Heaven's Door Homesick Blues

Heaven's Door keeps delivering solid bourbon at a reasonable price that, remarkably, you can find readily available. Their latest release, Homesick Blues, comes in at a potent 122.7 proof. Will this be excessively strong for those who prefer to sip it neat? The aroma certainly smells strong. Ethanol is prominent, but with gentle sniffs, sweet caramel and vanilla bean emerge, accompanied by some herbaceous basil (odd...) and just a faint whisper of dried apricots, all contributing to a very intriguing aroma. The taste is extremely hot and peppery, as expected for the proof. Some high-proof bourbons don't show their strength... this isn't one of them. The dominant sensation is tongue-burning peppercorns. Right at the start, before the explosion of pepper and proof, you get a very mellow and sweet taste of caramel and vanilla, similar to the aroma. As the spicy heat fades, those interesting drying herbaceous notes from the nose appear, tasting almost like rye spice. Strange... considering this bourbon's mash bill is 70% corn and 30% wheat. The finish continues the spice, but the initial heat definitely diminishes significantly. It's slightly dry and hints at leather, along with a touch of spice drop candy (you know, the gummy ones that aren't quite fruit and not quite spice?). This is a powerful bourbon that will surely energize you. It's still drinkable neat, though – I've had whiskeys and bourbons at similar proofs that burn much more intensely. Perhaps this holiday season, I'll finally break down and get a water pipette for drinks like this. Overall, a satisfying sipper that warms you up.

I've sampled several other offerings from this brand, including some cask strength bourbons, and I must say this is my favorite. The aroma is sweet, with very noticeable caramel. The taste is also on the sweeter side from the beginning, with oak being prominent, especially on the finish. It's remarkably smooth for a cask strength spirit at 122 proof.

The wheat blends seamlessly with the corn, and it's exceptionally smooth for its alcohol content. It completely outshone Barrell Foundation (which is quite good on its own), making it taste like water. I tried it at a friend's place, otherwise, I'd have explored its many flavor notes further. I'd love to compare this blind against the Bardstown Origin series wheated expressions.

At cask strength, this is quite spicy, yet simultaneously smooth with a pleasant mouthfeel. I detected cereal notes with a hint of vanilla and cinnamon. This is a very enjoyable sip, and it improves even more with an ice cube to help it open up.

Grain notes, warm spice, rich wheat character, good proof, cinnamon spice.