IW Harper Bottled-in-Bond 1976 Gold Medal Bourbon
I. W. Harper is one of those brands that today is associated more with a fancy bottle than quality. In its heyday, though, Harper was…well, let’s be honest, still wasn’t the best quality, but was solid. In retrospect, maybe it shoud’ve been better since it bore the name of founder Isaac Wolfe Bernheim, who founded the company and gave his name to the Bernheim distillery in Louisville, KY. Bernheim established Louisville as a viable alternative to Bardstown, the true capital of Kentucky Bourbon.
This bottle, from 1976, was distilled at the Bernheim plant under the aegis of Schenley, the mega-producer of the time. In the 1980s, the Bernheim brand was sold to United Distillers (forerunner to today’s behemoth, Diageo), and the brand disappeared for two decades.
Then, in 2015, Diageo decided to revive the I. W. Harper brand in a decanter-style bottle, with a 15-year age statement to go along with it and, notably, 86 proof with no bottled-in-bond designation. There’s also a younger version for the lower shelves (NAS at a paltry 82 proof). This newer distillate is not made at the Bernheim plant, which was sold to Heaven Hill in 1999. The modern I. W. Harper is made in Tullahoma, TN…why? Because that’s a distillery Diageo owns.
Some revivals make sense. This one is a cash grab and a name appropriation par excellence. A Kentucky name - a well-known, historic one at that - moved to Tennessee, relieved of its bottled-in-bond specs (especially the proof), and put in a fancy bottle to double the price. I can’t fault Diageo for doing so - it’s eye-catching and no doubt moves off the shelves, but it’s also somewhat of an insult to its namesake. Just find a distillery in Kentucky to contact distill at, for f***’s sake…is it really that hard?
I haven’t talked much about this bottle…it’s good, a solid pour, and for its time, would’ve been a steal. I tried it blind with no idea other than that it was a whiskey. On reveal, I’m proud I was close on the proof, and I should’ve trusted my gut on the “dusty” aspect. I like fruity bourbons, but not exactly this type where the fruitiness is more candies and less fruit. Definitely good, and a great experience, but I won’t spend $300 on a bottle.
IW Harper Bottled-in-Bond 1976 Gold Medal Bourbon: Specs
Classification: Bourbon
Origin: I.W. Harper Distilling Company
Mashbill: Unknown
Proof: 100 (50% ABV)
Age: NAS
Location: Distilled in Kentucky, Bottled in California
IW Harper Bottled-in-Bond 1976 Gold Medal Bourbon Price: N/A
IW Harper Bottled-in-Bond 1976 Gold Medal Bourbon Review: Tasting Notes
Eye: Maple syrup. Thin-to-medium rims, thin syrupy droplet legs.
Nose: A wheater nose…not sure if that means anything or not…fruity and chocolatey. Smells on the lighter side. Stronger than usual malt influence, with orchard fruits alongside it. No proof heat on the nose. The more I smell it the more I want to say wheater but let’s see what the palate says. With air the nose rounds out more towards a classic bourbon profile.
Palate: Very tart fruits - underripe strawberries, SweetTarts, Necco wafers. Definitely a good milk chocolatey note in the background that grows quickly. More proof heat here, makes me think around the 105-110 range. Mouthfeel is pleasantly coating, medium-bodied, not too hot. Runts too…there’s so much fruit but also, I don’t know…dustiness? Air keeps the candies going, hones the proof a bit so it’s more rounded and less raw.
Finish: Fruity, fairly short, slightest dryness. Ok, not fantastic but certainly not bad.
Overall: Tried blind, this seems confused. I get so much fruitiness on all parts of this tasting, but there’s a dusty note (candy dust, not old dust). The proof heat is nice, and brings out the candied fruit flavors. I feel like this is either a Willett wheater or some NDP. Around 105-110 proof, 6-7 YO.
Final Rating: 6.7
10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close (Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel)
9 | Incredible | Extraordinary (GTS, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B518 and B520)
8 | Excellent | Exceptional (12+YO MGP Bourbon, Highland Park Single Barrels)
7 | Great | Well above average (Blanton’s Original, Old Weller Antique, Booker’s)
6 | Very Good | Better than average (Four Roses Small Batch Select, Knob Creek 14+ YO Picks)
5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary (Elijah Craig Small Batch, Buffalo Trace, Old Grand-Dad Bottled-in-Bond)
4 | Sub-par | Many things I’d rather have (A.D. Laws Four Grain, Compass Box “Oak Cross”)
3 | Bad | Flawed (Iron Smoke Bourbon, Balcones)
2 | Poor | Forced myself to drink it (Buckshee Bourbon and Rye)
1 | Disgusting | Drain pour (Virginia Distilling Co. Cider Cask)
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