I’ve tried the standard Heaven’s Door Bourbon and frankly wasn’t all that impressed with it…good, but not amazing. But when I saw this Cask Strength barrel pick at Harry’s Wine & Spirits recently I decided to give it a try…the $55 price definitely played into the decision…it’s rare that barrel picks of high proof whiskey are that low.
The label on the side says that “Our annual Single Barrel Bourbon limited allocation is comprised both of our own distilled barrels and sourced from partnering whiskey makers.” This particular barrel is a sourced one from MGP in Indiana. It uses 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley and was bottled at 61.25% ABV…or 122.5 proof.
Bob Dylan may have said, “How many drinks can one man take before he drains the bottle?” or he may not have…but I did end up drinking most of this bottle before I got around to writing about it…because it’s really good! It was a dark amber in the glass and had an aroma of molasses and oak. Despite the high proof and high rye content, it was sweet and alluring on the lips, remaining smooth and delightful across the tongue…then it bit hard and spicy when it hit my throat. Tons of vanilla and oak, along with a brilliant mix of sweet and spicy notes. This is a great bourbon and proof that you shouldn’t look down on sourced whiskey…good whiskey is good whiskey no matter where it comes from.
I need to get another bottle of this before the store runs out!
