Heaven Hill’s Parker’s Heritage Collection is a limited edition, annual release named in honor of the late Master Distiller Parker Beam, who was diagnosed with ALS in 2010. Each year Heaven Hill honors Parker’s legacy by producing unique expressions of some of their best whiskey with a portion of the proceeds going to the ALS Association for research and patient care.
The 18th Edition of Parker’s Heritage continues to push the limits of barrel finishing for this series by taking an aged malt whiskey from the upper floors of Rick houses O and Q, and then finishing them in reconstructed cognac barrels for nearly four months. Specifically, these former cognac barrels were reconstructed to include new heavy toast staves to add additional flavor during the finishing process.
The mash bill for this malt whiskey consists of 65% malted barley and 35% corn. It is non-chill filtered and comes in at 107 proof (53.5% abv).
Tasting
Appearance – Dark amber.
Nose – This whiskey opens with an aroma of dark brown sugar that is accentuated by notes of berry jam, vanilla, and an earthy oak presence that gives an added layer of complexity to this aged whiskey. As these initial rich aromas settle, a prominent note of red grape can be found from those modified cognac barrels. Much to my surprise this whiskey did not nose as expected, as the malt content is almost non-existent.
Palate – Up front this whiskey created a somewhat dry, astringent mouthfeel that quickly gave way to a notes of tobacco, dark chocolate, more dark fruit, and a developing profile of baking spices that becomes quite peppery on the back of the palate. The malt presence also finally comes through with just a hint powdered sugar sweetness and some toasted oak from that secondary barrel finish. The combination of the high malt content and reconstructed barrel finish really creates an interesting combination of flavors that keeps you guessing!
Finish – The astringency continues on the finish with a nice balance of sweetness and spice. Dark chocolate continues to balance with an earthy spice that becomes somewhat herbaceous and blends nicely with more notes of red grape. The toasted oak comes through, but the finishing seemed to tame the effects of 14-years of aging for this malt whiskey. The spice continues to linger on the back of the palate for a surprising amount of time, providing the perfect impetus for another sip.
Overall – This is a true roller-coaster of a whiskey! Some of my more conservative, like-minded bourbon enthusiasts may read the label on this bottle and be offended by the mash bill and/or finishing process, but this whiskey absolutely delivers a wonderful array of flavors and complexity.
The malt presence and age are appropriately tamed by the secondary finishing process, which imparted just enough toasted oak and plenty of rich dark fruit notes to create a whiskey that is both challenging and enjoyable. As with any Parker’s Heritage release, your chances of finding this bottle for a reasonable price are slim, but if you are that lucky I think you will find yourself coming back to this one time and time again to enjoy the ride!