This week Heaven Hill unveiled its brand new Parker’s Heritage Barrel Finished bourbon. Plus, Master Blender Rachel Barried received an honorary Doctorate in Chemistry from the University of Edinburgh. Also, our friends at Laird’s are bringing the amazing Bottled in Bond version of Laird’s Straight Apple Brandy back to the market after a four year hiatus.
Kick back and relax with a nice dram, it’s Distiller’s Friday Roundup for the week of July 13th, 2018.
Master Blender Rachel Barrie Receives Honorary Doctorate From University of Edinburgh
If you’re a fan of BenRiach, The GlenDronach or Glenglassaugh, then you’re a fan of Rachel Barrie. She is the Master Blender for Brown Forman’s three Scottish distilleries, where she evaluates thousands of casks of whisky for release every year. She also plans the stocks for the coming year.
On Monday, July 9th, 2018, Barrie was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Science by the University of Edinburgh. This makes her the first female Master Blender to ever receive the honor.
Master Blender Rachel Barrie Receives Honorary Doctorate From Dr. Andrew J. Alexander from the University of Edinburgh School of Chemistry.
“This is one of the proudest moments of my life. My quest has been to unlock a deeper understanding of the distillation, maturation and provenance of Scotch, to develop and nurture richness of character and taste and celebrate it with the world; it’s a great privilege to be recognized in this endeavor,” says Barrie.
“Rachel Barrie’s creativity, sensory perception and mastery of analytical chemistry have undoubtedly widened and deepened the appreciation of Scotch whisky around the globe,” says Dr. Andrew J. Alexander from the University of Edinburgh School of Chemistry. “The University of Edinburgh is tremendously proud to honor Rachel for her achievements.”
Raise A Glass To the 10th Anniversary of Glenmorangie Signet
For one week every year, Signet Week, all of the stills at the Glenmorangie distillery produce nothing but the “chocolate malt” used to create Glenmorangie Signet. Created by Dr. Bill Lumsden, Glenmorangie’s Director of Distilling, Whisky Creation & Whisky Stocks, it was the first single malt to use high roast “chocolate malt” barley, and includes some of the distillery’s rarest whiskies.
Glenmorangie Signet / Photo Credit: Glenmorangie
Stopping distillation of all but one spirit for an entire week is quite unusual in the whisky industry.
“My favorite cup of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee inspired me to create Signet and it took years of hard work and painstaking attention to detail to bring it to life,” says Dr. Bill Lumsden. “We had to forge new ground: to create a spirit that united the ‘chocolate malt’ with Glenmorangie’s signature house malt, to dedicate the stills to that purpose alone for seven days each year, and then to perfect an assemblage from our rarest and most precious whiskies. It remains one of my proudest creations and one I’m delighted to see enjoyed around the world by whisky connoisseurs and newcomers in equal measure.”
Heaven Hill announces Parker’s Heritage Barrel Finished
Every year, beginning in 2007, Heaven Hill releases a new whiskey in its signature Parker’s Heritage line. The 2018 release—the 12th Edition of Parker’s Heritage—is the Parker’s Heritage Barrel Finished bourbon. This is the second Parker’s Heritage release that is made in collaboration with Master Blender Alain Royer, who originally assisted Master Distiller Parker Beam in the creation of Cognac Barrel Finish.
This release is made from 7 to 8 year-old bourbons aged on the upper floors of Rickhouse Q. The bourbon is then transferred to barrels that previously held orange curaçao liqueur for four months before bottling. It is bottled at 110 proof with no chill-filtration, and will become available to the public in September of 2018.
Parker’s Heritage Barrel Finished / Photo Credit: Heaven Hill
Every release is highly sought after, and serves as an enduring remembrance of the man it’s named after: legendary Heaven Hill Master Distiller Parker Beam. The Parker’s Heritage line was originally created to showcase the high quality and broad range of Heaven Hill’s American Whiskey holdings, as the brand boasts the world’s second largest inventory of aging American whiskey.
In 2010, Parker Beam was diagnosed with ALS and sadly he passed away in 2017. Through the last five releases of Parker’s Heritage, the “Promise of Hope” Bourbon, the “Original Batch” Straight Wheat Whiskey, the Kentucky Straight Malt Whiskey, the 24-Year-Old Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon, and the 11-Year-Old Single Barrel, Heaven Hill has raised over one million dollars for ALS research and patient care. Proceeds from every bottle purchased will again contribute to the ALS Association.
The Return of Laird’s Bottled in Bond Straight Apple Brandy
After four long years, Laird’s Bottled in Bond Straight Apple Brandy is set to return to shelves in late summer of 2018. Four years ago, Laird’s was faced with a serious problem: people loved their Bottled in Bond Straight Apple Brandy too much. A long time favorite of bartenders and connoisseurs, demand simply outpaced production. As a short term solution, Laird’s put out a 100 proof Straight Apple Brandy that wasn’t bonded
Laird’s Bottled in Bond Straight Apple Brandy / Photo Credit: Laird’s
“Simply put, we could not produce enough Apple Brandy in a single season to fulfill the Federal requirement for the designation,” says Lisa Laird Dunn, Executive Vice President and World Ambassador, Laird & Company. “To address this, we ramped up inventory by doubling our production in the Fall and adding a Spring distillation. As a result, there will be plenty of Laird’s Bonded for all 50 states, as well as our export markets.”
It is bottled at 100 proof and suggested retail price is $31.99 per 750ml.
Heaven Hill 27 Year Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Coming late in the fall of 2018, this 27 year old Kentucky straight bourbon was distilled at the Old Heaven Hill Springs Distillery before it was destroyed in a fire in 1996. Only 41 barrels were used in this bottling, all distilled in 1989 and 1990. When the barrels were all vatted together, the proof came to 94.7.
Heaven Hill 27 Year Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon / Photo Credit: Heaven Hill
All but 5 of the 41 barrels were aged on the 1st and 2nd floors of the warehouse.
Each bottle will come in a custom wooden box with two H’s on each side to signify Heaven Hill.
The suggested retail price is $400.
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