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Parker's Heritage 11 (2017)


flahute
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I was privileged to taste what will become this year's Parker's Heritage release while at the Kentucky Bourbon Affair the week before last.

In my two years attending this event I've learned to sign up for whatever Heaven Hill offers because they really know how to bring it by putting a lot of thought into creating unique events.

Since this post is about Parker's, I won't do a full recap of the event here.

Part of this event was a visit the warehouses at the Deatsville location. If you aren't familiar, this location was always Parker's favorite and numerous past PH releases have come from here.

They had a special barrel for us to taste from. It had come from an upper tier (these are tiered warehouses - the only ones like them in Kentucky to my knowledge).

It was an 11 year old barrel and straight out of the barrel was at 150 proof. !!!!!! Yes, you heard that right. 

I took a tiny sip at full strength and while hot due to the proof, there was some complex flavor beneath the heat. With some water added, all the heat went away and it turned into a ridiculously full, rich, oily, and flavorful bourbon that blew my doors off.

It was at this point they told us we were the first to know that this would be the upcoming Parker's Heritage release. ( I don't recall if it will be a single barrel or small batch release, but for those keeping track, this is sounding a lot like the very first Parker's Heritage release in 2007).

 

Disclaimer: while we tasted from a 150 proof barrel, they will be pulling from many barrels so final bottling proof has yet to be determined, though it will be high. They sent us home with samples from that barrel that were proofed down to 128. This is about where I ended up with water added in my barrel pull. (They let us operate the whiskey thief and pour our own, so I had a good size pour to contemplate for a while.)

 

Though one barrel does not a full release make, and full details are yet to be divulged, they have my attention with this one.

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Thanks for the details! A delicious, well-aged, high proof HH Bourbon from Parker's favorite warehouse is definitely something I'd be into. Hopefully they have enough barrels to make this a fairly large release.

Sounds like a great event as well. Pretty nice of them to let you do your own pour with the whiskey thief. Several years ago I saw a picture of a sample of EC (for a store private selection) at CS of ~150 proof, but I've never tasted anything like that myself. Very cool.

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If this is to be the release (high-proof barrels from Parker's favorite whse, watered only down to 128), I'm in!    I fervently hope it winds up NCF, especially if these are 'oily' and mouth-coating barrels.

I've yet to be disappointed in any PH I've tasted, and I expect no different from this one.

Edited by Richnimrod
Grammar. I figured an actual verb in a sentence might be a good idea.
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Sounds delicious! Although a specially selected well aged rye at BP still seems to be a major shortcoming in this line of the available mashbills from HH. Had hoped maybe this would be the year. Ah well, maybe next year!

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5 hours ago, tanstaafl2 said:

Sounds delicious! Although a specially selected well aged rye at BP still seems to be a major shortcoming in this line of the available mashbills from HH. Had hoped maybe this would be the year. Ah well, maybe next year!

Well darnit that's a good point and I wish I would have the presence of mind to ask if a rye was on their list for a future release. 

I'm sure they have some older rye aging, it just may be a case of them needing to wait until they have enough for a national release at an age that makes sense for a limited edition.

As part of the event, we got to taste a 16yr old wheater from the first floor of a warehouse at Schenley. At barrel proof it was 99.1 (or close to that - I don't have my info sheet handy). Not even a hint of being over oaked. It was ridiculously good. We of course asked if it was a future Parker's release and the answer was no because they just didn't have enough of it for a release. We got to take home a sample of that also at least, but man do I want to know what they do with that barrel and any other like it. I really hope they don't blend it into something.

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1 hour ago, flahute said:

Well darnit that's a good point and I wish I would have the presence of mind to ask if a rye was on their list for a future release. 

I'm sure they have some older rye aging, it just may be a case of them needing to wait until they have enough for a national release at an age that makes sense for a limited edition.

As part of the event, we got to taste a 16yr old wheater from the first floor of a warehouse at Schenley. At barrel proof it was 99.1 (or close to that - I don't have my info sheet handy). Not even a hint of being over oaked. It was ridiculously good. We of course asked if it was a future Parker's release and the answer was no because they just didn't have enough of it for a release. We got to take home a sample of that also at least, but man do I want to know what they do with that barrel and any other like it. I really hope they don't blend it into something.

 

I may have to start participating in this Kentucky Bourbon Affair thing!

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7 hours ago, tanstaafl2 said:

 

I may have to start participating in this Kentucky Bourbon Affair thing!

If it's a daytime event being hosted by Heaven Hill, do not even question it, just sign up.

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I'm definitely keeping my eye on next year's.

 

I'm keen on this most excellent Parker's release, but the only PHC10 I saw last year was gouge priced at $300.

 

The most exciting aspect for me is that HH continues to operate this magic warehouse, where it only takes 10-11 yrs to age real stunners.

 

Maybe in a few years they'll let us pick some of 'em.

Edited by The Black Tot
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38 minutes ago, The Black Tot said:

Maybe in a few years they'll let us pick some of 'em.

Well boy do I have a surprise for you.

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This came up on whiskycast this past weekend and it was reported that this would be an 11 year old single barrel (no word on proof that I can recall).

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15 hours ago, flahute said:

Well boy do I have a surprise for you.

 

I can't handle the suspense. Are you able to elaborate?

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  • 3 weeks later...

I was down at HH a few weeks ago and did the Whiskey Connoisseur tasting at the visitor center.  During the tasting the tour guide said that this upcoming Parker's Heritage release would be the very last one.  This could just be chalked up to one of those crazy things your hear while on a tour or the truth, but I really hope it isn't the last.  A well aged barrel proof rye would be a nice addition to this series and I hope they don't stop it before they get around to doing something like that.  Either way, I look forward to the upcoming PH release and I am jealous that you got to try it already.   

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I think at the very worst we're talking about a name change. I'd prefer they keep it Parker's Heritage until the whiskey was actually distilled by someone else, but I don't see them stopping an annual release of something special.

 

Still too early to be Potter's Heritage?

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9 hours ago, The Black Tot said:

I think at the very worst we're talking about a name change. I'd prefer they keep it Parker's Heritage until the whiskey was actually distilled by someone else, but I don't see them stopping an annual release of something special.

 

Still too early to be Potter's Heritage?

 

It's too bad Craig didn't stick with the gig longer, but I understand that his true passion was elsewhere. I'm sure they'll come up with some limited bottling to take its place.

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Maybe this is why EWSB's age has been dropping, they where saving it for this PH release. Just a thought....

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1 hour ago, LCWoody said:

Maybe this is why EWSB's age has been dropping, they where saving it for this PH release. Just a thought....

For that to be true, they'd need to be aging EWSB at Deatsville. While I have no way of knowing for sure, it doesn't seem to me that they'd be pulling from that rickhouse for that brand. Who knows though.

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49 minutes ago, flahute said:

For that to be true, they'd need to be aging EWSB at Deatsville. While I have no way of knowing for sure, it doesn't seem to me that they'd be pulling from that rickhouse for that brand. Who knows though.

Or at 122 proof 

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1 hour ago, JoeTerp said:

Or at 122 proof 

Also a good point. Even at 122, it's been downproofed. The barrel of this I tried back in June was above 150 proof. Insane.

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9 hours ago, flahute said:

For that to be true, they'd need to be aging EWSB at Deatsville. While I have no way of knowing for sure, it doesn't seem to me that they'd be pulling from that rickhouse for that brand. Who knows though.

I didn't realize that.

Wasn't the 1st PH EWSB at barrel proof? If that's true they probably wouldn't repeat that release. 

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6 hours ago, LCWoody said:

Wasn't the 1st PH EWSB at barrel proof? If that's true they probably wouldn't repeat that release. 

 

Yes the first Parker's Heritage was "Cask Strength"  http://heavenhilldistillery.com/parkers-heritage-collection.php?bws=1 and it does appear they do something unique each year without duplicating a prior edition.

 

I'm don't know what PH EWSB is.

 

For this newest release, I'm sure it will be great stuff, personally I won't be spending over $100 on a single bottle of bourbon.  It appears Heaven Hill has a good idea of what the market will bear and no doubt these will sell out quickly either at retail of $130 or above.

 

 

Edited by miller542
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On 7/20/2017 at 10:10 AM, miller542 said:

 

 

I'm don't know what PH EWSB is.

 

 

Evan Williams Single Barrel.

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  • 2 months later...
6 hours ago, briankeith513 said:

I just opened my bottle.  It’s amazing, so fully flavored, and I’ve fallen in love.

How does it compare to ECBP and PH Promise of Hope?

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