Tastes

Wow! When I saw this 2017 bottling at the state store here in PA I was curious and grabbed a bottle. When I tasted it I fell in love. A great nose (cinnamon, caramel, tobacco and chocolate) and even better taste profile (all of the above, plus vanilla and a good amount of wood). This is a thick, big and delicious bourbon...with a ton of heat. I added some water to tone it down (but your taste may vary). Simply put, wonderful!

Dayum. This is a tasty drink. I was very excited to have tracked down this release (living in PA makes special finds more than difficult). When I got this home, I couldn't wait. I poured me a glass and savored the sight, aroma and wonderful taste of this bourbon. This Parker's Heritage is a beautiful golden color and looks beautiful in a cut crystal glass. The nose is sweet with apples and berries. I pick up the wood and a hint of spice (with a splash of water I also get cinnamon). On the pallete I really get the cinnamon-apple flavor and a really dark berry, almost cherry note. There is some caramel in there, but not as much vanilla as I would expect with a 10 year old bourbon. The spiciness of the rye from the mash bill is there, but not overpowering - you know this is bourbon, not rye whiskey. The finish is smooth with just a bit of heat. The flavors linger on the tongue. This is one of the best I have had. I think I will need to tell my friends it is terrible and encourage them to try something else so I can hold on to this one for a bit longer.

I will start off by saying this is my favorite bourbon right now. The nose is quite sweet. I get bananas, raisins, vanilla and caramel. It is an over aged bourbon (15 years), so there is also a good amount of wood in the nose. As far as the pallette, I get a lot of cocoa, dried fruit, vanilla an rye spice (this is all a very good thing in my book). There is a really nice finish to this bourbon. Long and warm, but not hot. A splash of icon brings out a bit more sweetness in the nose and releases some leather and tobacco flavors on the palette (it is a barrel proof whiskey, so some dilution is good). All in all, for me, this is the perfect bourbon to sip and enjoy. Just about perfect. As an aside, my Dad is a major Scotch aficionado (over 500 bottles in his collection) and this bourbon has him beginning to explore the wonderful whiskey (not whisky) on this side of the pond.

I like the flavor of this bourbon, but it is not my favorite sipping "bourbon" (it really isn't a straight bourbon whiskey because of the age). I find it a bit hot - my guess is the short aging in small barrels. I did make a killer "new fashioned" with this, however, so all is not lost.

I really like the rye notes in this whiskey. It is ok on its own (I normally add a splash of water), and especially like using this in most bourbon cocktails - the rye adds a nice bit of spice.

My go-to rye for cocktails. Full, spicy flavor. Makes a perfect manhattan.