Jump to content

Parker's Heritage Collection 9th Edition Malt Whiskey


Scotch Neat
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

Got a call today from a store asking me if I want a bottle of this years Parker's Heritage Collection 8 year old malt whiskey.

They put one aside for me but I will be giving it to a friend that has the entire collection and wants this years to keep his collection complete.

I have to be honest when the store owner mentioned that it was a malt whiskey I lost all enthusiasm.

If HH bottled this stuff as a regular expression it would never leave the store shelf.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have to be honest when the store owner mentioned that it was a malt whiskey I lost all enthusiasm.

If HH bottled this stuff as a regular expression it would never leave the store shelf.

I tend to agree. I'm reminded of our conversations about craft distillers and and how they can't do it as well as the pros who've been at it for 50+ years or more. There are plenty of those who know single malts better than Heaven Hill. I'm not a PHC completist, so even though I'll admit to being somewhat of a sucker for LE's, this one will have to get consistently outstanding reviews before I'd buy a bottle (absent falling in love with a sample from somewhere).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I tend to agree. I'm reminded of our conversations about craft distillers and and how they can't do it as well as the pros who've been at it for 50+ years or more. There are plenty of those who know single malts better than Heaven Hill. I'm not a PHC completist, so even though I'll admit to being somewhat of a sucker for LE's, this one will have to get consistently outstanding reviews before I'd buy a bottle (absent falling in love with a sample from somewhere).

Just to be clear, the current PHC offering isn't, and doesn't purport to be, a single malt. It's a mashbill of 65% malted barley and 35% corn, according to HH. It's aged 8-years, bottled at 108-proof (I believe barrel-proof), and I believe non-chill-filtered (anybody that knows; feel free to correct my on any of this). I like it. It's certainly not Scotch; but clearly different than Bourbon. Unique.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, I realized that after I posted, but was too tired to correct it. I'll stick by my comment, though. Not dropping close o $100 on this unless somehow I get wowed by it.

Just to be clear, the current PHC offering isn't, and doesn't purport to be, a single malt. It's a mashbill of 65% malted barley and 35% corn, according to HH. It's aged 8-years, bottled at 108-proof (I believe barrel-proof), and I believe non-chill-filtered (anybody that knows; feel free to correct my on any of this). I like it. It's certainly not Scotch; but clearly different than Bourbon. Unique.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, I realized that after I posted, but was too tired to correct it. I'll stick by my comment, though. Not dropping close o $100 on this unless somehow I get wowed by it.
I can't blame you (or anybody else) for not tossing around a C-note as if it's a nickel. For reasons I posted earlier in this thread, I'm not sorry I grabbed one, even at gift shop rates. It absolutely isn't very much like a premium Bourbon, or a premium Scotch for that matter, so I can easily understand anybody not liking it. ...But, I do. ...Possibly, thanx in part to my notorious Iron Palate. HA!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can't blame you (or anybody else) for not tossing around a C-note as if it's a nickel. For reasons I posted earlier in this thread, I'm not sorry I grabbed one, even at gift shop rates. It absolutely isn't very much like a premium Bourbon, or a premium Scotch for that matter, so I can easily understand anybody not liking it. ...But, I do. ...Possibly, thanx in part to my notorious Iron Palate. HA!

I think the thing about the PHC9 that appeals to me the most, having not even tried it yet, is the very fact that it is not quite bourbon and not quite scotch. Indeed there is nothing that I know of that is quite the same. Some things might be a little similar (Woodford straight malt, Nikka Coffey Grain/Malt blend, Ealanta perhaps) but nothing is quite what this is. Still wish that the MGP malt and corn mashbill of bourbon was available at a similar age but it will be a long time before that is the case. Maybe the Jim Beam Harvest Collect six row barley? Obviously more corn and less barley than the PHC though since it is a bourbon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the thing about the PHC9 that appeals to me the most, having not even tried it yet, is the very fact that it is not quite bourbon and not quite scotch. Indeed there is nothing that I know of that is quite the same. Some things might be a little similar (Woodford straight malt, Nikka Coffey Grain/Malt blend, Ealanta perhaps) but nothing is quite what this is. Still wish that the MGP malt and corn mashbill of bourbon was available at a similar age but it will be a long time before that is the case. Maybe the Jim Beam Harvest Collect six row barley? Obviously more corn and less barley than the PHC though since it is a bourbon.

I'm a big fan of the Nikka Coffey Grain myself, so if it's comparable to that, Id be happy to have one (although it's a good bit more expensive than the Nikka...)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Usually when I try something that comes with a "this is unique, but I like it" recommendation, I find I like it too. But I also find I never really think it's worth the price I paid for it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just opened a bottle for an early afternoon tasting before a wedding later this afternoon. As others have said it's unique and I'll add it's good, not a bourbon of course but not that far off due to the amount of corn. Spicy on the front and back of the palette like a rye with a long finish on the back of the tongue. Quite enjoyable as a slow sipper which it's intended, enough heat (proof) to blow away the premise that's its Scotch but not too much, really well balanced. Not picking up a lot of flavors that I can discern on this tasting but that may just be my palette at the moment.

All in all glad I picked up two bottles and may be looking for more to add for sipping down the road

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had a pour of this each of the last 2 nights from my neighbor's bottle. We both thought it was very good. It's a great sipper. I love the creamy butterscotch finish. It has a nice, thick mouthfeel and just the right amount of heat/alcohol burn.

kjbeggs, I do not find it similar to Nikka Coffey Grain (which I really like as well). I find the Parkers much closer to bourbon probably because of a much heavier oak influence.

In my opinion, taste wise, this product is not too far off from a bourbon. Maybe like a first cousin or closer. I guess this is more evidence that the majority of the taste of a whiskey comes from the wood. After this 65% malted barley, 35% corn mash was distilled I assume it was basically "treated" like bourbon. That is, it was aged in new charred oak and it was aged 8 years in Rickhouse Y in Bardstown, KY.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I opened mine last night. It didn't remind me of the NCG either (maybe I should SBS them).

It was a bit of an odd duck, with a flavor note none of us could quite place.

I didn't get butterscotch, but having read that, maybe I will on the next pour.

I didn't dislike it at all, just kind of hard to describe. (And that concludes the most unhelpful "review" ever).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I opened mine last night. It didn't remind me of the NCG either (maybe I should SBS them).

It was a bit of an odd duck, with a flavor note none of us could quite place.

I didn't get butterscotch, but having read that, maybe I will on the next pour.

I didn't dislike it at all, just kind of hard to describe. (And that concludes the most unhelpful "review" ever).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i'm no stranger to malts, so i was fully prepped for what this bottle should be.

i am really underwhelmed and feel slightly ripped off. it's no $90 bottle of whiskey even with the ALS donation. it tastes rather young to me, i would have guessed 5ish years rather than 8. it that youngness that a lot of barely legal bottled in bond whiskeys have. i also get some of the dickel vitamin notes in it. i honestly think standard stranahan's is just as good and certainly prefer stranhan's diamond peak over this. it's not bad, it's just no special release and definitely not up to par with the parker's heritage line.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 weeks later...

Sipping again on this whiskey, this evening. Trying to again get a handle on it. AGAIN, I am completely befuddled. I cannot recall a whiskey that has perplexed me as much as this one. And, I'm really trying!! :lol: All I know, is that the term "Malt" on the bottle, does not mean it is Scotchy. I find it to be pleasant tasting, but for the life if me I can't figure out what I'm tasting...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Malt means cooked grain was used right?

I thought 'Malt' referred to malted barley; but what the heck do I know?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I thought 'Malt' referred to malted barley; but what the heck do I know?

Well, you know that typically malt means malted barley! That is the case with this whiskey which is about 65% malt and 35% corn if I remember correctly.

Although most any grain can be malted, not just barley. Malted rye for example was used more commonly in the past than now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Malt means cooked grain was used right?

Malting is a process used to release enzymes from the grain that are favorable to fermentation. The grain is soaked in water and allowed to sprout, then dried with hot air to stop the process. In Scotland they use peat as fuel in some regions (Islay) which gives the malt the smokey, phenolic flavor.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Last weekend got my hand on this bottle. oh man this bottle is good. Malt right up front fruits remind me of Balvenie, then bourbon right on the back vanilla cinnamon maple syrup .palate oily smooth, spices, sweet dried fruits earthy, chewy fresh bellpepper which I like. at last finish with cinnamon, long and linger.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's arrived in the UK at various places, though it's retailing at double that of last year's release, so I'm passing. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 12/7/2015, 9:02:51, beasled said:

It's arrived in the UK at various places, though it's retailing at double that of last year's release, so I'm passing. 

There's no way this is worth 2X retail.  It's barely worth retail to begin with.  Although I admit to purchasing a bottle, because it was offered to me by my regular store owner, I tried it at a bar after that purchase and was pretty disappointed.  It tastes not too much different than some other versions of American single malt whisky like Balcones or Westland.   Just like the overpriced craft offerings, there is not anything that stands out about the PHC to justify the lofty price.  If I could do it over again, I'd pass on this one.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 hours ago, jvd99 said:

There's no way this is worth 2X retail.  It's barely worth retail to begin with.  Although I admit to purchasing a bottle, because it was offered to me by my regular store owner, I tried it at a bar after that purchase and was pretty disappointed.  It tastes not too much different than some other versions of American single malt whisky like Balcones or Westland.   Just like the overpriced craft offerings, there is not anything that stands out about the PHC to justify the lofty price.  If I could do it over again, I'd pass on this one.  

 

18 hours ago, beasled said:

Good to know! Balcones is half the asking price of this here...

 

One person's palate and opinion of course. I find the PHC malt to be quite different than most craft single malts (or single malts in general for that matter) because it is NOT a single malt. It is about 65% malt and 35% corn as I recall, aged in new full size charred barrels rather than used barrels and/or small barrels making it a straight malt whiskey and at 8 years it is aged a good bit longer than most any craft whiskey you are likely to come across. It is more like a straight rye except that of course it is made with malted barley and not rye.

 

Is it different tasting as a result? You betcha! But I find it both interesting and enjoyable to drink (admittedly I go out of the way to look for "interesting and enjoyable" in the things I drink). If you want something that tastes the same as everything else then you might not like it.

Whether the price point works for you or not is a different circumstance of course that you can only decide for yourself.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

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