Heaven Hill Select Stock
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Aged 14 years in Tapered Stave Barrels
132.3 Proof
Available only during the You Do Bourbon Experience at the Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience, Bardstown, KY
MSRP: $200
Review
Please enjoy my Heaven Hill Select Stock 14 Year Bourbon Review!
So What’s Heaven Hill Select Stock Anyway?
Heaven Hill Select Stock has been an annual release for a while now. However, until its debut at the You Do Bourbon Experience, it was not very well known. That’s probably because it has been a distillery only release. In addition, it has been a release without much fanfare. Select Stock is essentially Heaven Hill’s experimental line. Each release is different. The last release was Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in New Toasted Oak Barrels. The year before that, it was Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Used Coffee Barrels. So it’s always something a little different.
So What’s A Tapered Stave Barrel?
This year’s release is more straightforward. The experiment with this one was aging the bourbon in tapered stave barrels. And, those barrels are just as they sound; the staves are tapered on both ends so that the barrel takes on a diamond like shape. The experiment was to see how this unique barrel affected the bourbon’s taste.
Aged in Parker Beam’s Favorite Warehouse
The bourbon was distilled using Heaven Hill Distillery’s standard bourbon mash bill: 78% corn, 10% rye and 12% malted barley. The barrels were aged in Rickhouse Y, which was said to be Parker Beam’s favorite warehouse. Furthermore, these barrels were aged 14 years and just 26 barrels were chosen to create the small batch.
Tasting Notes – Heaven Hill Select Stock 14 Year Bourbon
Let’s taste it:
🛏 Rested for 15 minutes in a Heaven Hill Distillery 85th Anniversary Glass
I don’t usually do this, but I have to comment on the color. It’s a deep copper that belies this bourbon’s age and stature. It coats the glass above the liquid with legs that have no intention of sitting down
👉🏻Nose: Lightly burnt caramel, rich brown sugar & vanilla; a hint of Fruit Loops; oak & leather; moderate alcohol
👉🏻Taste: The flavors continue and are dominated by caramel with a molasses & brown sugar sweetness and dry oak. There’s a little bit of a tang to it, and some leather, too
👉🏻Finish: Spice and char become more apparent; dryness increases, but the other flavors, including some sweetness, linger. There’s a growing burn and a warm Kentucky Hug.
Classic Bourbon Flavors, And Then Some
Select Stock 14 Year has rich classic bourbon flavors, with that crème brûlée character on the nose, but yet with some added fruit. The alcohol is noticeable, but not overpowering. The taste has all that I would expect, with that small bit of tanginess that I feel is a combination of the dry oak and brown sugar that I sometimes find in higher proof Heaven Hill bourbons like Elijah Craig Barrel Proof.
The oak is noticeable throughout, but it’s fairly dry, and for me blends well with the other flavors. While I would not consider Select Stock 14 Year Bourbon over-oaked, if you are not an oak fan, then proceed with caution. Although, there’s no denying that a certain degree of oak is expected in a 14 year old barrel strength bourbon. Last, but not least, the finish is so long that I almost don’t have to take another sip…ever…but yet I will!
Conclusion
This bourbon absolutely lives up to what I expected it to be. It is reminiscent of an Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, but it brings even more body and character to the table. It’s simply just a delicious bourbon with all those classic older Heaven Hill flavors that I love. If you enjoy a well-aged bourbon, then you should head on over to the Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience and fill a bottle as quickly as you can! Well, actually you should make a reservation first to avoid disappointment. But then head on over! Cheers!🥃
I hope you have enjoyed my Heaven Hill Select Stock 14 Year Bourbon Review! Read our Heaven Hill You Do Bourbon Experience Review to learn more about the the experience itself. Do you want to learn about another Heaven Hill Select Stock release? Check out my Select Stock Bourbon Finished in Toasted Oak Barrels Review! Maybe you would like to learn more about visiting Heaven Hill Distillery? Then you’ll want to visit our Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience Review!
Would you like to learn more about distilleries and bourbon? Are you planning a trip to Kentucky Distilleries? Maybe you would like to live the bourbon life vicariously through us?🙂 If any of these are true, then check out BourbonObsessed.com today!