Heaven Hill’s Bold New Unicorn Malt Whiskey Is Finished in Cognac Barrels
Every year for the past 18 years, Heaven Hill drops a new whiskey as part of its Parker’s Heritage Collection, and these bottles often join the canon of unicorn releases that end up selling way above their retail price on the secondary market. The 2024 release is a malt whiskey that was finished in Cognac barrels, and while it remains to be seen if it will achieve that unicorn status the odds are in its favor.
Parker’s Heritage Collection is meant to honor the late Heaven Hill master distiller Parker Beam. He was was diagnosed with ALS in 2010, and proceeds from the sales of these whiskeys have raised more than $1 million to help fund research to fight the disease over the years. Past PHC releases have showcased different Heaven Hill mashbills that were aged in various types of barrels, with standouts including 2021’s Heavy Char Wheat Whiskey, 2018’s Orange Curaçao Finish, and the 24 Year-Old Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon from 2016. This year’s release is entirely different—it’s a malt whiskey made from a mashbill of 65 percent malted barley and 34 percent corn. It was put into barrels in March of 2009 and aged for 14 years on the fourth floor of Rickhouse O and sixth floor of Rickhouse Q. 128 of these barrels were then transferred into 56 “reconstructed heavy toast Cognac barrels” to age for about four more months on the fifth floor of Rickhouse H1.
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The 2024 release is the third collaboration in Parker’s Heritage Collection between Heaven Hill and master blender Alain Royer, a sixth-generation member of a Cognac-producing family in France. “We are excited to continue to work with Alain Royer as we look for more ways to innovate with barrel-finished products,” said Susan Wahl, vice president of American whiskey at Heaven Hill, in a statement. “With this latest expression, we celebrate Parker’s influence on and dedication to innovating outside of Heaven Hill’s traditional bourbon mashbills by crafting a whiskey that embodies his spirit as we continue to support ALS research and patient care.” Tasting notes describe a rich and velvety texture, with notes of molasses, bittersweet chocolate, cloves, and nutmeg, and the whiskey was bottled at 107 proof with no chill filtration.
The new Parker’s Heritage Collection will be available starting in September with an SRP of $170, but be prepared to pay more than that… maybe. A look at the secondary market finds a few past releases selling for close to their original asking price, while others like the first edition Cask Strength Bourbon are going for about $4,000. If you have some extra cash, grab a few past editions to compare and contrast to this newest release.
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