Parker's Heritage Collection is a highly sought after annual release from Heaven Hill distillery. The Heritage Collection allows Parker and Craig Beam, the father-son Master Distiller team at HH, to really explore the studio space in the Heaven Hill rick houses. In past years, they've released a wheated bourbon finished in cognac casks, an ultra-aged bourbon (27 years) and a cask proof wheated bourbon among others.
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| PHC 2012 |
Nose: Cinnamon, orange peel, and a whiff tobacco and leather. I can tell from the nose that this is a complex bourbon.
Taste: A maple sweetness on the tip of the tongue upon entry. As it moves across the tongue, I got some traditional rye spiciness, and on the back of tongue I got more of the pleasing sweetness usually associated with a wheater.
Finish: A nice complex mix of spice and sweet.
Overall: I rate this at 89. This improved a good deal after I opened. When I first tasted it a few weeks ago, I did not care for it. After opening up some, it seems to have improved. I'd be interested to taste this blind, since I know what's in it, I know what to taste for. It would be interesting to see what I could pick out not knowing what it is.
All that said, it isn't as good as some of the Parker's Heritage Releases, though I haven't tasted them all. The 2011 cognac barrel finished bourbon is one of my all time favorites, but this one does not reach that level. It's a good bourbon though, and and if you can find for around $70, I think you should buy it. I bought two; one to drink and one to bunker.
