Heaven Hill - Bottled in Bond - 7 Year
$45
Heaven Hill – Bottled in Bond – 7 Year
Proof: 100
Age: 7 Year
Distillery: Heaven Hill
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Mash: 78% Corn, 12% Malted Barley, 10% Rye
Website: Heaven Hill
*Disclaimer: A score of 5 is the midpoint for my reviews. Above 5 I like it. Below 5 I didn’t for some reason. Most of my reviews are between 4-7. It takes something really really special to go above 7 or below 4. See the methodologies for rating at the end of the article
Nose: Wet Leather, Damp Oak, your standard Caramel and Vanilla, Old Book Store, Ethanol Heat, & Nutmeg. The nose presents this as older than 7 years.
Taste/Palate: Sweet profile from the starting line. Caramel, Dark Fruits – Raisin & Cherry, Mild Leather, Sweet Tobacco.
Finish: There’s a bit of spice on the finish Nutmeg and Cinnamon. Damp Oak comes forward again with Leather and Red Grapes.
Verdict: Overall it’s a very enjoyable pour that presents itself as 10 year bourbon in my opinion. I would put this in the category of Buffalo Trace. For a standard line it exceeds expectations. Buffalo Trace is 10 proof lower, but is aged for 8 years and is a steal for $25. Heaven Hill BiB is the Flagship for Heaven Hill and with higher octane than BT, but is also well priced at $40 for a 7 year BiB. You won’t get an out of body experience with this pour, but it checks every box for a very solid bourbon.
The Story: I have been after the Heaven Hill BiB for quite some time. I have heard good things, but due to state availability I was never able to find a bottle. I was passing through a town in IN and walked into a gas station that also happened to have a liquor store. This store had a bottle of Thomas H Handy Sazerac for $699 so I didn’t take it seriously. But then they had 1 bottle of Heaven Hill BiB. For the low low price of $55. Was I over paying… Probably, but it’s been on my list for a while so I jumped. I have since found it in MI at a state min of $49 so I didn’t get gouged too bad. If you’re reading this and you’re not from MI and wondering what state min is… My advice is… Don’t move here if you enjoy spirits. If you must know you can look up the MI liquor control board to learn more.
The Distillery’s Story: In short Heaven Hill is a distillery that started in the 1930s. It was a pipe dream by a family that turned into a dynasty. Heaven Hill produces their flagship bottle being reviewed here but they are also more know for… Elijah Craig, Henry McKenna, Larceny, Rittenhouse, Parker’s Heritage, Bernheim, Old Fitzgerald, Evan Williams, and more. They are not in short supply of allocated offerings and they might be second only to Buffalo Trace on desirability. I feel the Heaven Hill vs Buffalo Trace debate is similar to trucks, you have team Ford, Ram, Chevy, and GMC and people will argue about which one is better until the cows come home. Truth is they both produce great whiskey.
I said all of that just so I could point you back to the distillery. Further up in this review I reference the Heaven Hill website. If you are curious about the distillery’s story I would encourage you to read through the “Our Distillery” section. There’s a lot of information about Heaven Hill’s past. Too much for me to summarize here.
Methodologies for Rating:
1. Dump it down the drain or regift it to someone you don’t care for.
2. This doesn’t even belong in a mixed drink. Use in case of an emergency.
3. It’s really not for me, but I heard some people like it.
4. Its only good when I’ve had too many and it’s decent in a mixer.
5. Average. Not bad, but not special.
6. Above average. Good to bring to an event and you wouldn’t expect any guff from it.
7. Buy two if you see it to make sure you have one on reserve.
8. Very Very good. Constantly a GREAT POUR.
9. Superb. If I were to drink this and only this from now on I’d be a happy person.
10. Perfection is impossible. But this really comes as close as you can possibly get.
Reviewer: David S
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