Jump to content

BOTM 10/13: Henry McKenna Single Barrel BIB


fishnbowljoe
This topic has been inactive for at least 365 days, and is now closed. Please feel free to start a new thread on the subject! 

Recommended Posts

As advertised by HH, "Heaven Hill launched the Henry McKenna Single Barrel line extension in 1994, and to this day it remains the only extra aged (10 years) Bottled-In-Bond Single Barrel Bourbon available."

I haven't had this bourbon in a while, but I do remember it. I bought a bottle right about the time I was finally starting to be able to pick out some of the different flavors people described in bourbons. I was never able to taste the citrus/eucalyptus flavor everyone alluded to in HH bourbons until I bought a bottle of Henry McKenna. I opened my bottle, had a pour, and there it was. The citrus and eucalyptus flavor was unmistakeable. IMHO, I thought it was actually pretty good considering I'm basically a wheater lover, and I don't particularly care much for bourbons with spicy and/or citrus flavors.

So post away. Let's hear it for Henry McKenna BIB.

Cheers. Joe

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Henry McKenna SB, BIB is indeed a fairly unique pour for the reasons stated by fisnbowljoe, and I agree that the 'typical' HH profile is easier to pick out in this pour than many of their line brands. I personally, love this one. It's one that I always have at least one bunkered bottle on-hand, besides the open one. I recently bought one with the 'new' label (less pretentious, for sure... probably considerably less expensive to bottle using this label). I was a bit put off by the simpler version; but after opening it up early, to do a side-by-side with some juice from my open bottle (old labeling), I found the juice to be pretty much identical. In fact, I'll even go so far as to say that HMcK, SB, BIB varies least among single barrel offerings from any distillery from bottle to bottle (IMHO). So, whomever does the selection is doing a great job of maintaining the profile. If you havn't tried it, do yourself a favor and grab one up. Drink it slow & straight, and enjoy the lovely nose and complex character.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I really like this one. Like Joe's experience, the first bottle I bought (a couple years ago) was full of orange and menthol/eucalyptus goodness. I just finished one a couple weeks ago that had a lot less orange and menthol, but was still very good. Reminded me of Elmer T Lee in some ways.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is a good one. I have a large rotation but always try to get this one every so often. Always enjoy it when I do.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm a HH fan, and this is one of my favorites. To me it's like the EWSB in many ways, except better because this is 100 proof. If anyone knows where to find this around Indy, please PM me. I have only one left that came fro Louisville. I had bought some in Indy, but that was years ago.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have always enjoyed the HM BIB and found it to be an excellent example of the prominent HH "house style"in one very well rounded bourbon and at around $30 the price ain't all that bad either.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't keep this one around and can't say why, I hope it sells well enough to stay in production.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't keep this one around and can't say why, I hope it sells well enough to stay in production.

Yeah, interestingly I really had to work to find my bottle a week or two back. The place was in the process of replacing the old bottle style with the new. I really like this stuff. A little too expensive in Oregon, like $35. Fun to taste alongside the younger BIBs. I really should sit down tonight and take a few notes on it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Frankly, I'm indifferent to the brand being single barrel but do appreciate it being a traditional, straight forward 10 year BIB.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

really enjoying a pour of this right now, had a few before so not going to comment much on taste, but have to agree its like EWSB at a proper proof.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A really good solid bourbon. A great barrel selection program that I often take advantage of when my local retailers get their bottles in. Never disappoints. Noticed they recently changed their label too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A good friend was at our local liquor store today and called and asked me for a bourbon recommendation. I was sipping on a PS HMcK BiB, and enjoying it immensely, so I told him to get himself one too. And then I went on to drone about how it was great stuff, probably not as good as my PS barrel, and more expensive by a hair, blah, blah, blah, then he chimed in with, "It says barreled in 1995, is that good?" That's right, pre-fire HH, and I passed on that bottle dozens of times without opening the cardboard box to check the barreled date. I can't wait until he cracks it so we can do a SBS with a more current offering. I know this 10 yr. BIB also happens to be single barrel, but are there significant differences between the pre-fire and post-fire versions of HMcK?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The stills are different but the mashbill and warehousing are the same so for my taste no, I wouldn't call the difference significant. Would like to hear your take on it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A good friend was at our local liquor store today and called and asked me for a bourbon recommendation. I was sipping on a PS HMcK BiB, and enjoying it immensely, so I told him to get himself one too. And then I went on to drone about how it was great stuff, probably not as good as my PS barrel, and more expensive by a hair, blah, blah, blah, then he chimed in with, "It says barreled in 1995, is that good?" That's right, pre-fire HH, and I passed on that bottle dozens of times without opening the cardboard box to check the barreled date. I can't wait until he cracks it so we can do a SBS with a more current offering. I know this 10 yr. BIB also happens to be single barrel, but are there significant differences between the pre-fire and post-fire versions of HMcK?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Had a bottle of this (third grade art project label) and was singularly unimpressed after the first couple pours. It's not that I didn't like it, I just figured there were plenty others I liked better for a similar price once this bottle was eventually polished off.

Had curling practice last night - I'm a curler (so you'd think I'd drink Scotch) and the season begins soon - and busted out my bottle to share after 6 of us played a quasi-game. It tasted much more intriguing to me, more flavor, quite smooth, and the others at the table all liked it as well. So I may have to reconsider another purchase.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

My only complaint is that I have had a few different bottles of this which were a bit too thin. I have had some barrel selections of this at restaurants which were GREAT. Still none to me have the proper chew that HH 10 BIB (DSP31) had. I look forward to a McKenna which tastes as good as the HH10 BIB

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was not familiar with this label but I stumbled across a bottle today when visiting a new liquor store. They had a barrel selection, so I picked it up. I came to the forum to learn a bit about it and see that it's the selection of the month! Very serendipitous.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can someone comment on what the label change looks like (before and after)? I just picked up a bottle to try. It's a very homemade looking label with a copper wire wrapped many times around the neck and an oval copper stamped tag stating "Bottled in Bond". The front label is green felt with a small bi-fold paper that is attached with a sticker that has a hand written barrel number (799) and barreled date (9/28/01). Wondering if this is the old or new label.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My only complaint is that I have had a few different bottles of this which were a bit too thin. I have had some barrel selections of this at restaurants which were GREAT. Still none to me have the proper chew that HH 10 BIB (DSP31) had. I look forward to a McKenna which tastes as good as the HH10 BIB

On paper, McKenna looks great. 10 YO BIB. What could go wrong? On the palate, though, I find it disappointing. There are other HH BIBs that I find just as satisfying for fewer dollars. I don't think there is anything "wrong" with McKenna just not enough right with it to justify the price. HH White, for example, is quite good at a third of the cost. Or FC at half the price. I'm starting to think that I'm just a cheap, grumpy old man.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We cheap, grumpy old men have been supporting the distillers of Kentucky for a good many years now and should be rewarded with a discount.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wait a minute- McKenna isn't a wheated bourbon? I thought it was?

I just picked up a bottle at Midway Liquors in Joppa, MD from their single barrel store bottling and it's REALLY GOOD. For $25, I have zero complaints about it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wait a minute- McKenna isn't a wheated bourbon? I thought it was?

I just picked up a bottle at Midway Liquors in Joppa, MD from their single barrel store bottling and it's REALLY GOOD. For $25, I have zero complaints about it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I met a nice guy by the name of Kevin there that knew you. He's on here too, but I forget his username. He bought a case of the McKenna it's so damn good.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • jbutler unpinned this topic
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.