Parker's Heritage Collection Malt Whiskey Finished in Heavy Toast Cognac Barrels Review

Drew Beard -

BOTTLE DETAILS

  • DISTILLER: Heaven Hill Distillery
  • MASH BILL: 65% Malted Barley | 35% Corn
  • AGE: 14 Years Old
  • YEAR: 2024
  • PROOF: 107 (53.5% ABV)
  • MSRP: $170

DREW'S NOTES

SHARE WITH: Parker's Heritage Collection super fans, especially those who didn't love the first malt whiskey release. Your friends who are getting into American Single Malt (note: this isn't a single malt but a malt whiskey, which is even rarer).

WORTH THE PRICE: The MSRP is reasonable for a limited edition whiskey this unique, but I wouldn't pay much more for it. And we all know how hard it is to find a Parker's Heritage Collection release priced anywhere near the suggested retail.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Bar first. It's a big upgrade from the 2015 Parker's Heritage malt whiskey release, but it's still an entirely unique profile, even for fans of other malt whiskeys or American Single Malt. Best to kick the tires on it at your local well-stocked watering hole before contemplating a potential second mortgage to add one to the collection.

OVERALL: Like I'm sure a few of you out there, I was pretty excited when Heaven Hill released the first Parker's Heritage Collection malt whiskey back in 2015. It seemed to be widely available and was priced under $100 (never again!), but because it was comparatively young (only 8 years old) and an untested style from Heaven Hill, wary collectors left them on the shelf. It was the last Parker's I ever acquired without knowing a store owner or trading a shelf trophy.

But there was another reason that whiskey was easy to get. It wasn't very good.

So, it was with some trepidation that I sampled this latest malt whiskey effort from Heaven Hill. And I'm happy to report that it's lightyears ahead of that 2015 release, owing certainly to additional time in the barrel but also to four months of finishing time in heavy toast Cognac casks.

Cognac finishing like this is somewhat unique for an American whiskey, but it really sings with this well-aged malt, delivering a bright, silky aroma of ripe apricot, flamed orange peel, and soft wood smoke alongside the expected roasted and dark tones of the toasted oak. At first, the finishing really seems to overpower the malt whiskey, but with time to open the base spirit comes more alive with layers of vanilla pudding, nougatine, and buttery cinnamon toast.

On the palate, there's an even better harmony of malt and Cognac-influence with initial notes of grilled peaches and golden raisins giving way seamlessly to dark chocolate and cigar wrapper on the midpalate before a return on the long, warming finish to brighter, sweeter flavors of Linzer cookies and Sauternes, all laced with just the right amount of toasty oak and tannins.

The 2015 malt whiskey release may have left some Parker's fans scratching their heads, but this latest return to the style is a triumph worthy of any traditional bourbon fan's attention.

BRAND NOTES

Each year as part of the Parker's Heritage Collection, we select a special Whiskey to be released in the name of our late Master Distiller Parker Beam. The barrels selected for this series include Bourbon, Rye, and Wheat Whiskeys, among others, and are some of the finest and most diverse American Whiskeys ever produced. They are a fitting tribute to the expertise of Parker Beam.

The 18th edition of the Parker's Heritage Collection® consists of 14-year-old Malt Whiskey aged in the upper floors of Rickhouses O and Q. Then, barrels that previously held Cognac were reconstructed to include a handful of new heavy toast staves. The Malt Whiskey was then rebarreled in the reconstructed barrels and aged for almost four months. Bottled at 107 proof without chill filtration, the rebarreling transforms the Malt Whiskey's earthy, herbal characteristics into complex notes of molasses, dark chocolate, and dried summer fruit.

Tasting Notes

  • Color: Polished Teak
  • Nose: Oranges and summer fruit at first, then black, herbal tea. Dark chocolate and caramel.
  • Taste: Rich and velvety, like fine port. Molasses and bittersweet chocolate followed by cloves and nutmeg.
  • Finish: The molasses and chocolate notes fade to dried figs and apricots with a peppery tingle right at the end.

Disclaimer: Bourbon & Banter received a sample of this product from the brand for review. We appreciate their willingness to allow us to review their products with no strings attached. Thank you.