Heaven Hill Bottled In Bond 7 Year

Found this at a wine store for $42.99 for a fifth. As a bottled in bond spirit, it's 100 proof and shows a dark copper hue in the glass. It's 7 years old, with a mash bill of 78% corn, 12% rye, and 10% barley. NOSE: Upon nosing, smoke was immediately apparent, similar to another spirit in that regard. Following that was caramel, butter, brown sugar, and the pleasant scent of aged lumber. MOUTHFEEL: It felt smooth, yet a bit thin. TASTE: Brown sugar was the initial flavor, with cinnamon closely behind. Then came honey butter, powdered sugar, red pepper, and a touch of artificial lemon. FINISH: The finish lasts a medium amount of time, starting with a little mint, then cinnamon, and concluding with chocolatey oak. SUMMARY: I believe a slightly lower price would be more fitting, or perhaps a higher proof would justify the cost. However, the price difference is minor, so this is just a small complaint. This is a good bourbon. I'm happy with this purchase, and although not certain, I might get it again. RATING: On my personal scale from 1 to 8, this scores a 7 (Fine). This equates to 4.375 stars, 87.5/100, or 8.75/10.

The aroma is like sweet tree sap, with a mild smoky hint of hickory. Green, herbal, and subtle floral notes appear, along with fruit in the form of cherry menthol cough drops. Digging further reveals vanilla, milk chocolate, and cigar papers. The taste is spicy and sweet, with black pepper, chili powder, brown sugar, mint, and apple. The body is thick with a weighty but not overly heavy mouthfeel, not syrupy but more oily. Legs appear inconsistently and unevenly, yet create nice teardrops that descend quickly as they meet the retreating coat inside the glass. What's left is a lovely pattern of drops resembling leopards’ spots. The finish starts mild, woody, and smoky, with black tea tannins and the aftertaste of cherry licorice and cinnamon candy. As it develops, the wood oils become more intense and slightly acrid, and a final note of tobacco is detected. Aroma: 9 Taste: 8 Body: 9 Finish: 7

Nose: The initial aroma is a powerful note of leathery vanilla oak. There's very little alcohol vapor, so feel free to inhale deeply. As it evolves, sweetness emerges. Palate: Quite sweet with prominent vanilla and caramel, accompanied by baking spices right at the forefront. It evokes a holiday feeling. The whiskey is mouth-watering and exceptionally smooth. The alcohol burn is gentle, and the spices are distinct at the end. Texture: Velvety, buttery, mouth-watering, yet slightly drying. Finish: Quite short with a lingering essence of baking spice and oak.

The aroma featured distinct vanilla and oak. The taste mirrored this, with lighter notes of caramel, cinnamon, grain, and honeyed sweetness. It began somewhat spicy and continued to the finish. I wanted it to be smoother and less one-dimensional. Still, it was an acceptable start. Eager for the upcoming days.

Aroma: cherry, vanilla frosting, brown sugar, maple Taste: mirrors the aroma with subtle peanut and tea notes on the finish Is this a revolutionary whiskey? No. Is it an excellent spirit for sipping and mixing? Yes. I'd consider it a step above typical mixing spirits. It's not exceptionally bold or complex like certain barrel-proof bourbons, which I find refreshing. I don't need to overanalyze it. It presents lighter sweet notes without being excessively sweet. The price fluctuates, but it's a good value at $50 or less.

This bottle is very spicy, with noticeable vanilla and sugar sweetness. The combination of strong spices and sweetness creates an unpleasantly intense heat on the palate. Adding water reduced the heat to a cinnamon taste, but the aroma remained too dominated by alcohol and spices. It's heavy on nutmeg and pepper, lacking balance. I regret purchasing this one.