila and Talisker distilleries, while our Highland Malt Blend has spent more than five years in richly toasted virgin French oak custom casks to deliver round, booming spicy richness. FLAVOUR PROFILE: A high-energy nose with smouldering peat embers, cigar wrapper and candied ginger. The palate is oily, smoky, rich and savoury. SERVING RECOMMENDATIONS: A whisky for friends, great music, and not taking life too seriously. TECHNICAL DETAILS: Bottled at 48.9%. Natural colour. Not chill filtered. Blended Malt Scotch Whisky. A limited edition of 9,606 bottles. August 2022. LEAD WHISKYMAKER: James Saxon.
What Gary Says
Nose: Smoke and peat with wisps of salty sea air, bit of tar, smoked pork lightly brushed with barbecue sauce, grilled peaches, pears, raisins, mineral notes and leather. Palate: Thick and creamy mouthfeel, sweet with smoky caramel, peat, berries, apples, raisins, cherries, and nutmeg. Finish: Long and syrupy with apricot jam and peat smoke. Comments: I’ve been a fan of Flaming Heart ever since I first tried one (which was the 2012 edition). The 2015 edition I was such a fan of, I stocked up and over a couple of years bought 6 or 7 bottles (hard to tell as some were drank over that period of time!) The SRP back then was around $130 so this wasn’t an inexpensive endeavor – but worth it to me. Fast forward to 2024 when I sat down with a sample of the 2022 Flaming Heart (which I didn’t buy as the SRP was closer to $200 when I saw it on the shelf). Knowing how much I have loved past releases, I wanted to do a blind side-by-side tasting with the 2015. I have to admit – kinda wishing I had picked up a bottle now! This is a marvelous whisky! By comparison, I found this to be thicker on the nose, with more darker fruit notes, and with a bit of water got notes of tropical fruits. The 2015 was a bit lighter in color, with less red and gold – and with a bit of water tended towards more citrusy notes. Also found the nose on the 2015 brighter but a bit thinner. I found the 2015 pretty similar to the 2012 when I did a similar blind side-by-side back in the day. Just another magnificent offering from the folks at Compass Box, who I’ve been fans of for many years while not loving everything they’ve put out.
Vinho is fully matured in used American oak wine barrels that have been toasted and recharred in a way that brings out fruity vanilla notes from the wood into the whisky overlaid on a delicate background of complex fruitiness. It has a complex and multi-dimensional background of pepper, spice, dates and other fruits, such as ripe melon and mango together with kiwi and a delicate blend of bursting citrus fruits. ABV: 50-59.9% Colour: Deep autumn gold Flavour: A rich fusion of vanilla and caramelized sugars with dark chocolate on top. Ripe melon and mango together with kiwi and a delicate blend of citrus fruits burst. Pepper is also present in the background waiting to be noticed. Palate: The taste ends with clean and complex flavours embodying all that is best in the finest malt whiskies enjoying a long aftertaste. Tasting: We suggest drinking Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique Single Cask neat.
What Gary Says
Nose: Raisins, berries, leather, toffee, charred oak, smoked brisket with brown sugar glaze, subtle baking spices, balsamic drizzled over mango. Palate: Rich and thick mouthfeel, fruity with cherries, strawberries and raspberries, fudge toffee, plums, dates, honey and vanilla. Finish: Long and syrupy with dark fruit, honey and allspice. Comments: Wow – this is just a lovely dram! Apologies that I don’t know the exact ABV of this sample, but damn – I need more of this in my life. Incredibly intense and complex – the kind of dram I could just sit and nose for hours (except it’s so damn tasty on the palate!) I don’t often get strawberries and raspberries in whisky, and really enjoyed those peeking in. A bit of water brings more citrus to the party, but despite the cask strength I enjoyed it immensely neat. I haven’t had much Kavalan before, but this is definitely going on my watch list.
Old Grand-Dad Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey National Distillers (dusty)
50% ABV $20
What the Bottle Says
BONDED Old Grand-Dad 100 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Bottled In Bond Under Supervision of U.S. Govt Distilled and Bottled by The Old Grand-Dad Distillery Company Frankfort, KY – DSP KY. 14
(on the faux tax stamp) AGED 8 YEARS BOTTLED FALL OF 1990 NOTE: This image isn’t of my bottle but a representative image; mine was a 375 mL I paid $10 for in 2014. The first part of the UPC is 86259, which identifies it as a product of National Distillers.
What Gary Says
Nose: Butterscotch, honey, caramel, vanilla, soft oak with hints of toffee, peanut brittle and leather. Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, caramel, butterscotch, cinnamon, nutmeg and honey. Finish: Moderately long with honey, toasted oak and butterscotch. Comments: This is an absolute butterscotch bomb! While the faux tax stamp printing states 8 years old, this may be older being bottled during the glut era. National Distillers is one of my favorite dusty bourbons, and I was fortunate to stumble across two bottles of this at a small liquor store in Miami back in 2014. This is one where if someone could bottle this – exactly like this today – I’d be stockpiling. I wish I knew what it was that gave it that unique profile (and there’s been countless hours debating such topics on Straight Bourbon, whether it was the proof coming off the still, the entry proof, where it was matured, the yeast used, etc). I know a lot of folks who have tasted a fair amount of dusty bourbon would stampede over loved ones for Stitzel Weller, but for my taste buddies I’ve always preferred the ND profile. Now this whiskey isn’t mind-blowingly complicated, but I’d still rate it as a ‘Must Try’ because it’s just freakin’ delicious, and a ‘Must Buy’ if you can find it for reasonable money.
Blood Oath Pact No. 10 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Cabernet Franc & Merlot casks
49.3% ABV $130 Website We would like to thank Luxco and BYRNE PR for sending us samples to review.
What the Blender Says
Lux Row Master Distiller and Master Blender John Rempe marks a decade of distinction – and secrecy – as he renews his annual pact with bourbon drinkers by releasing Blood Oath Pact 10 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey double finished in Cabernet Franc and Merlot casks. A limited supply of 17,000 (3-in) cases will arrive at retail this month at a suggested price of $129.99 per 750 ml bottle. As with all of Rempe’s pacts, Blood Oath Pact 10 is offered at 98.6 proof (49.3% ABV).
Blood Oath Pact 10 combines some of the finest rare bourbons Rempe could find, including two well-bred ryed bourbons and one finished bourbon each complementing the others. In honor of Blood Oath’s double-digit age milestone, Rempe achieved a double finish for this year’s special, secret blend. The first finish was perfected in Cabernet Franc barrels, imbuing rich flavors of tart raspberries and black pepper. The second finish was refined in Merlot barrels, instilling the tastes of red stone fruits with undertones of vanilla, cocoa and anise. The result is a delicious and distinctive pour.
For a decade Rempe has sought out famous and forgotten rare bourbons and bottled them in combinations for his limited-release Blood Oath Pacts. Not to cater to anyone’s loyalties, he has sworn to never reveal where he finds his bourbon, but only promises to choose and make the best he knows.
“We wanted to create something truly distinctive and unique to mark our 10th edition of Blood Oath and we did just that,” said Rempe. “For this offering I sourced three extraordinary bourbons that could be elevated even further through a double finish in Cabernet Franc and Merlot casks, and would ultimately deliver the kind of rich, fruit-forward notes and smooth drinking experience I wanted to achieve. It’s a superb blend and I’m excited to share it.”
Lux Row only releases one new Blood Oath Pact annually, and each limited edition features a distinct and thoughtfully designed label. This year, a black label with striking silver highlights adorns the Blood Oath Pact 10 bottle. And like its predecessors, each bottle of Blood Oath Pact 10 comes in a commemorative fire-branded wooden display box.
The official launch of Blood Oath Pact 10 will include a total allocation of 51,000 bottles, 1,400 of which will be held for a future Trilogy release. The first Trilogy featuring Pacts 1, 2 and 3, was released in 2018, and the second Trilogy featuring Pacts 4, 5 and 6, was released in September 2021 in conjunction with National Bourbon Heritage Month. The next Blood Oath Trilogy, featuring Pacts 7, 8 and 9, will be offered later this year.
TASTING NOTES AROMA: Sweet fruit with hints of oak. PALATE: Rich caramel with flavors of tart raspberries and black pepper. FINISH: Distinct notes of red stone fruits with undertones of vanilla and cocoa.
What Gary Says
Nose: Fruity with berries, nectarines, caramel, nutty note, cigar paper, oak and dark chocolate. Palate: Thick mouthfeel, load of fruit including raspberries, plums, apricots and black cherry, honey, vanilla, dark chocolate, nutmeg, anise and a hint of root beer. Finish: Long and syrupy with raspberry, honey and oak. Comments: This is my favorite Blood Oath to date; complex, layered, nuanced, balanced, and all-around delicious! The finishes bring a ton of fruit to the party, but don’t overpower the bourbon spirit. This drinks lovely neat, but adding a few drops of water brightens the fruit notes on the nose, leaning more into a citrus vibe. I love the versatility of this bourbon – it is one that I could sit and ponder, nosing for hours over a long quiet evening. Or just sip while enjoying good company, and great whiskey!
