William Heavenhill 13 YO Bottled-In-Bond 8th Edition (2020)

If you like unicorn bottles, the Heavenhill line is right up your alley. Check out my post on the 7th Edition (Purple Label) for more info about the lineup, and also check out this post from The Bourbon Exchange for a batch tracker.

Long story short, William Heavenhills (WHHs) are some of the rarest and most coveted Heaven Hill bourbons. They don’t have their own website, they’re only available at the gift shop (or more realistically on secondary markets), and they have yet to put out a bad one while still showcasing the incredible diversity found in a single distillery’s bourbon when given different conditions.

As of writing, I’ve now tried half of the eight batches, with all four being from the last five releases. I don’t realistically think I’ll be able to find samples of the first two batches, meaning I’ve got two left to hunt!

This WHH release is fascinating, because it effectively builds on a well-respected Heaven Hill brand - Henry McKenna 10 Year Old Bottled-In-Bond - with an additional three years. So, does the extra age justify a six-fold price jump?

Normally I’d be an automatic no…but here, I’ll give it a maybe. McKenna 10YO, when found at or near MSRP (around $50-$55), is a really solid pour and one of the oldest bottled-in-bond products that are regularly available. That being said, if you’re a proof hunter like I am, sometimes even the best bottled-in-bond bourbons (or ryes, for that matter) can be tasty but a little lacking, if only because you’re used to a higher proof and usually a thicker mouthfeel.

I know these barrels were carefully selected for the release, so it could be a small sample size affecting my thought process…but damn if the mouthfeel on this isn’t fantastic. What should otherwise be a McKenna + 3 years is much richer and more complex than I would expect just extrapolating an extra three years on the McKenna.

The barrels - 35 of them - came from Warehouse AA at Heaven Hill’s Schenley location (previously Fairfield and Bernheim), all from the 4th floor. Just one problem with that: according to Heaven Hill’s website, Warehouse AA isn’t at that location - it’s in Deatsville, where the T. W. Samuels Distillery once stood. The Schenley location hosts warehouses JJ, KK, LL, MM, NN, OO, PP, QQ, and RR, but Deatsville has AA, BB, CC, DD, EE, FF, GG, HH, and II.

Is this a huge issue? Not at all. The locations are relatively close to each other, and the warehouses - while different styles - are approximately the same size and makeup. I’ve put in a question to Heaven Hill to have them clear this up, since sites as diverse as Caskers and The Bourbon Exchange have the aforementioned information without clarifying.

To be continued…

William Heavenhill 13 YO Bottled-In-Bond 8th Edition (2020): Specs

Classification: Bourbon

Origin: Heaven Hill Distillery

Mashbill: 78% Corn, 10% Rye, 12% Malted Barley

Proof: 100 (50% ABV)

Age: 13 Years Old

Location: Bardstown, Kentucky

William Heavenhill 13 YO Bottled-In-Bond 8th Edition Price: $300 (secondary only)

No Official Website

William Heavenhill 13 YO Bottled-In-Bond 8th Edition (2020) Review: Tasting Notes

Eye: Copper. Medium clingy rims and very slow droplets.

Nose: Confusing…I’m getting rye, corn, and malt all at once. A sour mash, maybe? Some proof heat emerges. Woody oak builds, as does bourbon corn. Stone fruits are way in the background. Slightest fermentation funk.

Palate: Heavy and viscous right off the bat, yet doesn’t feel like it’s high proof. Tends towards a high-rye bourbon and away from a rye now. Could also be a deceptively strong wheater, but I still think it’s drinking above its actual proof. Fruitiness remains in the background but it’s there, wit peanut or almond skins building. Could this be a dusty OGD? Nuts continue to build.

Finish: Light mint with a heavy feeling, caramelized corn and rye spice.

Overall: I guessed an OGD dusty or similar, bottled-in-bond and around 6 years old. I got the BIB right at least! This definitely drinks above its proof and its age. Looking back, there’s definitely several clues to this being a Heaven Hill product, especially the almond skins and the back palate fruitiness. Then again, they produce these William Heavenhills as special expressions, so it’s not a surprise that it’s “off-profile”. Glad I have a bottle!

Final Rating: 7.6

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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