Heaven Hill Green Label 6 Year

It's been three months since I posted a review. Came down with covid leading to pneumonia and had a short stay in the hospital. Not quite a hundred percent now but close. Loosing my sense of taste and smell was the worst and where the remaining 1% of recovery is required. You might consider this review tainted on that basis I have a personal bias toward Heaven Hill. I have visited the distillery numerous times and even had the opportunity to have a taste in a barrel selection. Their products are stellar. It's amazing how many flavor profiles and labels they package. In an ongoing discussion with @pkingmartin and @Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington about this one, I thought it a great place to jump back in. Their reviews are spot on! My local Total store has put a two bottle limit on this and I am now down to 1.6 bottles. It's only $13 a bottle for a ninety proofer and delivers everything you want in a bourbon. I don't find it to be terribly complex with brown sugar maple in the lead on the nose. I love it on ice and as the ice melts down here comes the caramel, my favorite part of the profile. I get a touch of pears in the background. Time to take a sip and I am treated to a rich caramel covered pear (is that a thing?) This is pure enjoyment. Share with friends but pour it from a decanter and most will think you gave over $50 for it. It's that good. Heaven Hill's brand ambassador Bernie Lubbers says that the HH label was HH's gift to the bourbon drinkers of KY. It is only available in liquor stores in KY. So grab one if you can as you pass through. Three years ago the was a big brother to this one. HH bib white label. Thanks to a fire ten years ago, it was discontinued as there was a shortage of maturing product. Two years later, HH bib seven year was launched. That extra year of barrel aging added $35 and it is not available in KY. Now they have introduced Five Brothers in the same price range at 90 proof. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to see where things are headed. Maybe that's why the workers went on strike. It ain't over yet and it's been a great ride but hard to stock up.

To change things up, @Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington sent me a series of samples that have either shapes or some code on them to prevent me from being able to know what they are until after I’ve tasted them. Will I mistake a rye for bourbon or completely miss a finish, who knows, but I’m dying to find out so let’s continue this blind challenge with the vial that has a KY1 on it. The nose starts with caramelized peaches on top of Tahitian vanilla bean gelato followed by fruits of baked pear with star anise and blood orange then dark chocolate and circus peanuts before transitioning to spearmint, ginger, cloves, leather and old polished mahogany with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting with caramelized peaches on top of Tahitian vanilla bean gelato followed by fruits of baked pear with star anise and blood orange juice then dark chocolate covered peanut clusters before a medium spice that fades to spearmint, ginger, cloves, leather and old polished mahogany with medium ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with dark chocolate covered peanut clusters, poached pears, canned peaches, orange zest, toasted marshmallow, gingerbread cookies, leather and old polished mahogany. This is a very enjoyable bourbon that brings in all those traditional bourbon notes in a polished and balanced manner with some interesting spices, but the mouthfeel is thinner than I’d prefer, causing those flavors to lack the bold intensity I really crave in a great bourbon. So, Lex, what is this enjoyable bourbon that I’ve been sipping………………. Heaven Hill 6 year “Old Style Bourbon.” Woah!!! My mind is officially blown that a bottle of bourbon that costs around $12 can be so good.

Caramel and corn.

1.5oz