Hirsch The Horizon Bourbon Review

By Douglas Fraser

Rating: B-

Hotaling & Co., an importer and the distiller behind Old Potrero out of San Francisco, is also the owner of Hirsch Selected Whiskies.

Hirsch has been a famous name ever since Chuck Cowdery wrote a short book labeling their 16 year old bourbon the best whiskey “you’ll never taste,” which was made at the shuttered Bomberger’s Distillery. If that name sounds familiar, that southeastern Pennsylvania distillery was also the original home of Michter’s. Bottles of that vintage, collectable A.H. Hirsch 16 Year Old now fetch an average of $3,500.

Hotaling is rebuilding the brand name, an effort that includes Hirsch: The Horizon Straight Bourbon. This bourbon is a blend of two distinct stocks of whiskey made by MGP in Indiana. The first is 94% of the bourbon matured at 5 years and 4 months in a mixture of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley. The second is 6% of the bourbon matured at 6 years and 2 months in a mixture of 60% corn, 36% rye, and 4% malted barley. Hirsch Horizon Straight Bourbon Whiskey is bottled KY at 92 proof/46% ABV. I was given batch number AHH0320 to taste, so future installments may be different. There was nothing spectacular or that stood out from the bourbon leaving it rather average.

The Bourbon
Color: Clear Gold

While looking through my Copita nosing glass, I noticed the legs were quite consistent. They were very thin and evenly spaced apart like they streamed down in orchestra. After taking the lid off my glass, the sweet bourbon aromas appeared with hints of caramel, honey, butter, wintermint, vanilla, charred oak, and cornbread. On the palate were hints of toffee, cinnamon, baking spices, pepper, and a presence of leather was detected. The finish was long with continuous notes of leather, charred oak, and pepperiness.

The Price
Hirsch Horizon Straight Bourbon Whiskey can be found for $40.