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    Bourbon/Whiskey Reviews

    Parker’s Heritage Collection 2014 Wheat Whiskey Review

    BillBy BillOctober 10, 2014Updated:August 8, 20181 Comment5 Mins Read

    2014 Parker’s Heritage Collection Wheat Whiskey

    95 Epic

    ModernThirst.com's 2014 Whiskey of the Year. This is an epic release, and is likely one that collectors will be scrambling to load up on for future enjoyment. So if you find it, get it. You won’t be disappointed.

    [amazon_link asins=’B00H143UXW,B01N7IB71N’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’modernthirstc-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’fef1caee-970c-11e7-b0ef-53cd0f1cd183′]

    What it is2014 parkers heritage 4

    There are certain releases in the Bourbon and Whiskey arena each year that generate a ton of buzz. The obvious Pappy release leads the pack, but the Four Roses Limited Editions, Old Forester Birthday Bourbon, and Buffalo Trace Antique collection come to mind. Another release that sits high in that list is the annual Heaven Hill release of Parker’s Heritage Collection.

    Previously, Parker’s Heritage has been bourbon, with most being cut to 90 or 100 proof, with the exception of 4th release, which was wheated bourbon that came out in barrel proof form around 2010 when the Pappy craze was just blowing up. This time, Heaven Hill threw us all a curve ball and decided to really showcase what their wheat whiskey mash can be.

    Wait…wheat whiskey? That’s right. You may be familiar with Bernheim, Heaven Hill’s 51% wheat whiskey that comes off light and sweet on the palate, and is a very enjoyable sipper.

    While there are a few other distillers producing wheat whiskey, such as Masterson’s, Heaven Hill’s Bernheim is really the pack leader here. Unlike others, it is made exactly as if it was bourbon, with the exception of the mash bill percentages. It’s 51% soft winter wheat, 39% corn, and 10% barley. But, like bourbon, it is aged in new, charred oak barrels, and now is even age stated at 7 years.

    2014 parkers rear labelIt’s really a very interesting liquor. Hold a glass of it side-by-side with Masterson’s and you’d wonder if they’re even both whiskey. Masterson’s is so pale in color that it might be mistaken for lemonade. Bernheim is the deep, golden color of bourbon

    So it was to some trepidation and some excitement that the bourbon world eagerly awaited the release of this year’s PHC. And what’s not to like? It’s cask strength. It’s 13 years old, making it the first barreling of the Bernheim stock. $10 of each purchase goes straight to ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) research in honor of the line’s namesake, Master Distiller Emeritus Parker Beam, who suffers from ALS. Sounds like a winner to me.

    Parker’s Heritage Collection 2014 Stats
    • Producer/Distiller: Heaven Hill2014 parkers heritage vertical
    • Distilled at: Heaven Hill Bernheim Distillery, Louisville, KY
    • 63.7% ABV (127.4 Proof)
    • Age: 13 Years
    • Mash Bill: 51% Wheat, 39% Corn, 10% Barley Malt
    • Price Paid: $120 at the Evan Williams experience Gift Shop ($90 MSRP)
    • Availability: Extremely Limited

    Packaging

    The bottle itself matches previous Parker’s Heritage Collection bottles. It’s cordial-like cylindrical bottle with cream label and black foil. The Parker’s heritage Collection Logo is prominently displayed above the label. Very Attractive. The Evan Williams Experience went a step further and packaged it into a very nice canvas bag with the Heaven Hill logo and…surprisingly….the words “Kentucky Bourbon” on it tied with a black ribbon. Odd, considering this isn’t bourbon. But that’s nitpicking. Clearly, the bags are meant for any of their top shelf purchases at the gift shop, and this one just happened to be something other than bourbon. Still a very neat package.

    Appearance

    2104 parkers heritage glass

    Surprisingly dark, speaking to its 13 years of age. Caramel-brown and murky. Made me anxious to rip into it.

    Nose

    This one has TONS of burnt caramel, brown sugar, baking spices, cloves and cinnamon.

    Flavor2014 parkers heritage 2

    PHC starts out with a concentrated sweetness on the tip of the tongue. Loads of caramel goodness followed with sticky honey and cloves. The back of the tongue begins to get burnt brown sugar and is hit with a pleasing and powerful rush of oak and tannins. This one is mostly flavor forward, with the tingling in front and middle of the mouth rather than the back. That’s the wheat speaking. This is tongue-coating at its finest.

    Finish

    Long, sweet, satisfying, this one lingers in the mouth with oak and more of that cinnamon spice throughout.

    Synopsis

    I’m impressed. Really impressed. It’s so bourbon-like that it could be mistaken for a wheated bourbon if you didn’t see the label, but there’s just enough extra wheat punch to really make this unique and interesting like few other recent releases.

    Hats off to Heaven Hill for really doing something different here. The real kicker is the cask strength format. It changes the entire feel and flavor of this mash bill into something big, robust, and impressive. I recommend drinking this one straight, if you can handle the alcohol burn. If not, a splash of distilled water does really well in the glass, as it opens up the aromas ever so slightly.

    In the end, this is an epic release, and is likely one that collectors will be scrambling to load up on for future enjoyment. So if you find it, get it. You won’t be disappointed.

    ModernThirst.com score: 95 out of 100 Points

    What does that score mean?

    2014 Modern Thirst Whiskey of the Year

    2014 WotY Thirstie

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    Bill
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    Bill is the Co-Founder, Editor-in Chief, and official Bourbon-o-Phile for ModernThirst.com, and Founder and Chief Blending Officer for Four Gate Whiskey Company. He is a native of Louisville, KY in the heart of Bourbon Country. He attended the University of Kentucky in the mid to late 1990s. He has also been published on Liquor.com. He has conducted various bourbon and whiskey tastings in cities across the country, and consulted for multiple national labels. He is married with two daughters, and lives in east Louisville. You can follow him on Facebook and Twitter @BillStraub and email him at Bill@ModernThirst.com.

    Related Posts

    Four Gate Whiskey Announces Release 15.1, 15.2, & 15.3: The Bluegrass Trilogy

    November 30, 2021

    Old Forester 21st Release of Annual Birthday Bourbon

    August 24, 2021

    Press Release: Old Forester’s Next Release in the 117 Series Features a Blend of Barrels Aged Solely in Warehouse K 

    August 20, 2021

    1 Comment

    1. TKE_ on November 27, 2014 11:05 pm

      I thought five minutes with a giant ice cube did this whiskey wonders. Brought out even more colors than neat.

      Reply

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