Heaven Hill Quality House Kentucky Blended Whiskey

Nose: Overwhelming corn with a hint of caramel. Followed by a persistent, pungent ethanol smell. Herbal black licorice notes emerge, then scents resembling cleaning supplies. Palate: Creamed corn, corn on the cob, corn boiled in lightly salted water (?). The caramel swirl reappears. Booze and black licorice are present. It has no body at all. The finish is sweet corn with a dash of cleaning supplies. Scenario: I'm on holiday, browsing a liquor store unfamiliar to me, seeking better prices or different bottles than I find back home. In this specific store, I placed three bottles on the counter: Weller 12, Col. E.H. Taylor, and this $9 liter bottle. That's my approach. Naturally, this was the first of the three I opened. This bottle states it contains '20% Kentucky straight whiskey, thirty-six months old, 80% grain neutral spirits.' I hadn't read this prior to purchasing it – I might have reconsidered if I had. Alas, having spent my money, I made the best of it; this served as a solid way to start the evening while traveling. Its low proof offers just enough flavor to gently warm the palate without being overwhelming, leaving ample room for higher-end spirits for subsequent pours. I consumed about half the bottle before returning home. (Perhaps I poured a few extra somewhere – it was a vacation.) With my vacation concluded, I haven't touched it since. Faced with a full liquor cabinet, it's simply too weak to ever consider reaching for. To put it another way, I can't fathom choosing a bottle that is 80% grain alcohol over proper, aged bourbon or scotch, even the most inexpensive versions. That's stating the obvious, I suppose. What's less obvious upon revisiting this after a couple of months is that, for what it is, it's not dreadful. Compared to bourbon, it is dreadful – even something like a $10 EW Black surpasses it significantly – but for a $9 liter bottle, it accomplishes its purpose without being undrinkable. What more could one expect? (Don't feel obligated to answer.)

Heaven Hill (Blended) Contains 80% grain neutral spirit and 20% whisky aged for 3 years, with 40% alcohol by volume. Aroma: Sweet, candy-like, with vanilla notes. Taste: Minor oak notes, with a dominant moderate candy/vanilla sweetness. For an inexpensive blended whisky including grain neutral spirits, it is acceptable/average. Price: $9.95 for a 1-liter glass bottle. Grade: C range.

A very light, floral nose with a hint of nougat-like sweetness. The taste is light, sweet, and exceptionally smooth, especially considering the price. It's not complex, but it's very easy to drink.

This seems to be from a less refined production run. It has a harsh sting. It was inexpensive.

Very mellow