I.W. Harper Bourbon Review

Updated May 12, 2016

By Kurt Maitland

Average Rating: C+

I.W. Harper NAS

The standard I.W. Harper
(Credit: Diageo)

The Harper brand was launched in 1879 by the famous Bernheim Brothers, Isaac and Bernard, the pair who are the same Bernheims as the Heaven Hill distillery and release. It was named after Isaac who was the president of the company. “I. W.” were his first two initials, but perhaps thinking that his surname of “Bernheim” might affect sales, his whiskey was instead  released as I.W. Harper.

I. W. Harper was a very important brand in its time, but when the bourbon was withdrawn from the U.S. market in the early ’90s it had declined into a low cost, low end release. That said, it continued to sell in Japan, where it is still popular today and one of the best-selling bourbons.

Diageo decided to re-introduce the I.W. Harper brand to the US earlier this year, with No Age Statement (NAS) and 15 Yr Old expressions. Here we take on the NAS version.

This bourbon is made from a mashbill of 73% corn, 18% rye, and 9% barley. According to Diageo it was “most recently aged at the Stitzel-Weller Distillery in Louisville, Ky., and contains whiskeys distilled at the current Bernheim Distillery. It is hand bottled in Tullahoma, Tenn.” Down in Tullahoma, home of Diageo’s George Dickel, the whiskey was bottled at 41% abv, or 82 proof.

The Bourbon
Color: Toasted Carmel

Nose: Rich, sweet corn, honey and vanilla, with citrus and floral notes

Taste: Considering how low the proof is, this is a very flavorful release. I get stone fruits, including cherry, a little citrus, with a little nuttiness that turns to a bit oakiness as you get to the finish. The texture is a little gummy, not too oily and not too dry. It starts a with little oaky spiciness and blooms into a white peppery finish. A little water peels away the astringent notes and frees some apple and cinnamon notes.

Finish: Sweetly astringent with hints of pine, Juicy Fruit gum and white pepper

This is a pretty good whiskey. I can see it being a joy in a cocktail or a good sipper. It’s not flashy but it gets a lot done with a relatively low proof (for a bourbon). That said, I would have like to have tasted a higher proof version of this release just to make a comparison.

Addendum by Richard Thomas

I more or less agree with my colleague, although I would describe I.W. Harper as a pretty fair whiskey. It’s a light and smooth bourbon, with a flavor based on corn and caramel, with the underlying notes running to spicy. The main thing for me is that it is light rather than subtle, and I think notching the proof up half a dozen points would improve it markedly.

The Price
This whiskey is priced around $36 US. This might be the only thing (other than the proof) that I ding it on a little. $36 dollars isn’t expensive, but that price point makes it a bit more expensive than some quality cheaper bourbons with a higher proof.

 

 

6 comments

  1. Price is it’s downfall, lower the price Diageo & it will be a best seller!

    • Wayne, Albertsons at Foster agrees. I saw a basket marked half off this morning.

    • I can also say it’s a fair bourbon but better served in a cocktail rather than sipping as there are far more better choices given the price point. This drinks more in line with a $20-25 dollar price point. Could improve at higher proof but then likely we would never know.

  2. My local total wine store has discovered that total wines is discontinuing carrying Watkins honey flavored whiskey, which I, and many others love. Are you still making it? And if so, how may I continue to obtain it?

  3. I love this bourbon.

  4. I have a unopened 33 year old bottle of I W Harper anybody looking for a bottle

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