Parker's Heritage Collection 2022, Double Barreled Blend

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

Parker's Heritage Collection is Heaven Hill’s annual “Ultra-Premium” bourbon release that is named for Parker Beam, Heaven Hill’s late Master Distiller Emeritus. For many years now, a portion of each bottle’s price is donated to support ALS research and patient care in honor of Mr. Beam. To this point, sales of Parker’s Heritage Collection have raised over $1 million. Which is pretty cool.

So on to the bourbon. Heaven Hill was very detailed on how this bourbon was created so instead of rehashing everything, I’ll just let them speak for themselves in this one.

This edition consists of 67% 13-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey that has been double barreled for four weeks and then blended post aging with 33% 15-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. The 13-year-old Bourbon, from barrels produced in December 2008, was aged on the 5th-7th floors of Rickhouse Q and then re-barreled into new American white oak barrels with a level three char for four weeks. Then, it was later blended with 15-year-old Bourbon from barrels produced in January 2007 aged on the 2nd and 5th floors of Rickhouse II. The unique, bold flavor profile is balanced by the double barreled 13-year-old Bourbon, bringing out even more oak and spice notes from the barrel, with the 15-year-old Bourbon rounding out the older aged mouthfeel. At bottling, the liquid was uncut and non-chill filtered to preserve the complex flavors. This edition leads with an oak forward nose and hints of butterscotch and caramel, and once tasted is followed by a balance of spice notes, sweetness and slight oak tannins. The finish is long and warm with elements of dark chocolate, baking spices and white pepper. The mashbill for this edition is comprised of Heaven Hill Distillery's traditional Bourbon mashbill 78% corn, 10% rye and 12% malted barley and ultimately bottled at barrel proof 132.2 or 66.1% alcohol by volume.

Ok. Now for the elephant in the room. $174.99 for a 750 mL bottle. That is a lot of coin. Even if the whiskey is created using multiple barrels and using whiskey with double-digit ages. I’m going to let you know now, that I would never buy this. I just can’t afford it. Well, I probably could, depending on if and when freelance checks come in, but there are a lot of things that I’d much rather spend that money on. That said, let’s breakdown how it tastes. Spoiler alert: it is delicious.

Parker's Heritage Collection 2022, Double Barreled Blend

Purchase Info: This sample was provided by the producer for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $174.99.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $11.67

Details: Blend of 67% 13-year-old bourbon and 33% 15-year-old bourbon. 66.1% ABV.

Nose: Oak, caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, and mint.

Mouth: Sweet with notes of caramel, vanilla, red fruit, oak, and leather.

Finish: Medium length and warmth with notes of cinnamon, red fruit, barrel warehouse, leather, and chocolate.

Thoughts: Wow! That's all I can say about this. This might be the best Heaven Hill product I've ever tasted. I love it. It is dangerously drinkable neat. It's rich, thick, sweet, spicy, and downright delicious. They knocked it out of the park. If anything is worth $175 (and I’m not sure that anything actually is, but if anything is), it’s this. And, from me, that is saying a lot. Just wow!

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Old Ezra 7-Year Straight Rye Whiskey

These days more than anything else, I am having fun playing with lasers. Well, kinda. I bought a laser engraver and have been using it to make all sorts of fun stuff. I love working with wood, but I’ve been a professional digital artist for 20 years or so. This combines the fun that I can have with digital art, with the fun that I can have with physical items and blends it in a way that is rewarding and, well, fun. So far I’ve just been burning designs into wood and cutting things out, but that will change as I get used to the medium. I can’t wait.

One slick segue later and you’ll find that I’m not the only one who’s been doing some blending. (nailed it) The folks over at Lux Row are back at it. This time extending the Ezra Brooks brand lineup with a rye whiskey that is a blend of rye whiskeys. Old Ezra 7-Year Straight Rye Whiskey blends two ryes whiskeys. One with a mash bill that contains 51% rye and another that has a mash bill of 95% rye. That last one is one of my favorite styles of rye so I was pretty excited to see this one land on my desk. Especially since it is 7 years old and 114° proof. That made my day. Here is what the producer has to say about their new release.

"With Old Ezra 7-Year Straight Rye Whiskey, we've delivered a rye whiskey worthy of the Old Ezra label," said Lux Row Distillers master distiller John Rempe. "This tasty 7-year-old rye offers slightly sweet and oaky tones with hints of vanilla and honey, and it finishes with a warm touch of spice and tobacco. It's certain to become a favorite among both rye fans and fans of the Ezra Brooks brand family."

Now that we know what the producer has to say, let’s dig in and see how it tastes.

Old Ezra 7-Year Straight Rye Whiskey

Purchase Info: This sample was provided for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $79.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 ml): $5.33

Details: 7 years old. 57% ABV. Blend of 51% rye mash whiskey and 95% rye mash whiskey.

Nose: Dusty aging warehouse, toffee, and an herbal mint.

Mouth: Rich mouthfeel. Toffee, mint, cinnamon, and oak.

Finish: Long and minty. Notes of herbal mint, toffee and cinnamon.

Thoughts: Even my wife who doesn't care for most rye whiskeys likes this. It is rich and sweet in the mouth with the minty rye notes taking over as the finish starts. This is tasty. I really am enjoying it.

Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.

Uncle Nearest Single Barrel Whiskey

This review sample was kindly provided by the PR team for Uncle Nearest Whiskey with no strings attached.

IMAGE: a bottle of Uncle Nearest sitting in the morning sunlight. With a dog in the neighbors yard in the background.

We’ve talked a lot about Uncle Nearest in the last couple of months. Why is that? Well, they are putting out a lot of new products this fall as part of their “12 Days of Christmas” celebration. So far they’ve released a distillery-only barrel-proof rye whiskey, a 100 proof rye and now a Single Barrel version of their Tennessee whiskey. Plus there are rumors of one more on the horizon.

Uncle Nearest is a brand that celebrates history (if you don’t understand why I say that check out my breakdown of that history from early 2020) and I’m thinking that releasing three to four brand new whiskeys in the span of a couple of months has got to be right up there when it comes to historical firsts. This particular release is a high-proof, single barrel version of the whiskey used to make their initial two products. Here is what the company website has to say about it:

This single barrel is different. It has the most distinct flavor profile of any of our whiskeys and was bottled at barrel strength to capture every nuance of this one-of-a-kind spirit. Our distillery’s triple filtration process ensures perfection in every sip. Distilled, aged and bottled in middle Tennessee, home of premier master distiller and teacher, Nearest Green. The smooth character of our whiskey is what distinguishes it from all others. The legacy of our namesake is what makes it unrivaled. This product is available in: AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, IA, IN, KY, LA, MD, ME, MN, MO, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OK, RI, SC, SD, TX, VA, WA, WI, WV, WY

So, now that we all know why we are talking about Uncle Nearest again tonight, let’s see how this one tastes.

Uncle Nearest Single Barrel

Purchase Info: This sample was provided for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $79

Price per Drink (50 mL): $5.27

Details: 60.5% ABV. Barrel #7.

Nose: Vanilla, caramel, oak, and light mint.

Mouth: Spicy and hot. Notes of caramel, cinnamon, nutmeg and almond.

Finish: Long and warm with notes of oak, almond, and chewable vitamins.

Thoughts: This is really good. It's too hot for me to drink neat, as is to be expected at 120° proof. But it takes just a little water to tame the heat a bit and bring out more leather and biscuit notes. I like it.

Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.

J.T. Meleck American Rice Whiskey

This review sample was kindly provided by the producer with no strings attached.

It snowed all day yesterday. We ended up with seven to eight inches by the time it was all done. And while I was outside, shoveling out the vehicle and making a spot for the dogs to go potty, I was reminded of my favorite “snow story.”

It was almost ten years ago, and my wife and I were visiting friends in New Orleans for Mardi Gras. Their daughter was going to be honored during a parade, and we wanted to be there to help her celebrate. During the parade, I got into a conversation with another little girl, probably 4 or 5 years old, who was bundled up like it was twenty below zero. It was warm enough that I was in a light hoodie. Now, I love talking to little kids, they have such a fun insight into the world around them, so I had fun chatting. Well, we got to talking about how cold it was. And she told me that they “even had snow once.” I mentioned that I don’t really like snow. And that, in fact, it was snowing at my house in Minnesota at that very moment. The look on her face was incredible. She just did not believe me that there could be snow at my house when there was none where we were. Super cute. I haven’t thought of her in years. I hope she’s doing well these days.

Anyway, I was probably reminded of Louisiana because of the fact that I was supposed to be writing about it as I was shoveling snow. A few weeks ago, I received a sample of a rice whiskey from Louisiana. J.T. Meleck American Rice whiskey is a four-year-old whiskey made from a 100% rice mashbill.

What interested me about the product is simply that I love rice. Like, I’d gladly eat it with every meal if those around me would go along with the idea. My favorite is the Carolina Gold rice that I occasionally order from Anson Mills. It is super flavorful in a way that most of the rice I find locally is not. That said, it is a bit expensive, so I only have it every so often. I mean, I still love even cheap, store-brand rice too.

So, I love rice. Did that mean I was going to like rice whiskey? Well, a few years back, when Jim Beam was doing their Harvest Collection Bourbons, which contained alternate flavoring grains, I remembered liking the brown rice one. Though that was a bourbon and not a 100% rice whiskey, I felt confident enough to request a sample. Even if a sample of whiskey is free, I don’t like requesting things that I know for a fact I won’t like. I don’t like to poop on other people’s hard work, so if I know it isn’t for me, I steer clear.

Anyway, let’s move on to what the producer has to say about their product before I tell you if I actually did like it or not.

Whiskeys are commonly made from grains like barley, corn, rye and wheat. Few distillers use rice as part of their mash bill in the U.S., and no American brand has ever crafted a whiskey made 100% from rice, at a commercial level. J.T. Meleck Distillers is the first to craft and market a whiskey made 100% from their rice on a large scale. Every step of the process takes place in Louisiana, from farm to glass. Like other American whiskeys, J.T. Meleck whiskey is aged for nearly 5 years in American oak, 53-gallon barrels.

Now the fun part: how does it taste?

J.T. Meleck American Rice Whiskey

Purchase Info: This bottle was provided by the producer for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $47 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $3.13

Details: 100% Rice. 48% ABV. 4-years old.

Nose: Clean is the first word that comes to mind on this one. I'm getting sweet cherry, mint, and lots of vanilla.

Mouth: This is reasonably delicate but with a pleasant tingle on the ol' tongue. Notes of vanilla and cherry, along with hints of baking spice and mint.

Finish: On the longer side of medium length. Notes of mint and cooked Carolina Gold rice.

Thoughts: As a whiskey geek, I find this fascinating. As a lover of whiskey produced in the American style, I like this a lot. If I were in Louisiana, touring a rice plantation, you know damn well that this would be coming home with me as a killer souvenir. That said, this might be hit or miss for some people. I can see Bourbon-only drinkers not caring for it as a bit delicate. But if you are open to exploration and you find yourself in Louisiana, this is one to check out.

Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.

The Whiskey Grail

The product in this review was sent at no charge for review purposes with no strings attached.

Glassware. It’s made of glass, right? I mean, it’s right there in the name. Glassware. All of the best glasses are made of glass. Glazed ceramic is cool if you have a coffee mug, or you like to support your local pottery shop, or you frequent your local Renaissance Faire with a mug of ale (Faire with an extra E to make it olde timey). But otherwise, good old glass works best for glasses. Plastic? Not on this guy’s watch. Especially with whiskey.

No, sir. I’m pretty stuck in my ways. If you pour me a glass of whiskey, nothing beats glass. Or so I always thought until I got an email from the folks behind tonight’s product review. See they make themselves a wooden whiskey glass. With a charred inside.

Now, as you might expect with my previously professed love of glass glasses, I was a little skeptical of the world’s need for a wooden glass. But the emailer was nice enough to say kind words about me and the blog. And since I love talking about myself and hearing compliments, I took a second look at their email. I did make my, and I’m assuming your, skepticism apparent to them, though. Here is the email I sent back to them:

Thanks for reaching out. I’d be happy to take a look at a Grail. If it is something that I think my readers might like I’ll be happy to talk about it on BourbonGuy.com. I’ll warn you though, my readers are a very frugal and skeptical bunch, and are happy to let people know it so I have to be straight with them and not blow smoke up their nethers about products. 😁

If that meets with your approval, you can send a sample to the address below.

See, after over a decade of blathering at you lovely people, I like to think I know you pretty well. I don’t want to waste your time on gimmicks or products like “whiskey stones” that just seem like they would offer more chipped teeth than chilled whiskey. I don’t do gift guides for that reason. Because we all know what would be on it.

BourbonGuy.com 2022 Holiday Gift Guide

  1. Your Favorite Bourbon

  2. Your Favorite Rye

  3. A glass?

  4. And, of course, stuff from the BourbonGuyGifts.com Merch Store.

Anyway, listing number three in the gift guide brings me back to the Whiskey Grail, which is what these fine folks from Georgia call their wooden whiskey cup. And let me tell you, as skeptical as I was about this product, I like it. It fits in my hand amazingly. It looks cute. And believe it or not, it does add an oaky note to a glass of whiskey when you try it side-by-side with the same whiskey in a glass made from good ol’ glass. The oaky note seems to be because you are sticking your mouth on a piece of wood, not that your whiskey is being infused with extra oak. But in any case, the claim of adding an oak note to your whiskey is true as far as I my mouth can tell.

IMAGE: I like this glass so it gets a smile.

So should you buy it? The cups run from $30 to $35, depending on if you want their logo engraved on it or not. I probably wouldn’t have purchased it for myself if I had seen it in a store. But if I was at a craft fair (no e) or a festival? There is a better-than-even chance it would have come home with me. Honestly, this would make a fun gift for a playful whiskey lover.

Don’t get it for the curmudgeons who only want to drink out of a Glencairn, though. They don’t usually understand fun.

Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.