Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Wheated Bourbon, and Rye whiskey
Age: No age statement – Allegedly over 6 years
Proof: Bourbon – 107 proof
Wheated bourbon – 123 proof
Rye – 123.2 proof
Region: Bardstown, Kentucky
In recent years, as whiskey enthusiasts have become more educated about the spirits they enjoy, distilleries have used this new level of understanding and interest to introduce innovative new products. Some distilleries have experimented with aging to great success, and others have been focusing on the provenance of the grains used to make the spirit.
Kentucky’s Heaven Hill Distillery is the latest to put the focus on the corn, rye and barley used to make their whiskey. For the new Grain To Glass collection, Heaven Hill partnered with Beck’s Hybrids, an Indiana-based seed company to select the ideal seeds to grow near the distillery’s Bardstown location. Kentucky’s Peterson’s Farms then cultivated these seeds with the express purpose of being milled, mashed, fermented, distilled, and aged into three new expressions.
The three expressions in this collection are all made from mash bills different from Heaven Hill’s standard offerings. Bottled at 107 proof, the Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey expression is comprised of 52% corn, 35% rye, and 13% malted barley. Bottled at 121 proof, the Kentucky Straight Wheated Bourbon Whiskey expression is made with 52% corn, 35% wheat, and 13% malted barley. The Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey expression is bottled at 123.2, the only barrel-proof expression of the series. It also features a higher rye content than Heaven Hill’s traditional Rye Whiskey mashbill consisting of 63% rye, 24% corn, and 13% malted barley. The distillates have been aged over six years at Heaven Hill’s Cox’s Creek rickhouse site. Each whiskey is also non-chill filtered.
Let’s see how all three of these whiskeys actually offer something new or if Grain To Glass is just clever marketing.
Grain To Glass Bourbon
On the nose, there’s a spicy and warm presence of red apple, clove, and cherry with a rounded note of caramel. Once sipped, it’s clear that this bourbon has a higher rye content than most of the distillery’s offerings. Rye spice notes like black pepper, clove, and cinnamon are prominent but balanced out with more apple, cherry, and peach. The rye spice carries the finish to a pleasing, medium-length end full of cherry and caramel. Well balanced (if on the spicy side), and pleasing with no off-notes.
Grain To Glass Wheated Bourbon
Wheat usually doesn’t make up as much as 35% of a bourbon mashbill, and that’s immediately apparent on the nose. This bourbon has a soft, creamy quality with aromas of toasted, spiced nuts and brown sugar. On the palate, this bourbon hits with a burst of cinnamon and clove before softening into notes of caramelized banana, and brown sugar. Again, this whiskey is tasty, balanced, and something completely new for Heaven Hill.
Grain To Glass Rye
As the only barrel-proof whiskey in this lineup, the Grain To Glass rye doesn’t nose hot. It has classic rye aromas of brown sugar, chocolate, orange zest, and eucalyptus. Once sipped, the spice and herbal notes take on more definition with chocolate and orange peel balancing things out. It evolves into clove and allspice and settles into a lengthy, sweet, chocolatey finish that is, without question, the highlight of this pour.
Final thoughts
First things first, all of these whiskeys are very good. They are each balanced, flavorful, and present profiles that are distinct from the rest of Heaven Hill’s offerings. Whether we can chalk that up to the homegrown corn, rye, and wheat, or if it’s due to the new mash bills is ultimately irrelevant. These are all fun whiskeys that even die hard collectors of Heaven Hill’s bottles will find these offerings worthwhile. It may be cost-prohibitive for many enthusiasts to pick up a bottle of each, but trying all three whiskeys side-by-side was a great tasting experience and really highlights the influence of each of the three primary grains used in this collection.
