J. Henry & Sons 7 Year Old Bourbon Review

By Randall H. Borkus

Rating: A-

Henry & Sons Wisconsin Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a solid craft whiskey. I normally don’t buy a bottle and then write it up, but this is something bourbon lovers need to hear about, as the J. Henry & Sons Wisconsin 7 Year Old has become a favorite.

It is produced on Henry Farms in the rural countryside of Dane, WI which is about 20 miles north or Madison. The Henry family has owned and operated their 900-acre farm since 1946. They grow the main ingredients for their Wisconsin bourbon whiskey which consists of rye, wheat, and an heirloom variety of red corn developed at the University of Wisconsin in 1939.

Owners Joe and Liz Henry selected the heirloom variety of red corn due to its unique starch/carbohydrate complex and the natural richness it lends to the mash bill. The only product not grown on site is the small amount of barley obtained from a malt producer in Chilton, WI. The resulting four-grain mash is distilled at 45thParallel in New Richmond, WI, a small family-owned distillery.

The J. Henry bourbon whiskey is generally aged for 5 years in an old, rustic dairy barn back at Henry Farms. Staying true to the time-honored traditions of their Kentucky brethren, only 53-gallon barrels are used to age the spirit and the barn is not climate controlled.  The 53-gallon barrels ensures maximum interaction between the distillate and wood by exposing the barrels to the region’s extreme seasonal temperature fluctuations.  J. Henry Bourbon currently offers two primary award-winning products; their 92 proof J. Henry & Sons 5-year Wisconsin Straight Bourbon and the cask strength 5-year Patton Road Reserve.  Both products are available in their on-site tasting room and in select stores throughout the Wisconsin/Chicago area.

Fortunately, on occasion they let a couple of barrels sleep a little longer than 5 years so today I’m enjoying the J. Henry & Sons Wisconsin Straight Bourbon 7-year-old version.   My bottle is from Barrel No. 125, bottle #27, 59.97 ABV, 7-year age stated straight bourbon whiskey with a Mash bill of 60% corn, 14% rye, 14% wheat, 12% barley.

The Bourbon
The color is a solid bright Amber and the juice is thick while slowly grasping my glass which is what I’d expect from a mature barrel proof whiskey. The nose is super floral, (making me think of Four Roses for a moment), and chuck-full of caramel, vanilla, and burnt brown sugar notes mingled with a pleasing earthiness almost like a fresh cut wheat field. I splash a little under my tongue and wait 30 seconds then on a second smell I get a cornmeal essence of a freshly made corn tortillas (my mother-in-law’s specialty), and a sprinkle of fresh mint. The nose is amazingly well balanced.

The mouthfeel is rich and syrupy with sweet grass, orange peel, and vanilla caramel flavors swirling over my taste buds.   Then I go back in for a deeper swallow and the flavor profile is superb. It bursts with natural sugar reminding me of a bite into buttery ripe sweetcorn, there’s nothing quite like it, then the flavor evolves into a sweet anise swirled with ripened fruits coated with a dusting of vanilla caramel essence. The ripened fruits standout so predominate it reminds me of an ice wine (overripe Cabernet franc Grapes) saccharinity. The finish is long, sticky, warming and slightly tannic with lots of fresh corn sweetness, obvious fresh farm grains, with bits of cinnamon and a chocolatey dryness.

I added a few drops of water then the sweetness and farm fresh grains pop even more on the nose.  What’s really interestingly after the addition of water, the palate further intensifies with dense notes of brown sugar, and French-vanilla caramel candy. The finish continues to even out even more with a pleasant nuttiness character and more juicy overripe Cabernet franc Grapes notes.

This is an exceptional bourbon whiskey from Wisconsin, a complex and flavorful whiskey toting a natural earthiness. A pour is easily approachable neat regardless of being barrel proof.

I can only hope J. Henry has a few more barrels tucked away sleeping, maturing just waiting for a chance to jump out and surprise us in the next few years.

The Price
The 7 year old J. Henry, Cask Strength bourbon whiskey is $119.99 to $124.99 on the shelf in Chicago.  Surprisingly I don’t see it on the secondary market but that is simply because the masses just don’t know it’s out here!