Black Maple Hill Red Label - Good? Overpriced? Great? Bad? Discuss!

[humchan2k]

I, for one, find it very up front and spicy, with some oak and a bit of corn....I don't know if I can place what it is I like about it, but it's one of my faves to keep open in the bar.

Your turn. Go.

[tommyboy38]

I enjoy it but wish it came from a real distillery.

[White Dog]

I enjoy it but wish it came from a real distillery.

Heaven Hill is as real as the day is long.

[tommyboy38]

Not necessarily from HH.

[Tico]

Not a fan

Bought a bottle years ago, drank maybe a glass and it stayed buried in the back of liquor cabinet. Brought it out a month ago to give to my brother in law along with a few other unwanted bottles. As a Chico state junior I'm sure him and his buds put it to good use!

[DaveOfAtl]

I don't think the juice deserves the hype. It's not terrible, but not worth searching out, IMO. The somewhat limited availability and the bottle/name contribute to the hype, for sure. K&L had a good blog post about it a while back.

http://spiritsjournal.klwines.com/klwinescom-spirits-blog/2012/7/13/the-story-of-black-maple-hill.html

[squire]

Heaven Hill, Barton (it's a short list if they're shopping locally) either is fine with me, I just see no reason to pay a markup to get their whisky from someone else.

[Josh]

Brown-Forman is a possiblity too.

Put me in the "good but overpriced" camp.

[squire]

Well of course Josh, BT as well, but I did say if they were shopping locally. My point remains though, I'm not paying extra for someone to add their label.

[Josh]

And Beam...:grin:

But yes. I agree.

[Ejmharris]

I bought a bottle about this time last year, when I was jreally got started with my Bourbon fixation. I went on a hunting trip and ran across a bottle. I thought it was "Something Special" when I bought it. I quickly learned it was not one of the harder to find offerings.

I opened it two weeks ago as my open bottles were dwindling. I feel the same as most. I do enjoy it but it was not worth the $42 I paid for it at the time. To me it tastes like BT but my palette is not the most refined. I wouldn't buy another bottle at that price but I will continue to enjoy this one.

[smokinjoe]

It's a yawn inducer. :22::22::22::22::22::22::22:

[White Dog]

It's a yawn inducer. :22::22::22::22::22::22::22:

[Young Blacksmith]

Related thread drift -

I have not tried BMH, but I have an open bottle of Noah's Mill. Not mind blowing, but not bad either, I feel it tastes like Heaven Hill. At 114 proof it's the highest proof HH release I've come across.

[tanstaafl2]

Related thread drift -

I have not tried BMH, but I have an open bottle of Noah's Mill. Not mind blowing, but not bad either, I feel it tastes like Heaven Hill. At 114 proof it's the highest proof HH release I've come across.

I presume you are excluding the PHC line? Several have been north of that including the most recent.

[LikeItWasSodaPop]

There are certain things, like $50 a bottle white dog, that you just know are overpriced and not worth even thinking about. But I have to admit that the glory of BMH 23 transmitted a bit of label voodoo to the BMH red label and I, to my great shame, purchased a bottle.

Yup, young HH juice, nothing special, and outrageously overpriced. I ended up vatting it with a decent bottle of EC12 and a EC18 that was going slightly flat. Better than the sum of its parts and slightly -- only slightly -- mitigates the sting of a really dumb purchase.

There is a BMH 16 bourbon dying a slow death on a local shelf. I pity the fool that buys it (you can PM me for location if you're a masochist).

[humchan2k]

Damn, there is some salt being thrown on BMH's game up in here, huh!?!?!?

[RVTsteve]

I don't think that's salt being thrown...

Personally I like it just fine and for the $33 I spent on it I don't think it's outrageously overpriced.

Edited November 30, 2012 by RVTsteve

[MrAtomic]

I was gifted a bottle a couple of years ago. It tasted raw and had the yeasty funk I associate with many Beam whiskies. The friends who gave it to me bought it on the recommendation of an employee at a well-regarded LA liquor store. They were excited to sample it with me, and we were all really surprised at how aggressive it tasted.

On the other hand, the BMH 18 Rye (green wax) was one of my all-time favorites and I wish I'd grabbed some more when I had the chance.

[Happyhour24x7]

I like the standard BMH just fine, and am always excited when I find it in a bar or restaurant. Also buy it when I can for home, but it is mail order only here. Likeitwassodapop, I'd GLADLY take that bottle of 16YO from your local store if the price is reasonable, and add it to make carefully hoarded stash of the same. THAT is some really fine juice. At least to me, and that's all that matters.

[trumpstylz]

Too corny. It might be worht its price tag if it were 20-25$. I think it should be in the Wt/makers/buffalo trace price range. Its obviously HH, or *possibly* beam. I really don't think its anything special.

Edited December 1, 2012 by trumpstylz

[p_elliott]

Related thread drift -

I have not tried BMH, but I have an open bottle of Noah's Mill. Not mind blowing, but not bad either, I feel it tastes like Heaven Hill. At 114 proof it's the highest proof HH release I've come across.

More specifically EW BIB

Edited December 1, 2012 by p_elliott

[Young Blacksmith]

Hmm, I'll have to do a side by side later!

And yes, Noah's Mill is the highest proof HH I run across, PHC does not make appearances out here.

[tarheel]

I bought a bottle of this last year around Christmas from a friend's recommendation. And we don't have it in NC. I think I paid $35 in MA.

I have this rated lower than any of the "entry level" $25 pours I've had - BT, EWSB, EC12, WT101, etc. It wasn't bad, but IMO it lacked balance, in particular I didn't care for the dry finish. Also got a rather strong yeast note. I really missed some sweetness in there. Which is ironic since the brand name contains "maple". If only they could get that "maple" in the bottle! The last comment I had was "a little too Scotch-like for my taste".

[Wryguy]

Bmh does make a damn nice old-fashioned though, IMO. The spice forward profile works well with Angostura bitters and a muddled brandy cherry in the mix plays nicely on the corn sweet dry finish that works much nicer on ice.