Heaven Hill Bottled in Bond 7 year old

I’d like to thank Heaven Hill for providing a review sample with no strings attached.

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I tend to grade on a curve when it comes to whiskey. Not here on BourbonGuy. Here I just tell you if I like it or not. But in my buying habits, I certainly grade on a curve. And that curve is based entirely on price.

See, I am a freelancer and a dog-sitter by profession. Neither of these are the most lucrative of career choices. Don’t get me wrong, I love both of my jobs, it just means that I need to be frugal in my non-BourbonGuy whiskey spending (and in my BourbonGuy spending to be fair, but here I have an incentive to try new things and maybe stretch the budget now and then).

To that end, my wife and I have come up with a few “Tiers” to help us decide what we spend our money on. They aren’t official, but they really do describe how we judge bourbons and decide which bourbons to purchase again. For example, if a Tier I bourbon were to jump up to a Tier II or III price range, I’d certainly judge that bourbon more harshly than I had previously. It’s just human nature.

Tier I: “Cocktail Bourbon” Sub $25 I do not buy bourbons that I would not want to drink neat, not even for cocktails. Well not on purpose, at least. These are the bourbons that I feel comfortable using to make bitters or to cook with. Those that if I need to use 8 to 16 fluid ounces, I don’t feel too bad about it. Of course, I am also happy to use these in cocktails or just have a glass of.

Tier II: “Everyday Drinker” $25-$40 These are the bourbons I buy most often. Mostly because this is the price point that many bourbons fall in. These are the bourbons that I can grab on a whim. Any day that I want a pour of these, I am happy to do so. I might even have a second pour without thinking too hard about it if the mood arises.

Tier III: “Special Shelf” $40-$85 These are the bourbons that I keep on a secondary shelf where I won’t think to grab them all the time. These are the ones that I need to think a little harder about if I want to buy them. And if I decide to buy them, these are the ones I want to last a little longer.

Tier IV: “Second Opinion” $85-$135 These are the bourbons that I call my wife to get a second opinion as to whether we should buy it. She is also the accountant of the family so she can also tell me if that large a purchase is in the budget for a particular week.

Tier V: “Special Circumstance” Above $135 Anything over my Personal Price Ceiling™ is a “Special Circumstance” purchase. We might be on vacation. It might be a limited release from a producer that we trust isn’t going to put out a turd. It goes without saying that these are ones we save up for and need a unanimous decision on. These are the most harshly judged bourbons we buy. If I don’t really, really like it, I feel a little burned by the purchase. And a little less likely to spend that much money from a particular producer again.

So that brings me to tonight’s Bourbon. It is the recently released Heaven Hill Bottled in Bond 7-year-old. We are all aware that I used to sing the praises of the now discontinued Heaven Hill Bottled in Bond 6-year-old Bourbon. It was one of my favorite value bourbons. It was almost the very definition of a Tier I bourbon. It competed very well with bourbons such as Wild Turkey 101 and Buffalo Trace on both price and taste. I loved cooking with it and was always happy to toss it in a cocktail. Hell, I’d bring it home by the case whenever I went to Kentucky for just those reasons. But to the dismay of many, in 2018 the 6-year-old Bonded Heaven Hill was discontinued.

In June of 2019, Heaven Hill Bottled in Bond 7-year-old was announced. It will be initially available in California, Texas, New York, Georgia, Florida, Illinois, South Carolina, and Colorado. It looks like if you live in one of those markets that you should start to see it in October. The suggested price for the new release is $39.99.

Heaven Hill Bottled in Bond 7-year-old Bourbon

Purchase Info: This sample bottle was graciously provided by Heaven Hill for review purposes. Suggested Retail price is $39.99 for a 750mL bottle.

Price Per Drink (50ml): $2.67

Details: 50% ABV. 7 year age statement. Distilled at D.S.P.-KY-1. Bottled at D.S.P.-KY-31.

Nose: mint, vanilla, cardamom, cotton candy.

Mouth: mint, vanilla, caramel, cinnamon.

Finish: on the short end of medium length. Notes of cinnamon, cardamom and oak

Thoughts: There isn't much to say on this one. It’s fine. I like it. It is minty, with a bit of spice. I think I like Elijah Craig better, but this is fine too. I like it, but I don't think it holds up to other $40 Bourbons. In this market, $35-45 will get you Four Roses Single Barrel, the 1792 specialty bourbons, New Riff Bourbon, George Remus, Knob Creek Single Barrel, or Wild Turkey Rare Breed. All of which I like better than this.

But I'm assuming that you are looking to see how it compares to the discontinued Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 6-year-old, aren't you? Anticipating that, I pulled a bottle of my 6-year-old from the closet. And well, these are pretty similar. The six-year is a bit sweeter than the new seven-year. The seven-year is much mintier. Both have a nice hit of oak on the finish. If you loved the six-year, you should love this too as they are pretty similar with only minor differences... at least until you get to the checkout.

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Honey Feast Small Batch Bourbon Honey

Hey, guess what? I’m still sick. When I was a kid, my mom always gave me hot tea with a little lemon and honey in it to soothe my cough or sore throat. It seems to have stuck with me. Though these days, I skip the lemon and just want a little honey in the tea when I’m coughing (when I’m healthy I skip the honey too). So, since I am sick, I thought it might make sense to insert a little honey into tonight too.

A little over a year ago, I reviewed a bottle of Bourbon-Infused Honey from Stubees. I thought that my “honey with bourbon in it” needs were met. It tasted great, it was responsibly sourced, it worked great as a cocktail ingredient as well as on smoked meats and biscuits. I thought I was set. However, then I got an email from a reader about what he claimed was a better bourbon-infused honey that was also about half the price.

So I decided to check out Honey Feast. Right away I was impressed with their commitment to their local Florida community and to sustainable practices including having their bees gather nectar from organically grown plants so that the pesticides don’t kill the bees as well as keeping the pesticides out of the honey. I was also impressed with all the single plant varieties of honey that they offer. My favorite honey producer became my favorite for this same kind of variety.

Today, however, we are looking at their line of infused honeys. They offer Lavender, Hemp, Vanilla, Chili, Cacao, and of course, Bourbon. The company describes their Bourbon Honey as follows:

Our Small Batch Bourbon Honey is made one barrel at a time. We infuse Non GMO Kentucky bourbon into our 55 gallon barrel of Raw Wildflower Honey and let them get nice and happy together. Delicious in that morning coffee or drizzled on some biscuits. Perfect infused honey bourbon gift for the that bourbon lover.

And as for biscuits, I heartily second that notion. This is delicious on biscuits, cornbread, even a slice of toast. I’d go so far as to say that this is great as a topping where ever you really want to taste the honey and have a little bourbon come along for the ride. However, the bourbon flavor is a little more subdued than the last bourbon honey I tried and it doesn’t hold up as well in cocktails or a cup of tea. You get lots of honey flavor in each of them, but the bourbon notes are hardly noticeable. So I’d probably go with straight honey or a different brand if you are looking at this as a cocktail ingredient.

All that said, this is tasty enough that I’m certainly going to be looking at their other honeys. I’ve had Tupelo honey from another producer and love it so I’m looking at getting one to try from Honey Feast as well. And that Mangrove Honey looks very interesting…

Honey Feast Bourbon Honey is available at their website in three sizes: a 3 oz trial for $5, a 12 oz jar for $12.99 and a gallon bulk size for $90.

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BourbonGuy.com accepts no advertising. It is solely supported by the sale of the hand-made products and bourbon-related craft supplies I sell at the BourbonGuy Gifts store. If you'd like to support BourbonGuy.com, visit BourbonGuyGifts.com. And hey, if you are an iOS user, look for Bourbon Guy in Apple News. Thanks!

Two Gins from Castle & Key

As we discussed on Tuesday, while Castle & Key is actively making bourbon, it is nowhere near ready to sell. And while I was impressed with the QC taste of the bourbon new make I had, I wouldn’t have wanted to purchase a bottle of that. Instead, I purchased two bottles of their gin. One was their standard Restoration Release and the other is their Autumn 2019 limited release. By an odd coincidence, I had received an email about the limited release just a day or two before my tour was scheduled.

Because I don’t consider gin to be a sipping spirit, I’ve given tasting notes, but then also tested it in a couple of my favorite gin cocktails. In this case, the Gin Rickey and my riff on the Negroni that uses Averna instead of Vermouth.

Castle & Key Restoration Release Gin

Restoration Release:

Purchase Info: $32.99 for a 750mL bottle at the distillery gift shop.

Details: 53% ABV. Botanicals used include Chamomile, Ginger, Rosemary, Lemon Verbena, Licorice Root, Angelica Root, Coriander, Juniper.

Nose: Juniper, Citrus, savory spices, ginger

Month: Spicy ginger, citrus, mint, light juniper

Finish: Lingering ginger and lemon. After a bit chamomile shows up.

Thoughts: If you think that all gins taste like you've eaten a Christmas tree, you haven't had this gin. This is spicy and floral with only hints of juniper. While I doubt I would ever drink gin neat, if someone forced me to, I would choose this one. Very flavorful.

Autumn 2019 Recipe:

Purchase Info: $39.99 for a 750mL bottle at the distillery gift shop.

Details: 51.5% ABV. Botanicals used include Juniper, Coriander, Angelica Root, Licorice Root, Ginger Root, White Sage, Pink Peppercorn, Clove, and Cassia Bark.

Nose: Sage, clove, faint juniper and savory spices

Mouth: Cooling sage and spicy ginger.

Finish: Lingering ginger, sage, clove, and citrus.

Thoughts: Sage is the star of the show on this one. I'm also really loving the ginger notes. You can see the family resemblance between these two. Not bad at all.

Gin Rickey Results:

Restoration Release: Thumbs up. Will drink again.

Autumn 2019 Release: Not a fan. I don't like the Sage/lime combo.

Black Negroni Results.

Restoration Release: Works well but hides behind the Campari a bit.

Autumn 2019 Release: The sage notes really add to this. It complements the Campari and Averna. I like this usage a lot.

Conclusions:

I am really impressed with these two gins. I am a huge fan of ginger and the ginger notes in both of these are fantastic. It is the ginger that will convince me to try these in more spirit-forward drinks. I’m super impressed. These aren’t your standard London Dry Gins, but in many ways, I like them better.

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Four Roses 2019 Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon

I’d like to thank the folks at Four Roses for providing this review sample to me with no strings attached.

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If you’ve been reading for a while now, you’ll know that every year I travel to Bardstown, Kentucky to attend the Kentucky Bourbon Festival. For years, one of the highlights of my trip to the Festival had been my first taste of that year’s Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch at one of the events hosted by Four Roses during the Festival. This year, Four Roses was nice enough the send my first taste to me ahead of the Festival again. So instead of reviewing it long after any hope of standing in line to get a bottle has passed, I get to let you know my thoughts ahead of its release while you still have a hope (however small) of trying to procure a bottle for yourself.

Here is what the company had to say about their new release:

The 2019 Limited Edition Small Batch marks the first Four Roses limited-quantity bottling to feature a 21-year-old Bourbon from the distillery’s OBSV recipe. This release will also feature a 15-year-old OESK, 15-year-old OESV and 11-year-old OESV. … Four Roses will distribute approximately 13,440 hand-numbered bottles of the 2019 Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon that will be sold in the United States with a suggested retail price of $140.

This product is non-chill filtered and will be available for sale in limited quantities at the Four Roses Distillery and Cox’s Creek Visitor Center on Saturday, September 21 beginning at 9 am. And will roll out to retailers in the following weeks.

2019 Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch

Purchase Info: This sample was graciously provided by Four Roses for review purposes. Suggested retail price is $140.

Details: 56.3% ABV, OESV- 11 year old, OESV-15 year old, OESK-15 year old, OBSV-21 year old

Nose: Caramel, apricot, mint, cinnamon, cocoa, and a nuttiness like toasted grains.

Mouth: Oak, caramel, spicy cinnamon, apricot, vanilla

Finish: Long and warm with lingering cocoa, and cinnamon red hots.

Thoughts: This is a very good Bourbon. I like how the cocoa and nutty notes play with the spicy cinnamon. The caramel and the fruity undercurrent add a nice depth to the product. Water dampens the fruitiness and accentuates the oak without compromising the spiciness. I like this one without water personally, but the proof is high enough that I’ll be drinking the rest of this sample in small pours because of that.

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BourbonGuy.com accepts no advertising. It is solely supported by the sale of the hand-made products and bourbon-related craft supplies I sell at the BourbonGuy Gifts store. If you'd like to support BourbonGuy.com, visit BourbonGuyGifts.com. And hey, if you are an iOS user, look for Bourbon Guy in Apple News. Thanks!

Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye: Revisited

It has been one thousand, five hundred and fifty-nine days since I last did a tasting of Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye. It was very shortly after the whisky’s original release. It was also about a day or two before I found myself suddenly self-employed after going through a lay-off at the company I’d worked for for the previous seven years. I absolutely hated my job, but really sort of liked the money that it paid me. And, not so surprisingly, I was nervous about the new adventure I was about to embark upon.

And though I was right to be nervous, I’ve landed on my feet and even thrived. I actually make more money in my various self-employed business ventures than I did as a corporate shill for a “school” that preyed on the poor and undereducated. And plus I think it is nicer to wake up everyday thinking that you are making the world a little better than it was to wake up hoping beyond hope that you wouldn’t end up making it even worse before the day was done.

So what does all that have to do with Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye? Nothing, really. Not aside from the coincidental timing of the previous review. Plus, it’s always nice to throw a little shade at a shady ex-employer.

Of course the 90% Rye whisky from Crown Royal has had a few things happen to it in the meantime as well. It won the title of 2016 World Whisky of the Year from Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible and 2017 Canadian Whisky of the Year from the same publication. It also won Sippin’ Whiskey of the year at the 2017 Canadian Whisky Awards. Not too shabby for a $25 bottle.

Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye

Purchase Info: $24.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Total Wine, Burnsville, MN

Details: 45% ABV.

Nose: Wrigley's Spearmint Gum, nutmeg, cedar.

Mouth: Tingly but gentle. Vanilla, cinnamon, mint.

Finish: Medium length and gentle. Cinnamon, cedar and mint.

Thoughts: Cinnamon and mint make a fine pairing and the cedar notes give it a nice herbal twist. I haven't purchased this since the last time I reviewed it but have often considered doing so. I think that the gentleness made me want to walk past it for something more robust. But it is nice to sip something elegant now and then as well. Plus, I found that it works nicely in cocktails that call for Bulleit rye. I like this, hopefully I don't wait another four years to try this again.

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BourbonGuy.com accepts no advertising. It is solely supported by the sale of the hand-made products and bourbon-related craft supplies I sell at the BourbonGuy Gifts store. If you'd like to support BourbonGuy.com, visit BourbonGuyGifts.com. And hey, if you are an iOS user, look for Bourbon Guy in Apple News. Thanks!

2019 Parker's Heritage Collection: Heavy Char Rye Whiskey

I’d like to thank Heaven Hill for providing this review sample to me with no strings attached.

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We don’t get too many chances to purchase a bottle of Parker’s Heritage these days so it isn’t too surprising that I haven’t reviewed many of them. In fact there have been exactly three. 2011’s Barrel Finished which was my first barrel finished bourbon, 2013’s Promise of Hope of which I was able to buy two bottles, and 2014’s Wheat Whiskey which was the last time I’ve ever seen a limited edition bourbon release just sitting on a store shelf.

So it was with great interest when a package arrived from Heaven Hill shortly after this year’s Parker’s Heritage Collection was announced. Unlike most companies, Heaven Hill sends things unannounced which makes each shipment a little like Christmas morning. I’m always excited to see what they sent this time. I mean, I do this because I’m a fan of bourbon so I think it is more than fair to get excited when the UPS or FedEx person brings me free whiskey. As you might have guessed by now this package contained a sample of this year’s Parker’s Heritage Collection. This release marking the first Rye Whiskey in the line-up.

I’ll let Heaven Hill tell you what makes this special:

This 13th edition, however, further differentiates itself through its aging process. Instead of aging in Level 3 charred barrels, as is customary for most Heaven Hill products, this Rye Whiskey was aged in Level 5 charred barrels for eight years and nine months on the seventh floor of Rickhouse Y. Level 5 charred barrels are charred 50 seconds longer than the Level 3 barrels.

Additionally, this whiskey uses Heaven Hill’s usual rye whiskey mash bill of 51% rye, 35% corn, and 14% malted barley. And as with previous versions of the Parker’s Heritage Collection, a portion of the proceeds of each bottle will go to support ALS research and patient care.

Parker's Heritage Collection: Heavy Char Rye Whiskey

Purchase Info: This review sample was graciously provided to me by Heaven Hill for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $149.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

Details: 8 years old, 52.5% ABV.

Nose: Caramel, hints of smoke, eucalyptus.

Mouth: Cinnamon Spice, mint leaves, vanilla, almond.

Finish: Warm and of medium length. Lingering cinnamon red hot candies, vanilla, almond.

Thoughts: Nice, thick chewy mouthfeel with rich sweetness and strong flavors of fresh mint leaves. This is delicious. Flavors remind me of the bourbon / mint combo of a mint julep without the ice. Sadly they priced this out of my price range, but if it is in yours this is one to keep an eye out for. I like it a lot.

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BourbonGuy.com accepts no advertising. It is solely supported by the sale of the hand-made products and bourbon-related craft supplies I sell at the BourbonGuy Gifts store. If you'd like to support BourbonGuy.com, visit BourbonGuyGifts.com. And hey, if you are an iOS user, look for Bourbon Guy in Apple News. Thanks!

Maker's Mark 101 Proof

I’d like to thank Maker's Mark for providing this sample to me with no strings attached.

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When Maker’s Mark introduced a 101 proof version of their famed redheaded whiskey as a Travel Retail Exclusive last year, I was irrationally disappointed. For some reason I wanted it very badly (probably because I’ve been a fan of Maker’s Mark for as long as I’ve been a fan of bourbon). Eventually, I realized that this disappointment was a bit silly. I mean I can go down to any of the liquor stores in town and walk out with Maker’s Cask Strength any time I want. And if I want to, I can dilute that to 101 proof with just a little math and even less water.

But of course, rational is one thing that most bourbon lovers (myself included) are not. So when I saw that the 101 proof was going to be sold at the Maker’s Mark distillery starting this summer, I reached out to them to see if they might have a sample to spare. I mean, most of us might hesitate to take an international flight to get a $50 bottle of bourbon. But you should probably be taking a trip to the Maker’s Mark distillery if you are in the area anyway. And as long as you are there anyway, I figured it might be nice to see if this would make a nice souvenir.

Maker’s Mark 101 proof

Nose: Nutmeg, brown sugar, vanilla, toffee.

Mouth: Sweet, toffee, vanilla, baking spice.

Finish: Warm and medium length. Lingering nutmeg and caramel sweetness.

Thoughts: If you are a Maker's fan, like I am, this is a must-have addition to your collection. It is sweet and loaded with baking spice flavors.

But ok, even if you are in the area, do you really need to make a trip to Maker’s? Can’t you just do what you mentioned above and dilute your Maker’s Cask Strength? Well I made a special trip to the liquor store so we can find out together.

Maker’s Mark Cask Strength (diluted to 101 proof)

Nose: Not as sweet on the nose, still has nutmeg.

Mouth: Thinner mouthfeel, less sweet.

Finish: Warmer finish, not as baking spice forward.

Thoughts: Contrary to my initial suspicions, you can't just "water down" Maker's Cask Strength and get Maker's 101. There is a distinct difference when comparing head-to-head. Both in sweetness and mouthfeel. Both of these are very good bourbons and I will certainly be adding a stop at the Maker's Mark distillery to my next Kentucky trip to see about getting a couple more bottles. And even after that, I will still be drinking my Cask Strength with a small piece of ice (which honestly probably brings it down to lower than 101 proof). Honestly, they are both great and I hope to have both on hand as much as possible.

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BourbonGuy.com accepts no advertising. It is solely supported by the sale of the hand-made products I sell at the BourbonGuy Gifts store. If you'd like to support BourbonGuy.com, visit BourbonGuyGifts.com. And if you are an iOS user, look for Bourbon Guy in Apple News. Thanks!

My Wandering Eye: A. de Fussigny Cognac Collection

My Wandering Eye is a series reacting to the crazy rising prices in the bourbon world. We’ve reached a place where even average products have hit the range where they compete price-wise with other types of aged spirits. If I’m going be asked to drop $40 to $70 on a mid-range bourbon, I might as well see what else I can get for that money. My hope is to see if another spirits category offers something that is downright tasty in that price range. The goal isn’t to find cheap spirits, but to maximize the quality, I’m getting at a particular price point. And one thing to remember is that these reviews will all be written from the perspective of a bourbon drinker.

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As we are coming up on the Autumn Whiskey Release season, I think it is just about time to clear out the last of the items I bought the last time my eye wandered down the brandy aisle at Total Wine. It was a while ago as I was, once again, looking for a Christmas gift for my Korbel Brandy loving father. Often times, I will get him a cognac or an armagnac for Christmas as a treat. But of course, when I look for a gift for him, I often walk out with at least one gift for me as well.

The thing I found interesting about this gift set was that the company that produced it apparently bottled brandies from each of the regions they produce in separately. So conceivably you could taste the terroir of each region. It reminded me of a daydream I had many years ago of buying five barrels of new make whiskey from the same batch at the same distillery and aging them each in different climates to see what the differences were. Needless to say, that idea was too expensive for me. But if you want to do that feel free, just be sure to send me a sample of each when they are done.

A. de Fussigny Cognac Collection

Petite Champagne VSOP

Nose: Delicate floral notes along with light wintergreen and dried fruit.

Mouth: Cinnamon, dried fruit, white sugar.

Finish: Fairly bitter.

Thoughts: Not a fan of this one. Can't get past the bitter finish. This is a distant number 5 of 5. We are not starting out well.

Borderies VSOP

Nose: Subtle. light notes of baking spice.

Mouth: Sweet, Floral, nutty and peppery.

Finish: Black pepper and caramel sweetness.

Thoughts: Nice pepperiness to it. Took me by surprise. It’s ok, but I wouldn’t seek it out. I rank this number 4 of the 5.

Fins Bois VSOP

Nose: Carmel covered raisins.

Mouth: Sweet and spicy, dried fruit, baking spice.

Finish: Caramel and baking spice.

Thoughts: Sweet. Very bourbon-like finish. This is where we enter the ones that we actually liked. Number 3 of the 5.

Organic VSOP

Nose: Lemon lime soda, light notes of baking spice

Mouth: Citrus, baking spice, almond.

Finish: Candied Almonds.

Thoughts: Delicate but quite tasty. This is a close number 2. I really like this one.

Grande Champagne VSOP

Nose: Dried fruit with a lime-like tartness.

Mouth: Lime, clove, mint, dried fruit.

Finish: Citrus and baking spice.

Thoughts: Refreshing. I like this one quite a bit. It reminds me of my favorite summer white wines with how crisp and refreshing it is. I liked this enough to look up the price. Total Wine has it for about $70 for a 750 mL. I may have to pick a bottle up next time it is in stock. I think it’s worth it.

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BourbonGuy.com accepts no advertising. It is solely supported by the sale of the hand-made products I sell at the BourbonGuy Gifts store. If you'd like to support BourbonGuy.com, visit BourbonGuyGifts.com. And if you are an iOS user, look for Bourbon Guy in Apple News. Thanks!