Review: Heaven Hill 90th Anniversary Bourbon
Heaven Hill is 90 years old this year, and it’s celebrating the occasion — how else? — with new whiskey.
Heaven Hill Distillery’s 90th Anniversary 9-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is made from the distillery’s traditional bourbon mashbill of 78% corn, 12% malted barley, and 10% rye, bottled at its typical “special edition proof” of 107.
The product is a blend of 70% whiskey aged in standard barrels and 30% aged in heavy, alligator-charred barrels, with 204 barrels total selected for bottling here. These barrels were all produced on December 13, 2015 — the date of Heaven Hill’s 80th Anniversary — and they spent nine years and eight months in Rickhouses G and H on the 4th and 6th floors.
“As we celebrate Heaven Hill’s 90th anniversary, I’m reminded of the vision my father and his brothers had when they founded this company in 1935,” said Max L. Shapira, Heaven Hill Executive Chairman. “Their goal was simple but profound, to build a family business that would craft whiskey with integrity, patience, and pride. Nine decades later, we continue that mission with the same independent spirit, passion for quality, and respect for tradition that has guided us from the start. This 90th Anniversary release is both a reflection of our history and a toast to our future.”
“This release is particularly special because it captures nearly a decade of patient aging and our team’s thoughtful approach to barrel selection,” said Conor O’Driscoll, Master Distiller at Heaven Hill Distillery. “By incorporating Bourbon aged in heavy char barrels, we’ve deepened the flavor profile and created a whiskey with exceptional richness and balance. The result is a spirit that embodies the craftsmanship and character that have defined Heaven Hill for 90 years.”
Ready to give ‘er a whirl? Here goes.
Heaven Hill 90th Anniversary Release Bourbon Review
Clean but unremarkable on the nose, this bourbon has a grain-forward composition on the nose, sharpened up with heavy notes of menthol and pepper. The barrel influence is moderate but insistent, tempering a fairly corny attack with both barrel char and vanilla-caramel aromas, but after even considerable time in glass, the cereal-forward texture remains.
The palate doesn’t much change the equation. If anything, the menthol character is more persistent, zapping the tongue with a surprising level of spice that almost feels medicinal at times. Ample vanilla and some almond character tempers that initial rush of — not quite heat, but buzziness — giving the midpalate and beyond a more traditional, soothing quality. Corn chips and peanut butter carry the day through to a surprisingly lengthy finish, where some late-forming cigar box elements — and more of that menthol — linger.
It’s definitely an enjoyable bourbon, but perhaps aggressively priced for a 9 year old in today’s clime. Either way, happy anniversary to our friends in Bardstown!
107 proof.
B+ / $125 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
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