Parker's Heritage Collection - First Release!!!

January 25, 2016

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
Review - 1959 Old Forester Bottled in Bond

January 4, 2016

Review - 1959 Old Forester Bottled in Bond

Ari:  "Well since you liked the Cream of Kentucky so much, you really should try my 1959 Old Forester."

My response was something along the lines of, "Uuuuhh, hmmmm, duuuuh....  Ok!!"



1959 Old Forester 6-Year Bottled in Bond

When we got the chance to taste our first 1970's Old Forester BIB it was definitely one for the highlight reel.  So needless to say when our boy Ari (think Mr. T with a yarmulke) offered us a pour of this 1950's bottle, we were really pumped.



BIB

Bottled in Bond is an awesome standard since they always came with tax strips indicating the year distilled followed by the year bottled, so you know exactly what you're getting. Obviously when you see 1959 on that tax strip, you're getting something extremely special.

Tasting Notes

Nose:  Very woody on the nose despite being in the barrel for only six years. Woody but not bitter. Hefty doses of saddle leather, tobacco, rye, and cinnamon. A little bit of vanilla rounds things out in this clean dry and satisfying nose.

Palate:  Very straight ahead solid whiskey through the nose and palate. Wonderful balance of heat, sweet honey, oak, and spice.

Finish:  A lot of spirit is present here but it's not a burn, more of a warmth building from the chest up the neck and into the back of the throat. It's a pretty long finish for a bourbon and really really satisfying with a mix of citrus fruits, dry spices, and wood.


Review

Typical of an "old young" whiskey (a six year old from 1959!), this isn't a whiskey that has a ton of layers and complexity opening up as you make your way through the glass.  Rather it's a "right on" punchy and kind of perfect straight ahead bourbon. Honestly this is what (in our dreams) a standard off the shelf bourbon should taste like. It's strong and bold yet smooth and right 'in the pocket' for an American whiskey.  We'd drink this all day and night.  What a treat.

Thanks again to Ari for opening up the collection!

Cheers/SB