Rye spice is the first thing on the nose: cinnamon-spiked hard candy, hot and juicy. Beautifully oily and bitter rye character slides across the tongue on a wave of sweet caramel and vanilla. Young, but in the eager intensity of rye, not the clumsy heat of bourbon. Rye shines here, from the first whiff to the last bitter curl on the tongue, and the wood deftly sweetens and soothes. Nicely done.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Winter 2014)

Aged first in #3 char new American oak and then in #4 char new American oak. The result is depth and complexity, starting with a nose that’s pretty and aromatic. There’s an appealing hint of mustiness and scents of bitter chocolate, cherry, dried herbs, licorice, and figs. A spiced palate delivers dark fruits, burnt marshmallow, espresso, and oak char. It also finishes with a char note, along with bitter chocolate, raisins, and prunes. (60,000 bottles)

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Winter 2019)

A vibrant nose, thanks in part to Hillrock’s on-site malting floor and kiln: baby back ribs, grilled corn, tobacco leaf, pecans, nutmeg, figs, and clean mineral smoke. The dry palate is savory, smoky, and mouthwatering, with spiced nuts, grilled sausages, orange oil, grilled apples, clove, nutmeg, and hints of rubber. It finishes with coffee ice cream, smoked salt, tobacco leaf, dark chocolate, and lingering savory smoke. (60,000 bottles)

Reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton (Winter 2019)

Caramel corn, caramel apple, apple crisp, Honey Nut Cheerios, cinnamon babka, and brown sugar cinnamon Pop Tart fill the nose. Rich and velvety, the palate is redolent with hot chocolate, toasted almonds, slightly burnt toast, and ripe raspberries. There’s quite a bit of heat, too; Red Hots and red chiles create a mouth-watering experience. More of that heat and a playful rush of orange zest take center stage on the finish.

Reviewed by: Julia Higgins (Summer 2022)

Sweet notes of vanilla, hazelnut, and chocolate meet fragrant leathery oak on the nose, along with chocolate mint and French burnt peanuts candy. On the palate, this bourbon achieves a nice balance of stone fruit sweetness, lively spice, fresh spearmint, and drying oak that strikes a sandalwood note. A splash of water makes it sing.

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Winter 2019)

Razor-sharp aromas of clove, seasoned wood, and dried grass push firmly out of the glass. Hard-edged grain and spice continue on the palate, but without the harshness you might expect from young whiskey with such a bold nose. It softens toward the finish and becomes sweeter, with a hint of buttery fudge, then develops an oaky dryness at the end. Impressive young whiskey.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Winter 2014)

Corn and oak on the nose, with a slice of fruit from sherry cask aging. Nose is strikingly different from the other two Hillrocks reviewed; sweeter, and softer. It’s clearly bourbon at the front, but as the flavors move back in the mouth and into the finish, the sherry takes over and dominates, becoming quite fruity at the close, though with a firm grip of charred oak. The sherry’s too much for a bourbon, especially at this price. Partially sourced whiskey.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Winter 2014)