Heaven Hill Distillery Announces Launch of Heaven Hill Grain to Glass
Includes three different expressions with unique mashbills: Bourbon, Wheated Bourbon and Rye Whiskey
Heaven Hill Distillery has announced the highly-anticipated launch of Heaven Hill Grain to Glass. This latest addition to the Heaven Hill family is a collection of Kentucky Whiskeys highlighting Heaven Hill’s long-standing commitment to quality, sustainability, and craft. The initial launch features three new mashbills, including a Bourbon Whiskey, Wheated Bourbon Whiskey and Rye Whiskey expression.
The craft nature of this unique line of Whiskeys starts at the very beginning – the seed. The idea for the line began over eight years ago as the brainchild of Heaven Hill Executive Chairman Max Shapira. Max’s passion for quality and transparency in whiskey-making led to a partnership with seed company Beck’s Hybrids – a fellow family-owned and led operation based in Indiana since 1937. Each year, our Master Distiller works with Beck’s Hybrids to hand-select a unique corn seed varietal that has specific attributes desirable for Heaven Hill Grain to Glass, one of which is choosing seed which is best suited for growth in Central Kentucky. The chosen corn seed varietal is then grown by Peterson Farms on one of two sites in Nelson County, one of which is directly across the street from Heaven Hill’s Bardstown facility. Peterson Farms, a multi-generational family farming company, has been entrusted to take the corn seed varietal and cultivate it into healthy grain that goes into the Heaven Hill Grain to Glass mashbills. Since its founding in 1935, Heaven Hill has prided itself on crafting the highest quality Kentucky Whiskeys. Heaven Hill Grain to Glass honors this legacy and the cherished partnerships which were built on handshakes, not contracts.
“Over the course of the nearly 90 years, since the founding of Heaven Hill by my Dad and his brothers, we have always been cognizant of viewing our business from the long term, developing products that fit into this broad vision,” said Heaven Hill Executive Chairman Max Shapira. “Heaven Hill Grain to Glass incorporates everything our long history and heritage brings to our producing what we believe is the most unique, transparent offering that we have brought to market in our entire history. And that is saying a lot.”
The Bourbon and Wheated Bourbon Whiskeys feature mashbills with higher secondary grain content than Heaven Hill’s traditional Bourbon mashbill and Wheated Bourbon mashbill. Bottled at 107 proof, the Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey expression is comprised of 52% corn, 35% rye and 13% malted barley. Bottled at 121 proof, the Kentucky Straight Wheated Bourbon Whiskey expression is made with 52% corn, 35% wheat and 13% malted barley. The Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey expression is bottled at 123.2, the only barrel proof expression of the series. It also features a higher rye content than Heaven Hill’s traditional Rye Whiskey mashbill consisting of 63% rye, 24% corn and 13% malted barley. The distillates have been aged over six years at Heaven Hill’s Cox’s Creek rickhouse site. Each product is non-chill filtered and bottled at the ideal proof to allow the characteristics of each unique mashbill to shine.
“Working with Beck’s and Peterson Farms to create Grain to Glass has been an incredible experience,” said Master Distiller Conor O’Driscoll. “We’re proud to have crafted an innovative product – taking it from seed to aged liquid – while still remaining true to the values and legacy of Heaven Hill Distillery.”
The focus on transparency in the Heaven Hill Grain to Glass line extends beyond its local ingredients. The label on each bottle features details of the specific corn seed varietal utilized from Beck’s Hybrids, the unique mashbill, as well as the distillation and released years. The illustrations include a blueprint of Bernheim Distillery, along with custom designs depicting the importance of farming tradition and innovation. The bottles are 700ml which perfectly poises the line for international expansion in the future. More information can be found here: https://heavenhilldistillery.com/grain-to-glass/.