Heaven Hill 27 Year Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon

A venerable classic. Nose: Oranges, Cherries, Maple Syrup, Leather, Pecans, Brown Sugar, Tobacco, Vanilla, Chestnuts, Cloves, Licorice, Toasted Honey, Brown Butter, Chocolate Chip Banana Bread, Raspberries Palate: Pecans, Cloves, Leather, Tobacco, Oranges, Spearmint, Vanilla, Caramel, Cherries, Brown Sugar, Burnt Marshmallows, Walnuts, Milk Chocolate Finish: Caramel, Almonds, Honey, Vanilla, Oranges, Milk Chocolate, Cola, Root Beer, Peaches, Cinnamon, Cloves, Nutmeg

This is a delightful aged bourbon with classic bourbon characteristics: citrus, chocolate, leather, and aged dusty oak. It has a thick mouthfeel and good balance, leaning slightly toward being over-oaked mid-palate, which highlights its age. This quickly fades in the long finish, leaving dusty oak and typical bourbon flavors. Considering its high price, it was worth trying, but I would opt for a Garrison Brothers Cowboy or a Lux Row 12 Year Double Barrel instead.

The nose is rich with oak and vanilla, warm rye spice, baking spices, and sponge cake. The palate is gentle for its age, with a chewy texture as rich oak, vanilla, and caramel reach all parts of the mouth. A wave of floral rye spice follows, with underlying notes of baking spices. The finish is of medium length, leaving you with the lingering impression of the whiskey and oak and vanilla remaining in your mouth while the rye and caramel fade.

This was outstanding—certainly well-balanced and not excessively oaked for its age. The nose was bright, inviting, and fruity. The palate didn't precisely match the nose but was just right for me—not overly sweet or spicy, somewhat viscous with a great spice. The finish was clean, quick, and magical, without any tannins or unpleasantness. I'm not a huge fan of HH, but this was the best bourbon I've had in some time. 👍🏼

I was fortunate to sample this at Old Talbott Tavern in Bardstown, KY during an incredible 2018 40th birthday Bourbon Trail Experience. Tasting it at Old Talbott with CSM was a fantastic culmination of Spirits & Spirit day on the Trail. The establishment had only received it less than a week prior. I likely won't ever encounter it again. A remarkable account concerning the ‘96 fire. Complex, perfumed, but to be candid, it might be slightly too oaked.

The caliber of this bourbon doesn't justify its asking price. Easy to drink. The aroma is pleasing. It smells like a barrel aging warehouse. The palate is quite oak-forward. A touch of sweetness. Not much else in terms of flavor beyond the light sweetness. It's not excessively oaked like many aged bourbons tend to be, but it's extremely one-dimensional. If you haven't tried pre-fire Heaven Hill, consider giving this a go.