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Bourbon Review: Heaven Hill Heritage Collection 18-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon

We review Heaven Hill Heritage Collection 18-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon, produced from 133 barrels laid down in December 2005 that were pulled from the third floor of Heaven Hill's Rickhouse 1I.

OVERALL RATING

10
$299.99
  • Nino Kilgore-Marchetti, founder of The Whiskey Wash, is an award-winning whiskey journalist, expert, and judge
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Heaven Hill Heritage Collection 18-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon review

Tasting Notes

About:

18-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon drawn from a mash bill of 78% corn, 12% malted barley, and 10% rye; bottled at 120 proof; priced at $299.99.
Appearance:
It is as beautiful as it gets for a bourbon of this age statement in glass, reflecting a warm and dark brown amber. The leg structure and viscosity are of good quality.
Nose:
Uh-huh. The nose sings a tune in this one as soon as it approaches the glass, happily taking in very structured aromatics of deep brown sugar, classic warm vanilla, oak goodness, a little bit of maple, and a little run-in of black pepper.
Palate:
God dang—wow, and again, f’ing wow. There’s nothing but pleasant, aged bourbon goodness on this palate. Rich notes of vanilla custard, spicy oak, creme brulee, a little maple candy kiss, A1 sauce (yes, don’t ask—that’s what it is), and a backdrop of malted balls make for a very fascinating mix.
Finish:
The finish on this holds its age in its hand, telling my back throat tales of Kentucky old as it slips away in a gentle, loving fade.
Comments:
When you consider the number of barrels Heaven Hill’s team manages year after year, you’ve got a proper case of maturing bourbon craftsmanship in this release. It hits everything it needs to and goes beyond to showcase its elder status. Get yourself a bottle if you can bear the pain of what the market sees its value at, or at least try a considered pour if you find it on a whiskey bar list somewhere.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Nino Kilgore-Marchetti

Nino Kilgore-Marchetti is the founder of The Whiskey Wash, an award-winning whiskey lifestyle website dedicated to informing and entertaining consumers about whisk(e)y globally. As a whisk(e)y journalist, expert, and judge, he has written extensively about the subject, been interviewed in various media outlets, and provided tasting input on many whiskeys at competitions.

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