This bottling celebrates master distiller Parker Beam's 50 years of service by including whiskey from each of the past five decades. This is a fabulous whiskey: seamless and incredibly complex, with an impeccable marriage of youth and maturity. It’s also very even-keeled throughout -- quite different than last year’s equally impressive PHC, a 27 year old, whose personality was more like an exhilarating old wooden rollercoaster ride (and also brandished more oak). Look for candied citrus, nectarine, blueberry, and sultana anchored by a nougat center, laced with honeyed vanilla and orange creamsicle. There’s a dusting of cocoa powder, brittle mint, and cinnamon, too. Tobacco leaves, polished leather, and teasing bourbon barrel char round out the palate, emerging more prominently towards a warming finish. A classic!

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2009)

Very well-balanced and mellow on the nose and palate.  Sweet notes of mature dark rum, toffee, nougat, and candy corn dovetail with dried apricot, golden raisin, hot cinnamon, soft mint tea, and vanilla.  Polished leather and tobacco leaves on a long, contemplative finish.  This is what ultra-mature bourbon should taste like: all the depth and complexity that comes with this much aging, without all the excessive oak.  The wood is there, but it never crosses the line.  The next closest Heaven Hill bourbon in age is the Evan Williams 23 year old for the export market.  There's no comparison.  The Evan Williams 23 year old is way past its prime.  This Parker's Heritage Collection has it easily beat.  In fact, this Parker's shows less oak and lethargy on the finish than the 129.6 proof expression of last year's inaugural 1996 vintage Parker's Heritage Collection, a whisky less than half its age.  (There were three different expressions, and I thought the other two were outstanding).
Parker Beam chose these whiskeys from the third floor of Warehouse U.  Given that the whiskeys were low in the warehouse, the average summer high temperatures were 6-10 degrees cooler than the top floor; helping to slow the aging process and the oak influence.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2008)

There are two noteworthy items regarding this whiskey. It’s the first barrel-proof whiskey released by Heaven Hill for the U.S. market. It’s also the first of what will be an ongoing series of releases under the “Parker’s Heritage Collection” label. This one is rich, with thick toffee, molasses, vanilla fudge, and Heath bar. It’s also well balanced, with underlying exotic spice, summer fruit, dusty corn, and tobacco to balance the sweeter notes. Long, soothing, finish. A nicely matured bourbon of character and pedigree. (Originally reviewed in Volume 16, No. 4)

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2008)

Thicker, beefier and more decadent than the 61.3% bottling, but not as crisp. Less of the summer fruits, and more of the chewy toffee. Another fine effort!

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2008)

Sweet, almost candied notes pervade the nose: brown sugar, maraschino cherries, Cherry Coke, strawberry Twizzlers, peanuts, and baking spice. Candied dark fruit leads the palate, with semi-sweet chocolate and nuts behind it; spice starts out soft and builds into the finish, where it blooms into harmony with full-bodied oak, coffee bean, and baking chocolate. Delicious with or without water.

Reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton (Winter 2020)

Soft, sweet, and very smooth. Richly textured layers of caramel, toffee, vanilla fudge, nougat, maple syrup, and rhum agricole. Blackberry, date nut bread, cinnamon, subtle cocoa, and nutmeg add complexity. Clean, polished, and perilously drinkable. A delicious wheated bourbon! (Not quite the complexity of the 2009 William Larue Weller (a benchmark wheated bourbon which I rated a 96), but getting close.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2010)

The 2019 rendition of this coveted annual release matured for 8 years in new heavily charred barrels, evidenced in its deep orange-amber color. An aroma of dried fruits—peaches and dates—is underscored by alpine herbs, sandalwood, dark chocolate, and toasted nuts. The palate pours full, creamy, and bold, with plenty of proof—but it’s carried beautifully. Mouth-filling berry and dark cherry fruit are rounded out with spice, and adding water only gives greater length to the sweet treacle and delightful burnt sugar flavors before a finish of chocolate-covered nuts.

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Winter 2019)

A wonderful beginning of floral, fruit, leather, and oak notes; the start to a truly sensational whiskey. Its round caramel meets florals, stone fruit, honeysuckle, and dried apricot, with hints of dark chocolate, pear, and raw almonds not far behind. But this whiskey is about the spice, from pepper to baking spices; they wander the palate and walk you down a long and lovely finish with a hint of cinnamon apple.

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Winter 2017)

From a single barrel, but the barrel number is (unfortunately) not specified. It’s nicely matured, deftly balanced, and complex, with a wide range of fruit, layered sweetness, and a cabinet full of spice, especially mint. Easy to drink—I’m enjoying it immensely without adding any water—and deceptively beautiful; there are no fancy bells or whistles here. Great bourbon, honoring a great master distiller.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2013)

A blend of two different 11 year old bourbons—one being a rye-based bourbon, the other being wheat-based. The wheat lends drinkability, while the rye contributes a spicy zing. The combination works very nicely, with light toffee, nutty caramel, nougat, soft orchard fruit, black cherry, vanilla, and cinnamon. (Note: this is the first of three different batches that will eventually be bottled.)

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2012)

Heaven Hill’s first wood-finished bourbon. Finished for several months in cognac casks (reminiscent of Beam’s Distillers’ Masterpiece offering around a decade ago), which show nicely without dominating. Very silky and smooth in texture. Notes of graham cracker, dark fleshy fruit (ripe grape, blackberry brandy), light toffee, maple syrup on pancakes, and creamy vanilla. Great balance, distinctive, and perilously drinkable for 100 proof.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2011)

This is sure to be a divisive edition, but once you open your mind to the idea, it’s hard to argue with the titillating aromas and seductive sweetness that curaçao casks bring. Resembling a bourbon liqueur, the nose is replete with tangerine, orange peel, tropical fruit, and nougat. The palate circles back to classic bourbon notes that manage to find balance with the candied orange nose.

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Winter 2018)

Fresh-baked cinnamon-raisin bread and generous baking spice on the nose, plus hints of coffee and chocolate babka. Pleasant and inviting, with lots of warmth and flavor. The palate is filled with cinnamon, brown sugar, bitter coffee, dark chocolate, and savory spice. Water brings out the spicy heat of jalapeño pepper. Smooth and flavorful on the finish, with cooked orchard fruits and melted caramel. A big one for sure, but enjoyable.

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Winter 2021)

Heaven Hill’s straight wheat whiskey, Bernheim Original, is a pleasant drink, but I always felt that some extra aging and a higher proof would give it additional richness and complexity to propel it to a higher level. That’s what this new expression accomplishes. Soothing, gentle layers of caramel-coated nuts, vanilla fudge, coconut cream, maple syrup, and marzipan, with a sprinkle of cinnamon and cocoa. So easy to embrace. Nicely done.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2014)

A rarity among the large American distillers: whiskey with a mashbill of 65% malted barley and 35% corn; no rye or wheat. The malted barley and corn dominate the flavor profile, along with soft sweet notes of orchard fruit and golden raisin, kissed with honey. The finish is soft, sweet, and quick. Clean, with an easy-going demeanor. Not particularly complex, however. If only the 35% corn was halved to include an equal amount of rye.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2015)

This one lacks the balance the other two have. It’s hotter on the palate (even with a liberal addition of water), and I feel the oak plays too large of a role.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2008)

Take just a moment to admire the color; it’s nearly red after 24 years. Then admire the fragrance, with florals, fruit, caramel, and vanilla bargaining for their time over prominent oak. Complexity of earth, caramel, cinnamon, vanilla, bitter chocolate, light cinnamon, sautéed mushrooms, watermelon Jolly Rancher, and a hint of tobacco. Eventually, woodiness and bitterness set in and dominate the palate. Too much wood.

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Winter 2016)

Non-chill filtered plus a lot of age equals oak meeting caramel, vanilla, earth, nuttiness, and mildew. Slight hints of anise, rose petals, tree bark, and overcooked rice, before over-oaked flavor dominates with medicinal notes and soap. Bitterness, earth, and a saving grace of herbs follow for a decent, albeit woody finish. This is simply over-oaked. I’d love to have tasted this bottled three to seven years ago.

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Winter 2016)