Bernheim Barrel Proof, A224

March 8, 2024 Eric Burke

I’d like to thank Heaven Hill for providing this review sample with no strings attached.

I had my weekly allergy injection this afternoon, and it is knocking the shit out of me tonight. So, let’s jump right into the review, shall we? Luckily for all of us, tonight’s whiskey is another of Heaven Hill’s Barrel Proof series of whiskeys, and since we’ve covered the other two during the last couple of weeks, we should all be up to speed on them. Or at least close enough.

Bernheim Barrel Proof is, as the name suggests, a barrel-proof version of Heaven Hill’s Bernheim Wheat Whiskey. The mash bill is 51% wheat, 37% corn, and 12% malted barley. This batch was aged between seven and nine years before being bottled at 125.2° proof. The A224 designation means that this is the first batch (A) of 2024 (24), and it was released in February (2). The suggested retail price is $64.99.

Let’s see how it tastes.

Bernheim Barrel Proof, A224

Purchase Info: This bottle was provided by the producer for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $64.99.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.33

Details: 62.63 ABV. Mash bill: 51% wheat, 37% corn, 12% malted barley. Aged 7-9 years.

Nose: Nutty and floral with caramel and oak.

Mouth: Spicy, floral, and nutty with cinnamon, caramel, mint, cherry, and oak.

Finish: Hot, spicy, and on the longer side of medium length. Notes of toasted nuts, cinnamon, and cherry.

Thoughts: Hot, spicy, and nutty are the three words I would use to describe this. It's quite good, but not quite as good as the Larceny or Elijah Craig Barrel Proof whiskies. This doesn't have the same level of richness that they do. But if you like a nutty whiskey, then this is one for you.

Comparison to B923: A224 is much more vibrant on the nose. A224 is nuttier and hotter in the mouth, but B923 is much sweeter. I'd personally pick B923 if given the choice because it is a little gentler if such a thing can be said about something that is over 120° proof.

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Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, A124

February 23, 2024 Eric Burke

I’d like to thank Heaven Hill for providing this review sample with no strings attached.

You didn’t think I would leave you with just a promotional post for the rest of this week, did you? I wouldn’t do that…again…so soon after the last one.

No, you got a quick-to-write promo post because I got to leave the house yesterday and visit one of my favorite record stores while waiting for my wife’s two-hour hair appointment to finish. To say that I jumped on the opportunity to leave the house is an understatement. Dogsitting is a 24/7 business, and we are a one-car household. So the confluence of events leading to having no pups around and actually having our vehicle available while the stores are open is rare and looked forward to.

Today, we are looking at the latest Elijah Craig Barrel Proof release. You guys are passionate about these releases. I’ll tell you that. The last two posts garnered negative feedback, the earlier one yelling at me for not liking it enough, and I was accused of never even doing the tasting last time. I don’t do this for accolades (I just like telling stories), but honestly, some of ya’ll are getting silly. It’s just whiskey. Even delicious whiskey isn’t as important as the people you drink it with.

So, let’s dive into this before I piss off anyone else.

This is the first Elijah Craig Barrel Proof release of the year. At less than eleven years old, it is also the youngest they have put out since removing the 12-year age statement. The suggested retail price is $74.99.

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, A124

Purchase Info: This bottle was sent by Heaven Hill for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $74.99.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $5.00

Details: 59.5% ABV. 10 years, 9 months old

Nose: Very “stereotypical bourbon” on the nose: Oak, cinnamon, caramel, vanilla, and maple.

Mouth: Oak, maple, brown sugar, leather, caramel, red fruit, and baking spice.

Finish: Medium to long and warm. Spicy and sweet. Notes of tobacco, mint, and cinnamon.

Thoughts: Delicious as usual. Sweet and spicy with rich barrel notes. Nice heat, but not overly so. I am really enjoying this one.

Comparison to C923: C923 got a heart from me. I loved it so much. So take this with that in mind. C923 is much sweeter on the nose. A124 is not nearly as hot, but C923 is much sweeter. Both are delicious, but if forced to choose, I'd go with C923 just because it's a bit more vibrant in the mouth. I like A124 a lot but as I said, I loved C923.

Larceny Barrel Proof, A124

February 13, 2024 Eric Burke

I’d like to thank Heaven Hill for providing this review sample with no strings attached.

Welcome to 2024, folks. Sure, I know that we already have a month and a half under our belt, but as far as I’m concerned, the new year starts when Heaven Hill drops the first of their three-times yearly batches of Larceny Barrel Proof and Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. I always look forward to these releases. And why might that be, you ask? Because they’re always delicious. And it is nice to look at things you know will be tasty. Since it is the first drop of the year, let’s review a little basic info about this.

Born as an offshoot of Heaven Hill’s Old Fitzgerald line of wheated bourbons, Larceny bourbon uses wheat instead of rye as the “flavoring” grain. In this case, Heaven Hill tells us that the recipe is 68% corn (remember to be bourbon, it needs over 51% corn in the mash bill), 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley. This release being barrel-proof means there is no water added to the batch. They dump, blend, and bottle at whatever strength it comes out of the barrel. Now, of course, that sometimes leads to a very hot product. The first batch of this was so hot that I was worried about what they were trying to accomplish. It has calmed itself a bit here and there in the intervening years, though, as we will soon see, they are sometimes very hot.

Speaking of different batches, if you run across this in the store, how do you know which batch you have? Heaven Hill has nicely given us the key to knowing what is in our hands as we hold that bottle of the precious liquid. The batch code is made up of three parts. The first part is a letter, A, B, or C. This corresponds to if it is the first, second, or third batch of the year. The second part is a number. To this point, it has always been 1, 5, or 9. This is the month of the year the release came out. The final part of the code is made up of the final two digits, which indicate the year. So, in this case, A124 means it is the first batch of the year, and it was released in January of 2024. Simple.

But unless this is your first time learning about Heaven Hill's barrel-proof releases (in which case: welcome! The bar is in the corner. Pour yourself something nice), you probably just want to know how this one tastes. So, let’s dig in.

Larceny Barrel Proof, A124

Purchase Info: This sample was provided by Heaven Hill for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $64.99

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.33

Details: 62.1% ABV. 6-8 years old, per the press release

Nose: Sweet almond, caramel, vanilla, mint, and oak.

Mouth: Cinnamon, almond, oak, mint.

Finish: Warm and long with cinnamon, mint, and oak notes.

Thoughts: This version is drier than recent versions, but it's still very good. It's as hot as, or hotter than, you'd expect 124° proof to be. Recommended if you like hot, dry bourbons. I like it, even if it is hotter and drier than I’d usually prefer. It does take a splash of water well.

Comparison to C923: C923 is much sweeter on the nose and mouth, showing much more caramel notes. Both are good, but I really like C923 a lot more. I have a bit of a sweet tooth, though. Your mileage may vary.

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Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond, Fall 2023 Edition

December 7, 2023 Eric Burke

I’d like to thank Heaven Hill for providing this review sample with no strings attached.

Getting this done a little early today. I get to go out with my wife tonight as we revel in the mid-holiday lull between Thanksgiving and Christmas when fewer people need dog sitting. I love my job. I really do. But I do miss being able to leave the house. So tonight, my wife and I are headed over to the Mall of America (not for any real reason other than that it is basically the closest mall to our house that still has more than a couple of stores in it) to do a little Christmas shopping. I’d say more, but I know that some of the folks I buy presents for may be reading this, and I don’t want to give anything away.

So, let’s move over to the bourbon, shall we? Tonight’s bourbon is the most recent release in the Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond series. One of the few bottles that are over $100 that my wife would probably purchase just for the bottle. This is really weird to me as we have an empty bottle of the vintage design that these were based on. Of course, you don’t get really tasty whiskey with that vintage empty, either, so maybe that’s why.

Quoting from the press release now:

“As a leader of the Bottled-in-Bond category, Heaven Hill is proud to offer a premium product within this special class which showcases the authenticity and quality of the American Whiskey portfolio,” said Conor O’ Driscoll, Master Distiller at Heaven Hill Distillery. “The Fall 2023 8-year-old Old Fitzgerald Bottled-In-Bond has the best qualities of a classic Kentucky Bourbon with the unique sweetness and spice this beloved brand is known for.”

These are usually really tasty but also often much older (and more expensive), so let’s see if this one stacks up.

Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond, Fall 2023

Purchase Info: This 200 mL sample was provided at no cost for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $109.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $7.33

Details: 50% ABV. 8 years old

Nose: Brown sugar, oak, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mint.

Mouth: Chocolate, mint, cinnamon, oak.

Finish: Warm and of medium length. Notes of cinnamon, mint, and nutmeg initially, with chocolate, caramel, and oak appearing after they fade a bit.

Thoughts: Well, this is delicious as usual. The chocolate notes build and intensify as you take more sips, and are delicious all the way through. The nutmeg note is quite prominent and carried through the entire tasting process, attaching itself to the oak notes in a way that initially made me think of a Christmas Wreath before resolving into its constituent parts. So yeah, it’s really good. If I saw this at retail, and it was close to its SRP, and I felt like splurging, I’d bring this home so my wife could have her bottle. But luckily for my wallet, at least two of those are unlikely to happen.

Did you enjoy this post? If you want to support the work going on here at BourbonGuy.com, please consider a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. Or you could buy some merch (tasting journals, stickers, pins, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com.

Bernheim Barrel Proof, B923

October 19, 2023 Eric Burke

I’d like to thank Heaven Hill for providing this review sample with no strings attached.

I’ve been very into jigsaw puzzles lately. Last year, while on vacation, I spent many an evening in a National Park with a drink, a little music, and a puzzle to fill the time between our last venture out into the local sights and bed. And then, I picked up one from the airport and spent the next couple of months putting it together (it was very hard) only to find that one of my guest pups had eaten the final piece.

This year, I grabbed a couple from the airport to shove in my bag to sort of extend the vacation feeling. I tell you what, a glass of whiskey, a record on the player, and a partially completed puzzle have become my favorite way to spend an evening with my wife. It’s low-tech, it’s relaxing, and honestly, it’s fun.

And what whiskey might I be pouring these days? Well on at least a couple of evenings, it was the predecessor to tonight’s whiskey. I’d stashed the bottle of A223 that we reviewed in February so that when the second release came out, I’d have something to compare it to. And now that we are here, that bottle has become the go-to pour.

As far as specs, not much has changed between the two. A223 was 118.8° proof. B923 is 120.6° proof. Other than that, they use the same mashbill, they have the same non-stated age range, and are aged in the same locations. So, let’s see what Heaven Hill has to say before we dig into the important part of how it tastes.

The Bernheim Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey mashbill consists of 51% wheat, 37% corn and 12% malted barley. This is the same mashbill used in the Bernheim Original Wheat Whiskey. Aged between 7-9 years in Heaven Hill's traditional open rickhouses, this edition is bottled at 120.6 or 60.3% by volume.

Bernheim Barrel Proof, B 923

Purchase Info: This bottle was provided by the producer for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $64.99

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.33

Details: 60.3% ABV. Mashbill: 51% Wheat, 37% corn, 12% Malted Barley. 7 to 9 years old (per the press release).

Nose: Caramel, chocolate, and leather.

Mouth: Caramel, chocolate, cinnamon, nutmeg, and oak.

Finish: Long and spicy with vibrant notes of Cinnamon Red Hots candy.

Thoughts: This is much more vibrant than I would have expected. There is a lot of barrel influence with the chocolate and leather notes. Plus, there is a ton of cinnamon on both the mouth and finish. It's quite warm in the mouth, but it takes a splash of water well. I really like it.

Comparison to A223: Very similar on the nose. B923 has a much stronger cinnamon focus and is quite a bit hotter in the mouth than the previous release. Both are quite delicious, and I don't think one could go wrong with either. If forced to choose, I'd probably have to flip a coin as there are only subtle differences that could only be noticed in a head-to-head.

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, C923

October 10, 2023 Eric Burke

I’d like to thank the folks at Heaven Hill for providing this review sample with no strings attached.

I admit it. I don’t get very worked up by Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. And yes, I am not like most people. I get the privilege of trying every batch. And while I don’t take that for granted, you could accuse me of being a bit blasé about it. It comes out three times a year, like clockwork. And honestly, whichever bottle you can get your hands on will be really fucking delicious.

But as I said, I am not most people. Which I found out as I did a little searching online. See, I lost my copy of the press release that came with the sample bottle of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C923 that I received. I like to include any interesting notes in there on these posts if I can. And I always need to verify the current asking price. But when I did a quick search to see if I could find the press release? Wow. A lot of folks get very passionate about this particular release. There are entire websites that are dedicated to just tracking them. And, oh, so many videos showing a guy making an odd face next to the words “Best Ever?” I was honestly a little shocked.

See, I never look online for other people’s reviews, especially not for something I’m going to review myself. To be perfectly honest, I just don’t care what anyone else has to say about a whiskey. I’ve been doing this long enough that I trust my palate. I know what I like. And that is enough for me. And at the end of the day, all I do here is tell stories and tell you if I liked a particular whiskey.

Though, I have been chastised for that in the past. Case in point, I received a comment on the last Elijah Craig Barrel Proof review stating:

B523 is fantastic, look up other reviews.

All I said is that I liked A123 more. And if that isn’t a sign of the passion that this release engenders, I don’t know what is. And hell, I love the passion. If we weren’t all passionate about bourbon, I wouldn’t have been writing on a silly little blog for over a decade now.

But at the risk of earning the wrath of other passionate fans, let’s get on with the important part. How is this new release?

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C923

Purchase Info: This bottle was provided by the manufacturer for review purposes at no charge. The suggested retail price is $74.99 (as reported by the WhiskeyWash on Sept 30).

Price per Drink (50 mL): $5.00

Details: 66.5% ABV. 13 years, 7 months

Nose: Strong notes of cocoa, vanilla, and oak with touches of cinnamon and mint underneath.

Mouth: Hot in the mouth with notes of dark chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon, and oak.

Finish: Long and warm with notes of cinnamon, almond, caramel, and oak.

Thoughts: Right off the bat, the nose is fantastic. I'd be happy just to nose this all night. Luckily, I do not have to do that because the mouth is also delicious. It's hot, as is to be expected at over 130° proof, but it takes water very well. It tames the heat but doesn't seem to affect the flavor much. This is one hell of a bourbon.

Comparison to B523: The nose for C923 is much sweeter, showing more chocolate. The mouth on B523 is hotter, and C923 is a lot sweeter. The finish on B523 is much warmer. I'd choose C923 in a heartbeat if given the choice. Both are delicious, but C923 offers more of what my chocolate-loving self wants. I love it.

Parker’s Heritage Collection, 2023, Cask Strength Rye Whiskey

August 31, 2023 Eric Burke

I’d like to thank Heaven Hill for providing this review sample with no strings attached.

Parker's Heritage Collection is Heaven Hill’s annual “Ultra-Premium” bourbon release named for Parker Beam, Heaven Hill’s late Master Distiller Emeritus. For many years now, a portion of each bottle’s price has been donated to support ALS research and patient care in honor of Mr. Beam. To this point, sales of Parker’s Heritage Collection have raised over $1.2 million, which is pretty cool.

So on to the bourbon, Heaven Hill was very detailed on how this bourbon was created, so instead of rehashing everything, I’ll just let them speak for themselves in this one.

The 17th edition is comprised of 10-year-old Rye Whiskey that was barreled in August, October, or December of 2012. The barrels were aged on the first floors of Rickhouses H1 and H2, the fifth floor of Rickhouse FF, the third and seventh floors of Rickhouse BB, and the second floor of Rickhouse DD. At bottling, the liquid was non-chill filtered to preserve the natural flavors of the aging process. The mashbill for this edition is comprised of Heaven Hill Distillery’s traditional Rye Whiskey Mashbill 51% rye, 35% corn, and 14% malted barley and bottled at cask strength, 128.8 proof.

Let’s see how it tastes.

Parker's Heritage Collection, 17ᵗʰ Edition, 10-Year-Old, Cask-Strength Rye Whiskey

Purchase Info: This sample was provided for review purposes by the producer at no charge. The suggested retail price is $185.00

Price Per Drink (50 mL): $12.33

Details: 10 years old, 64.4% ABV. Mash Bill: 51% rye, 35% corn, and 14% malted barley

Nose: Cola, cedar, honey, and herbal mint.

Mouth: Hot and very sweet. Honey, cedar, cherry, and herbal mint.

Finish: Hot and long with prominent notes of honey and cherry, followed by notes of oak and baking spice.

Thoughts: Wow! Not only is this really hot—at almost 130° proof, I expected that—but it's much sweeter than I anticipated. In fact, I'm not sure I've ever had a rye with this much honey sweetness before. And you know I love honey, so this one hits in all the right places for me. I will say, though, that I prefer it with a small piece of ice or a splash of water. All the flavors stick around, but the heat is tamed a bit. It's delicious in either case. I like this one a lot.

Now, I usually pour off a section of these samples to share with local friends who love whiskey. But this time, I decided on a whim to use this more lavishly. I made myself possibly the most expensive Sazerac I’ve ever made at home. I used two ounces of Parker’s Heritage Rye, five shakes of barrel-aged Peychaud’s Bitters, and a squeeze of Agave syrup in a glass spritzed with absinth and a lemon twist. Oh my goodness! I know I’ve never had a Sazerac this good. Not in a bar, not at home, not in New Orleans. It was very possibly the best cocktail I’ve ever made. And after using $15 worth of whiskey in it, it should be. Just thought I’d share that. Not that anyone who didn’t get it for free (or is extravagantly wealthy) would use it this way, but if you were curious like I was, there you go.

Larceny Barrel Proof, C923

August 17, 2023 Eric Burke

I’d like to thank Heaven Hill for providing this review sample with no strings attached.

Well folks, it’s officially Fall Bourbon Release Season. I’ve gotten press releases for some and I’ve seen shipment notifications for others. But this Larceny Barrel Proof is the first that has arrived for review. We’ve talked a lot over the years about both Elijah Craig and Larceny Barrel Proof Bourbons. So I’ll just jump right into it.

This is the third and final release of the barrel-proof version of Larceny, Heaven Hill’s flagship wheated Bourbon, for 2023. As always this is delicious and quite hot. This one clocks in at 126.4° proof. The bourbons used in this batch are between six and eight years old. The suggested retail price is $59.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

Let’s dig in and see how it tastes.

Larceny Barrel Proof, B523

Purchase Info: This sample bottle was provided by the producer for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $59.99.

Price per Drink (50 ml): $4.00

Details: 63.2% ABV

Nose: Dusty oak, almond, caramel and baking spice.

Mouth: Oak, caramel, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Finish: Long and warm. Dry with notes of oak and nutmeg.

Thoughts: Very oak forward on this one. Sweet and spicy in the month but the finish is dry. Very tasty. Water amps up the sweetness and tames the spiciness a bit.

Comparison to B523: C923 is much sweeter on the nose. Though B523 is hot and spicy, C923 is even spicier. The spiciness is balanced by a sweetness that B523 is lacking by comparison. I like them both but if I had the option to choose, I'd choose C923 for the extra sweetness. And this is very strange since I said last time that I would have chosen B523 over A123 for the same reason. More sweetness. I guess this year started great and just got progressively sweeter. In any case, you can’t go wrong with any of this year’s releases.

Blog

Bernheim Barrel Proof, A224

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, A124

Larceny Barrel Proof, A124

Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond, Fall 2023

Bernheim Barrel Proof, B 923

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C923

Parker's Heritage Collection, 17ᵗʰ Edition, 10-Year-Old, Cask-Strength Rye Whiskey

Larceny Barrel Proof, B523