Heaven’s Door Exploration Series #1 Calvados Cask Bourbon Review

By Randall H. Borkus

Rating: B+

Heaven’s Door Calvados Cask Straight Bourbon is the first expression in the Heaven’s Door Exploration Series, a sourced and limited edition expression series showcasing distinct finishing cask stock. This first release in the series is a blend that marries the complexity of a toasted oak barrel and a French Calvados brandy cask finish.  This unique combination is intended to create a complex, balanced rich composite of Tennessee whiskey elements, French wine casks and toasted barrel flavor profiles.

They start with a Tennessee straight bourbon whiskey foundation, then carry it into secondary maturation in Calvados brandy casks enhanced with the addition of medium-heavy, toasted French oak stave inserts. Calvados Brandy is a delicious Norman apple brandy matured for a minimum of two years in oak casks. Calvados Brandy Cask wood is sourced from Quercus Petraea tree which is a unique species of tree growing throughout France and regularly used in the production of highly regarded French Wine Barrels.

The Bourbon
The whiskey in my Glencairn is a dark brown, amber liquid.  The nose is sweet and full of overcooked burnt apple and a brown sugar candy.  The front and mid-palate is full bodied with hints of oak tannins, sweet sugars reminding me of Jamoncillo de leche (Mexican milk fudge made with brown sugar, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract) and settling in with a sweet dry red wine essence.   The finish is warm, rich and complex with a cornucopia of vanilla-citrus sweetness and burnt apple-like sugars lasting medium length.

The Calvados brandy casks combined with the toasted barrel influence takes an average Tennessee whiskey and transforms it into a complex flavor bomb which I thoroughly enjoy.  This is good whiskey and reasonably priced so you will want to add to your home bar.

The whiskey is 5 years old and served up at 108 proof.

The Price
This bottle has a suggested retail price of $79.99.