The Whiskey Reviewer A World of Whiskey, Poured Every Weekday
Heaven Hill disappointed its Kentucky fans and many national cognoscenti last year when they discontinued their Heaven Hill 6 year old Bottled in Bond Bourbon, a Kentucky-only release that was widely regarded as the best bargain to be had in American Whiskey. Their plan in doing so was revealed earlier this week, when the company announced it would be introducing a rebranded and now 7 year old version of Heaven Hill Bottled in Bond Bourbon for the national market.
Or at least that is how the story has been sold and repeated in the drinks media. One modest, but nonetheless important distinction is that the class Heaven Hill 6 Year Old Bottled in Bond was a charcoal-filtered whiskey. This niche process is most notably used on Ezra Brooks, and involves filtering the bourbon through hardwood charcoal after aging. This is in contrast with the Lincoln County Process, in which the bourbon is filtered before going into the barrel. How much that missing element will play out in the taste remains to be seen.
The new Heaven Hill 7 Year Old Bottled in Bond will retail for $39.99.
The 6 year old was a bargain at $12. It sure seems like a big jump up to $39.99 for only one extra year of aging. That’s a higher list price than Henry McKenna 10 year. I hate to see Heaven Hill moving prices up.