Heaven Hill's Latest Release is a Rare Bonded Blend

Heaven Hill is one of American whiskey’s most prolific distillers, producing numerous whiskey styles for a wide range of brands. At the top end are its sought-after unicorns, like the annual Parker’s Heritage Collection, Old Fitzgerald Decanter Series, and Heaven Hill Heritage label. Its high-strength middle-tier offerings like Elijah Craig Barrel Proof and Larceny Barrel Proof seem to get all the attention, with both taking home our Whisky of the Year award over the years. Even its bottom-shelfers are popular, with Mellow Corn and Evan Williams bottled in bond beloved by bartenders and home mixologists for their affordability and mixability.

With all of its other brands having devoted fan bases, Heaven Hill’s namesake label often doesn’t get a chance to shine. The line has historically been anchored by Heaven Hill Bottled in Bond, the distillery’s flagship bourbon that launched in 1939 and was a key growth driver throughout the company’s early years. It has undergone some changes over the decades, but the current version carries a 7-year age statement—a $40 gem that scored 92 points and was named our No. 4 Whisky of 2019. Now there is Double Mash, which blends two of the distillery’s most popular mashbills.

Blender’s Art

Two-thirds of Double Mash’s blend is Heaven Hill’s signature low-rye mashbill (78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malted barley), which is widely used throughout its portfolio for bourbons like Elijah Craig, Evan Williams, Henry McKenna, and Heaven Hill Bottled in Bond. The other third represents the distillery’s wheater mashbill (68% corn, 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley) that’s featured in Old Fitzgerald and Larceny. The entire blend adheres to the standards outlined in the Bottled in Bond Act of 1897 and was aged for 9 years.

Heaven Hill says Double Mash was created to explore the various flavor profiles within the bonded designation. Indeed, by limiting their options to barrels distilled within a single season, whiskey makers can showcase their blending skills. Some whiskey makers take advantage of that regulation to create some truly innovative whiskeys. One notable example is Angel’s Envy Bottled in Bond, which holds the distinction of being both bottled in bond and cask strength. Master blender Owen Martin accomplished that by targeting whiskeys with lower barrel entry proofs and varying strengths, which allowed him to naturally bring the final product to 50% ABV through blending alone without using any water. Jack Daniel’s reaches across styles with Bonded Triple Mash, an interesting blend that combines bonded bourbon, rye, and American malt whiskey. There’s also RIOT from Neil Giraldo’s Three Chord brand, which two bottled in bond ryes from MGP and Bardstown.

Heaven Hill isn’t especially known for blending multiple mashbills like this, but there are a few other examples across its portfolio, particularly in its annual Parker’s Heritage line. The closest comparison to Double Mash is 2012’s Parker’s Heritage 6th Edition, an 11 year old non-bonded expression that similarly blended Heaven Hill’s ryed and wheated mashbills. Last year’s Parker’s batch ventured even further than that, blending wheated bourbon with very old corn whiskey and a rare two-grain rye whiskey.

Heaven Hill Double Mash Bottled in Bond Bourbon

ABV: 50%
SRP: $50
Availability: Nationwide in limited quantities beginning in August