Heaven Hill Black 10 Year Old 86 Proof

[Vadertime]

Anyone have any insight on this line? It seems to be available in Jersey. Cheers

[5cents]

Anywhere in particular in Jersey? I'm in Ohio and have a guy who works for me who lives in Jersey. He's heading back home for Thanksgiving and he's going to look to pick me up a bottle.

[squire]

Is the label black or cream/buff colored? Does the label also say "Very Rare Old"?

[Vadertime]

Is the label black or cream/buff colored? Does the label also say "Very Rare Old"?

It's black and afaict it does not say very rare old. The pics online are rather blurry.

[squire]

Is this the discontinued 10 year old Evan Williams 1783?

[Vadertime]

Is this the discontinued 10 year old Evan Williams 1783?

No, it is heaven hill brand.

This German site has a good pic of what seems to be the label:

http://whiskey-lovers.luxus.welt.de/geoeffnet-heaven-hill-black-label-86-proof/

Edited October 20, 2014 by Vadertime

[squire]

For a long time Heaven Hill produced a 10 year old, 100 proof, Bottled in Bond, Very Rare Old Heaven Hill, with a light colored label, which was good stuff and one of the few whiskys I bought by the case. In a distressingly familiar pattern it went to a 10 year 86 proof dropping the BIB statement, to 8 year 86, to being discontinued.

I have seen the standard 4 year 86 proof HH with a black label in some markets but I've also seen what appears to be the same whisky in other markets wearing a green or white label. Never heard of a 10 year version though.

Could happen I suppose, years ago Heaven Hill routinely used 10-12 year old whisky even in their C&Ds but those went bye-bye when Elijah Craig took off as a premium.

[Vadertime]

Here is a better pic of the bottle:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6b/Heaven_Hill_Bourbon.JPG

I have asked the seller to confirm the age. It could be a typo.

Cheers

[squire]

Must be a typo, that's one of the standard HH 4 year expressions. You did have me going there for awhile.

[Vadertime]

Must be a typo, that's one of the standard HH 4 year expressions. You did have me going there for awhile.

[sutton]

There was a Heaven Hill Black Label 10 yr 86 proof available on the East Coast a few years ago. It was $9.99 a bottle. It then went NAS, and now I no longer see it.

What I remember of it: clearly HH profile, Evan Williams style sweet cherries but dialed back and a hint of mint. Where it stood out were the tannins/bitterness. Likely bottled at 86 proof because it might have been way too bitter/tannic at anything higher, and it was clearly a lower shelf offering.

Serviceable, but I don't think you are missing anything -

Looks like still in NJ at least - although it says 10 years there is no age statement, this is NAS - maybe someone in NJ can confirm if they still see it. Perhaps this is a regional special like OHH 8/86 used to be for Rhode Island and MN...

http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/heaven+hill+distil+black+ten+old+bourbon+whisky+kentucky+usa/-/usa

Edited October 21, 2014 by sutton
add link

[soonami]

I bought a bottle of black label HH/86 proof in NJ before just to try it and because it was $7.99 and I didn't want to leave the store empty handed. This was maybe 4-5 years ago. I don't remember an age statement back then even and the bourbon was perfectly fine. Not terrible, not great, but good mixed with cola