Heaven Hill Green Label 6 Year

Skip to the end if you want the actual review, otherwise be prepared for wax poetic. The big 200. I have learned quite a lot along the way but am still no where near where I would like to be. But I have an admission. I am not a true whisk(e)y drinker. The true whisk(e)y hero, or locally spotted bourbon hero, is the elderly man or woman in a baseball cap or oversized sunglasses who walks out of the liquor store with two handles of Evan Williams white label or when they're feeling fancy Maker's Mark. Whiskey is a household staple. It is mixed, sipped, cooked with and possibly used to clean. My wife's grandfather was one of these men. After WWII he sipped 7 & 7 highballs until he could afford something more than Seagram's. By the time he died he was well known to Toddy and his famous liquor store in Bardstown. When he was too worn down to get out he would call up and ask for a delivery of a handle of Makers, get and give Toddy a hard time, and then retire to his easy chair with a highball after the Makers was hand delivered. I am not this whiskey hero. I am a nerd, an academic, a questioner. I wanted to learn more about Kentucky's native spirit upon moving here 15 years ago and started with the likes of Elijah Craig, Four Roses single barrel, Corner Creek (thanks to Distiller's recommendation algorithm - I can't say I remember it well now), Eagle Rare, Basil Hayden, Bakers and eventually laid down cash for Bookers. In college I had sipped Glenlivet 12 and Glenfiddich 12 and could appreciate a difference but never knew of the peated and cask finished bottles out there. What a spectrum of flavor and intensity. Then came Weller special reserve and an often failed attempt to separate wheated mash bill from rye. Then more questions, and more questions. Distiller became my only source for what is essentially peer-reviewed whisk(e)y literature. It wasn't perfect, but it worked. Eventually I found reviewers who's palates seemed to match my own or whose opinions I trusted. I made a few friends and spent a fortune on distilled spirits. My mind has been blown and my palate sadly disappointed. My jaded ignorance has also been made apparent. This all leads me back to a fundamental question about what whisk(e)y is all about anyway. ------- Enter Heaven Hill. DSP-KY-1. Home to the Elijah Craig 12 that I first adored and sipped neat. Thus far they remain possibly the least bloated and yet most impressive of the large distilleries in Kentucky. Wild Turkey may be equally "for the people" and Eddie Russel can be found wondering the visitor's center any given day. Yes, Four Roses is probably more innovative and masterful in their blending of so many mash bills. Buffalo Trace - get over yourself. Barton, bless your heart. Brown Forman, well done but I'm on to your marketing game. For #200 I wanted to crack something special. I can't find BTAC (or Old Fitz decanters) and honestly don't want to. Bourbon hunting is exhausting, expensive and sometimes downright degrading. Scotch less-so but uniformly more expensive in Kentucky. Why not then turn to DSP-KY-1's gift to Kentucky itself. An inconspicuous $12 bottle that lives on the bottom shelf. -------- This is Heaven Hill green label. Screw top cap. Six years. Ninety proof. In the glass it is a beautiful amber color. Thin appearance with slow tear drop legs. Nose is full of rich, sweet cherry cola, honey bun and charred wood. It's not, but sniffing this I feel like it could be a proofed-up Elijah Craig (which is actually 47 ABV to this ones 45 ABV). There's also a bit of ginger and brown sugar with faint bubble gum and varnish. A generous sip is full of spearmint, bubble gum, cola, wood and has a nice medium feel to it. The finish is a nice interplay of ginger spice, brown sugar, bubble gum again and wood char. I would say the finish goes on for a good minute if not more. There is no oily or coating feeling to it and just a mild warmth in the chest. Never is there a bite or a burn. To start with several other offerings I would say this is toe to toe with an $18-20 bottle of WT 101 (which I believe is substantially underrated). This could also wrestle with $20 Old Bardstown Bottled in Bond and win 2 out of 3 times. Honestly, I would take this over the standard Elijah Craig small batch or Evan Williams Bottled in Bond some days (though not every day because that would get boring). A $35 bottle of Henry McKenna BiB isn't all that far off but might edge ahead with the few additional proof points, but then again might not. I would say EH Taylor small batch is a contender but I would take this over standard Buffalo Trace, Blantons, Weller Special Reserve and possibly Elmer T Lee. The only place where the Buffalo clearly pulls ahead is Rock Hill Farms or Weller OWA - neither of which are more than $50 (ie none are worth more than a bottle of OF 1920 or RR). So how does this compare to a Rare Breed, Russels Reserve or OF 1920. I would say those bottles are the equivalent to this bottle on steroids. Bigger, bolder nose, flavors and finish but also more than double the price. I couldn't give any of those three up for this bottle. When it comes to ECBP, JD Barrel proof, Bookers and Stagg Jr (you can hate me for including Bookers in that group) it becomes an entirely different ballgame. The rewards in terms of flavor and feel are miles beyond, especially the way they play out in the finish whereas this has a very pleasant but straightforward finish. Regarding the $100+ category of Bardstown Discovery, well that category itself is a mixed bag but again this generally can't contend and for $12 shouldn't be expected to. As for a rating it's hard to say. If you want something as good or better for $20-30 I say good luck and don't over pay. Grab this if you're in Kentucky or an Evan Williams BiB or Elijah Craig if you're not. If you want something to impress yourself or other people then expect to pay around $40-50. If you want your mind blow then grab something barrel proof over 6-9 years (looking at you Bookers) but likely stop once you hit the 15 year mark (and don't buy IW Harper 15 unless you just want the fancy decanter - I kid you not this green label is better). And there you have it. #200 thanks to my Kentucky home and DSP-KY-1 who along with the Russel family still seems to really get it. And again, for those not in KY please do not lust for this bottle. Spend $18 on WT 101 and then sit in the hammock, mow your grass, smoke a cigar, spend time with your family, play games, read a book or do anything besides chase bourbon. Cheers!

Rating: 14/23 I'm tasting this blind. If I'm understanding the labelling correctly, this isn't technically a bourbon, but it is from Kentucky. That's unusual, but there is precedent with things like Michter's American Whiskey and bouryes, so I expect it to be bourbon-styled, possibly with substantial rye to it. N: Rye notes up front. It's kind of peppery with some grassy herbs backed by peppermint, which then has a twist of citrus (grapefruit perhaps?). After a while, the corn sweetness starts to come out and so does a bit of mature oak. Maybe a touch of green apple. A little floral vanilla. Eventually I notice that there are actually spices - black pepper, mostly. A little bit of mineral throughout, but it never makes the nose seem overly thin. The overall nose is very moderated, which I'm hoping means that this pour will have a good balance of complexity and loudness. I'm enjoying nosing this. P: A little lighter than I might have hoped. The rye really comes forward with lots of minerals, then faint grapefruit, green apple, and some tannic oak. Actually, some regular apple too. Taking a second sip, I start getting corn sweetness. Moving on, there's a rich bitter herbaceousness that almost hits an anise character. A little cinnamon. The balance is good, though more toward the mineral side than I'd like. The complexity is solid as well and I don't get any off notes in here. F: Corn, minerals, spice, grassy herbs, a little green apple, and perhaps faint anise. Longer into the finish, I get cinnamon. Long in, it's corn, cinnamon, and minerals. - Conclusion - I thought that this seemed kind of like a lower proof Belle Meade Cask Strength (19/23) (i.e. regular Belle Meade), so I took a sip of Belle Meade Cask Strength to compare. The Belle Meade was much fuller and lusher without tasting younger or lacking in complexity. I think that the Belle Meade is the clear winner here. Russell's Reserve 10 (15-16/23) strikes me also as fuller (and I don't normally think of it as a particularly full whiskey). The Russell's Reserve is smokier with less rye character, but it also has some of the minerality that this does. This seems more aggressive in its profile. Wild Turkey 101 is the first one I put side by side with this and feel like it clicks. This iss drier and lighter than the Wild Tukey, but it's less aggressive and they both have substantial rye influence. I go back and forth on which one I think is better and I could believe anything in the 13 to 15 range for this. I really think that it's pretty evenly matched for sipping with Wild Turkey 101 though. I prefer a bit more oomph, but this is fairly elegantly constructed, so it gets that 14. This actually seems a little more in line with Wild Turkey 101 Rye's profile. The Wild Turkey Rye is fuller than this (and I don't consider that to be a very full whiskey), but it's also less complex and balanced. I haven't rated the Wild Turkey Rye yet, but if I had to pick now, I'd go with a 13. Between the two, I think I'd probably rather sip this because of its complexity, but they aren't far apart. I'm sticking with that 14. This has terrific potential, but the minerals are overbearing and it's too quiet. A louder version of this less minerality could compete with the Belle Meade. Thanks for the sample @Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington ! I'm very impressed by the quality this offers at such a low price point. I wish there were more budget-friendly finds like this around (and that I could actually find this). I'd love to try a cask strength version of this too.

It's been three months since I posted a review. Came down with covid leading to pneumonia and had a short stay in the hospital. Not quite a hundred percent now but close. Loosing my sense of taste and smell was the worst and where the remaining 1% of recovery is required. You might consider this review tainted on that basis I have a personal bias toward Heaven Hill. I have visited the distillery numerous times and even had the opportunity to have a taste in a barrel selection. Their products are stellar. It's amazing how many flavor profiles and labels they package. In an ongoing discussion with @pkingmartin and @Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington about this one, I thought it a great place to jump back in. Their reviews are spot on! My local Total store has put a two bottle limit on this and I am now down to 1.6 bottles. It's only $13 a bottle for a ninety proofer and delivers everything you want in a bourbon. I don't find it to be terribly complex with brown sugar maple in the lead on the nose. I love it on ice and as the ice melts down here comes the caramel, my favorite part of the profile. I get a touch of pears in the background. Time to take a sip and I am treated to a rich caramel covered pear (is that a thing?) This is pure enjoyment. Share with friends but pour it from a decanter and most will think you gave over $50 for it. It's that good. Heaven Hill's brand ambassador Bernie Lubbers says that the HH label was HH's gift to the bourbon drinkers of KY. It is only available in liquor stores in KY. So grab one if you can as you pass through. Three years ago the was a big brother to this one. HH bib white label. Thanks to a fire ten years ago, it was discontinued as there was a shortage of maturing product. Two years later, HH bib seven year was launched. That extra year of barrel aging added $35 and it is not available in KY. Now they have introduced Five Brothers in the same price range at 90 proof. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to see where things are headed. Maybe that's why the workers went on strike. It ain't over yet and it's been a great ride but hard to stock up.

BACKGROUND: Heaven Hill Distillery is known for producing reasonably-priced quality bourbons, and at just $12.99 per bottle, this 90-proof, six-year aged-stated offering remains among their best bargains. Just 10 proof points lower than Heaven Hill's six-year bottled-in-bond line that was recently discontinued (and later repackaged at a higher price), many compare the Green Label to that cult favorite. The Heaven Hill Green Label, according to the distillery, is available for sale only in Kentucky and portions of Indiana although cases have been known to be bought, bootlegged, and re-sold in some other markets. The company does nothing to promote this particular offering, spends no money on advertising it, and does not even include it among the brands on its website. I was lucky enough to get my hands on a bottle in Alabama, and my thoughts on it follow. NOSE: The nose is a combination of leather and cornbread, and while those two scents might not seem to mix well on first thought, they marry delightfully. It's like someone buttered a piece of cornbread and spanked it with a belt. Some brown sugar is present, as well. A wonderfully sweet and intoxicating nose. PALATE: A sweet bourbon when it hits the tip of your tongue, it transitions to peppery spice by the time it hits the back of your throat. Brown sugar on the front of the palate becomes mint on the back. FINISH: A long finish with a bit of cinnamon becomes quite drying and somewhat bitter, yet it is not unpleasant. FINAL ASSESSMENT: I traveled to Kentucky last summer to begin the Bourbon Trail and plan to make a return trip this year. At just $12.99 a bottle, a case of Heaven Hill Green Label will be joining me on the ride home to Alabama. It is better tasting and more enjoyable that other bourbons I have had a several times the cost. I give the Heaven Hill Six-Year Green Label three-and-a-half cork pops out of five.

To change things up, @Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington sent me a series of samples that have either shapes or some code on them to prevent me from being able to know what they are until after I’ve tasted them. Will I mistake a rye for bourbon or completely miss a finish, who knows, but I’m dying to find out so let’s continue this blind challenge with the vial that has a KY1 on it. The nose starts with caramelized peaches on top of Tahitian vanilla bean gelato followed by fruits of baked pear with star anise and blood orange then dark chocolate and circus peanuts before transitioning to spearmint, ginger, cloves, leather and old polished mahogany with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting with caramelized peaches on top of Tahitian vanilla bean gelato followed by fruits of baked pear with star anise and blood orange juice then dark chocolate covered peanut clusters before a medium spice that fades to spearmint, ginger, cloves, leather and old polished mahogany with medium ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with dark chocolate covered peanut clusters, poached pears, canned peaches, orange zest, toasted marshmallow, gingerbread cookies, leather and old polished mahogany. This is a very enjoyable bourbon that brings in all those traditional bourbon notes in a polished and balanced manner with some interesting spices, but the mouthfeel is thinner than I’d prefer, causing those flavors to lack the bold intensity I really crave in a great bourbon. So, Lex, what is this enjoyable bourbon that I’ve been sipping………………. Heaven Hill 6 year “Old Style Bourbon.” Woah!!! My mind is officially blown that a bottle of bourbon that costs around $12 can be so good.

Nose - baked apple, caramel, vanilla, floral notes, grass, musty oak, mint, peach, lemon, cinnamon, peanut shell, milk chocolate, mild to moderate ethanol burn. Taste - sour apple, light caramel, cinnamon, vanilla, wet grass, peach, spearmint, cherry, lemon pith, mild to moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium short with sour apple, bitter citrus, and grass flavors. The sixth of nine blind tastings has some fairly standard bourbon aromas. Caramel, apple, baking spice, and some grassy floral notes. The palate arrives with a blast of sour apple. There’s caramel, bitter lemon pith, peach, and a bit of cherry as well, but the sourness dominates the other flavors. This is obviously a bourbon, and a rather young one at that. There are the beginnings of some nice aromas and flavors, but they need more time to mature and probably less dilution as well. So what’s in the nosing glass tonight? Heaven Hill 6 Year Old Style Bourbon. At $15 a bottle, this is a good value but not a great sipper. I’d like to do a side-by-side with my other value picks like Evan Williams BiB and Wild Turkey 101. I may like those slightly more than this, but it would be close. Thank you to @Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington for the generous sample!