Parker's Heritage Collection - First Release!!!

Parker's Heritage Collection - First Release!!!

Good News!

First of all some good news. While it's pretty difficult to track down some of the crazy bottles of 1950's Old Forester and Port Ellen Old Malt Cask we tasted this month, finding today's review is simple.  It's right here.  And it's only four thousand dollars.

Ok that was mean. Sorry...

Parker's Heritage

Parker's Heritage (named for Parker Beam) is in its ninth release this year. We've been lucky enough to taste several of them:

• #8 - Wheat Whiskey - was a really bold and hot but delicious take on Bernheim's wheat whiskey. This one is still pretty attainable and definitely worth a try.  Just give it a hour to open up, and maybe a few drops of water for good measure
• #7 - Promise of Hope - While this one lost out to Angel's Envy Cask Strength in our big Fantasy Bourbon tournament, it was still one of the best whiskies of 2013. Too bad they didn't go cask strength on this bad boy...
• #6 - Blend of Mashbills - This was our favorite in the battle of #6, 7, and 8. The huge cask strength mix of wheat and rye recipes really grows on you.
• #4 - Wheated Bourbon - Now we're into some serious gems. The 10-year wheated bourbon is all kinds of money.
• #2 - 27 Year Bourbon - Short answer: top 3 bourbon of all time.

And now, at long last, we get to review the big PHC #1!

Parker's Heritage Collection First Release
11-Year Cask Strength Straight Bourbon 

So this inaugural release was almost unprecedented in 2007 when it came out. One of the first limited edition, small batch (really!), cask strength 122.6 proof whiskies blew a lot of people's socks off, and was a big part of the reason that limited edition bourbons became the insane craze that it is today.

Tasting Notes

Nose:  Wow that's freakin' insane.  Big brown butter, vanilla, maduro cigars, cutting into the skin of a big fresh juicy orange, molasses molasses molasses, cinnamon & nutmeg, it's just all here.  Incredible big bourbon nose!  Rock & roll.  Let's take a sip.

Palate: Oh man, smooth and sweet.  Just a perfect bourbon explosion.  More of the same above with a wonderful balance of char, sweets, and spice.  It hits you right in the pocket of that men's club leather chairs, fine cigar tobacco, orange bitters, wow.

Finish: Really bold and long finish for a bourbon rising from your chest up across your soft palate with bbq smoke, baking spices, and honey.

Review

How did we not try this one before?  A true classic.

Cheers/SB