By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ When I read the stats on the 17th edition of Parker’s Heritage, I felt some sympathy for the folks working in PR and marketing at Heaven Hill, because I blanched at the thought of the response I knew was unfolding on bourbon forums: “A 10 year old cask strength? Yawn/fake …
The makers of Barrell Bourbon have embarked upon a new limited-edition series that utilizes the company’s blending and finishing expertise to make bespoke blends of straight bourbon whiskeys with unique finishes. The Cask Finish Series will introduce two blends each year, beginning with the launch of the first two blends this Fall: Amburana and A …
By Randall H. Borkus Rating: B+ Barrell Craft Spirits has two new expressions: Barrell Bourbon Batch 035 and Rye Batch 004. The latter has been a few years in coming, since Barrell Rye Batch 003 was released back in 2020, but I’ll start with the bourbon. Barrell Bourbon Batch 035 is a blend that consists …
Heaven Hill Distillery announced today the release of the 17th edition of the Parker’s Heritage Collection, featuring a 10-Year-Old Cask Strength Rye Whiskey. The 17th Edition is an allocated product and will be available nationally and internationally in limited quantities at the suggested retail price of $185.00. Like the previous 10 editions a portion of the …
By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ Released in 2010, Maker’s 46 was the first major brand extension by the distillery that essentially invented premium bourbon as we recognize it today, way back in the mid-1950s. The idea behind Maker’s 46 is one borrowed from the wine industry, and first applied in the whisk(e)y business by the …
Barrell Bourbon Batch 035, which struck gold at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition, is a multi-mash bill blend of six and seven-year-old spicy and earthy, high-rye, high proof oak forward barrels. They were combined with a blend of eight-year-old softer, lower-proof barrels with concentrated notes of dark cherry and butterscotch. After mingling for two …
By Richard Thomas The most recent batch, B523/May 2023, of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof brought with it two interconnected changes. Whereas prior labels (see left) have proof, ABV and batch number printed on them, the current version has proof, age statement and batch number instead. That first alteration underscores the second change: the age statement, …
By Richard Thomas Rating: A- San Francisco’s Old Potrero is part of a tiny class of distillers that I dubbed “craft whiskey before there was craft whiskey.” I say this because outfits like Old Potrero, St. George and Prichard’s were small distillers, starting out in an era when the whiskey industry as a whole was …
Beam Suntory has released the second batch of Booker’s, the seminal cask strength bourbon introduced as part of the Small Batch trend of the 1990s. This batch has been dubbed “Apprentice’s Batch,” and refers back to Booker Noe’s entry into the bourbon industry. Booker started working at the Jim Beam Distillery in 1952, and shortly …
Woodford Reserve has released its annual limited-edition, high-proof expression — Woodford Reserve Batch Proof. At 124.7 proof, this expression – part of the Master’s Collection series – celebrates the commitment to craftsmanship of Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall and Master Distiller Emeritus Chris Morris. Batch Proof showcases the flavor nuances created from the mingling different Woodford …
