Fundamental to our modern whiskey industry, the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897 established a baseline quality expectation for American whiskey. Size : 750ml. Critics agree that this is perfectly balanced Bourbon.. Apologies in advance, as this review is more of a case study than an actual useful review. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Concludes oaky sweet and chewy. Its not complex, but rather a fine balance of traditional bourbon flavors with just the right amounts of oak, spice, and sweeter elements contrasting one another in harmony. H enry McKenna 10 year represents a lot of things in the whiskey world. Henry McKenna Single Barrel is the only extra aged Bottled-in-Bond single barrel Bourbon. Water isnt a bad idea here, especially if you feel the whiskey is too dry like I did. I'm rating this bottle a 7: it certainly is well above average in my eyes. This means that Henry McKenna Single Barrel Bottled in Bond sits snugly next to 4 Roses Single Barrel, SAOS 8/9yr Single Barrel Picks and PHC:PoH. This high proof, Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon was named for Henry McKenna, the Irish immigrant who adapted his family's whiskey recipe to work with the grains he found in Kentucky. Spotted this in my local mom and pop store at $79 a bottle Usually they have some exotic and oddball stuff here at very fair prices Very glad I read this review, although when it comes to Bourbon over $50 I start thinking about what sort of single malt I can pick up in that price range Ardbeg 10, Craigellechie 13 (which is an extraordinary and unsung Speyside malt by the way) etc Thanks for the honest accounting on this! You must be 21 or over to enter this website. The nose is overtly sweet - vanilla, butterscotch, caramels, milk chocolate, and brown sugar. Thanks for reading! Average Price: $99. On my second taste, there is a little more pumpernickel bread, wood, and some caramel and honey. It all changed on that balmy Wednesday afternoon in Washington D.C. with the passage of the Bottle-in-Bond Act. Get the inside scoop on the latest & greatest whiskey releases in our daily newsletter. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); For a long while, Henry McKenna was a fairly obscure brand of bourbon in the Heaven Hill empire. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Quite dry. Continue browsing in r/bourbon. Er Who knows, maybe youll get lucky with your barrel of Henry McKenna 10 Year. (FM, Summer 2016). Henry McKenna is one of the longest aged Bottled-in-Bond whiskeys available . document.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Barrel #4933 had a heavy, rich rewarding nose, an above average palate and a more tannic/burnt finish. Full transparency, this is an Amazon affiliate link, so I may earn a commission if you buy this or something else from Amazon. The alcohol feels just right - at the 100 proof required to be bottled in bond it is robust, but not over the top. While I will give some credit for uniqueness based on the fact that its a 10 year age stated BiB single barrel bourbon, I cannot say that those traits result in a unique flavor profile and as a result, carry less weight for me in this category than they might otherwise. Brown sugar and caramel with a healthy dose of oak. Henry Mckenna 10 Year Old Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Category: Straight Bourbon Whiskey Date Tasted: 7/20/2022 Country: USA Alcohol: 50% 92 Points Gold Medal Exceptional $49 Amber color. But, Angel's Envy newest release called Private Barrel. Theyre perfectly acceptable and flavorful bourbons that are designed to be enjoyed and not hoarded. Why not make Bottled-In-Bond Day a weekly celebration? Review #58: Russell's Reserve 10 Year Straight Bourbon. Henry McKenna 10 Year won Best Single Barrel Bourbon at the 2018 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, an absolute coup for an affordable bourbon with so many other strong competitors. The smells and tastes were absolutely dominated by alcohol, to the point that I questioned if I was losing my mind. Heaven Hill Distillery's Henry McKenna is already a producer of one of the finest Bottled-in-Bond whiskeys available. I've actually reviewed Henry McKenna whiskey before - specifically a 10 year-old single-barrel release from K&L from way back in 2013, which I enjoyed, and a 10 year BiB single barrel that I didn't as much. Peanuts and maple. There's absolutely nothing out there that can claim those stats even at higher prices. While we wouldn't want to try saying that five times fast, there's a lot to consider there. I love what you guys are usually up too. Were proud to produce more Bottled-in-Bond products than any other American Whiskey distiller. I wonder if this barrel came from lower in the warehouse, where there was less fluctuation in temperature and humidity, leading to less vigorous aging in the barrel. In all fairness Im a single malt scotch drinker first and bourbon probably comes in somewhere between third and fifth place for me. Healthy dose of molasses, peanut brittle and caramel. Bardstown, KY 2023 Think Wisely. After a few minutes, there is a lingering dryness that leaves my mouth dry and puckered. The law mandated that any liquid bearing a tax stamp would have to be aged in a. Nose:This nose is noticeably lighter and fruitier than Glass #1. As it greets you at the door, it has a fair amount of heat and caramel that gives way to a bit. The finish is long and sweet without being cloying. Deeper in the glass there are fudge brownies, molasses, and deep dark roasted oak. Henry McKenna 10 Year Single Barrel starts off fairly sweet, which is nice for a change. Despite 10 years in the barrel, its anything but over-oaked, though the oak is present from nose to finish affirming the barrels role in this bourbons maturation. 6 BOTTLE CASE. But ultimately this is just one of the very finest drinkers in the shop. Tack the pandemic on top of that destroying supply chains (and the fact that it's a 10 year old BIB single barrel product) and you've got a recipe for infrequent stock drops and limited availability. You clearly don't need the anniversary of some 126-year-old piece of legislation as an excuse. Edit:As of 3/25/19, this also won best whiskey at the 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Raided Score is a conversion from an external site's score, to our in house uniform scoring system. For this comparison, Ill be tasting these both blind and in a glencairn. Full transparency, this is an Amazon affiliate link, so I may earn a commission if you buy this or something else from Amazon. Other great examples include classics like Old Grand-Dad Bonded, Old Forester 1897, Henry McKenna 10 Year, and standouts from newer producers such as Laws, New Riff, Filibuster, and Blinking Owl. Since 1935, the Shapira family has been at the helm of the largest family-owned and operated distillery in America. Theres also a decent amount of tannins that stick around like drying oak and tobacco. Ive reviewed Henry McKenna bourbon before and even a prior 10 year-old Single Barrel bottled for K&L. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. A friend gave me a 2019-released bottle and I felt the time was right to compare it against a 2011 bottling thats been kicking around here for years. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. It has all of the flavors that I love and none that I dont. SAVE $90.00! Entry is nicely sweet and intensely grainy; the mid-palate is the high point as the taste profile expands to include semisweet flavors of caramel corn, toasted marshmallow, dried fruit and chocolate covered cherry. A function of single barrel selection no doubt, I still feel each was a great value for the price. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Henry McKenna 10 Year Old Bottled-in-Bond #4397 Distillery: Heaven Hill Distillery Category: Bottled-in-Bond, Straight Bourbon Score: 91 Nose: Dusty quiet nose, some caramel, some herbal notes. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Unfortunately, McKennas relative value now seems so obvious that I can only assume it might be one of the next on the chopping block. This high proof, Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon was named for Henry McKenna, the Irish immigrant who adapted his family's whiskey recipe to work with the grains he found in Kentucky. Thanks for reading! It's Henry McKenna 10 Year Bottled-in-Bond vs. the edgy challenger, Widow Jane . There are better barrels of Henry McKenna 10 Year out there to buy, but you never know what youre going to get. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Product turnaround time varies by location of inventory and your chosen method of No, it's not Trump vs. Biden! Once Im able to recover, I can smell a little bit of wood, pine, brown sugar, and sweet corn, but its still bathed in alcohol. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Yeah, it's not my jam either. And then all hell broke loose. Critics agree that this is perfectly balanced Bourbon. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Based on this bottle alone, I dont understand the acclaim. $59 99 $59.99. Its 10 year age statement and BiB designation should satisfy bourbon purists. Add to cart "Close (esc)" Featured Special Collections. Size 750mL Proof 100 (50% ABV) *Please note that the ABV of this bottle may vary Aged for a minimum of ten years, this bourbon was called "magnificent" by Jim Murray, author of the Whisky Bible. The Bottled-in-Bond Act was signed into lawand one of our favorite American Whiskey traditions was born. Henry McKenna Aged 10 Year Single Barrel Bottled In Bond Bourbon Whiskey. Prior to cracking the seal on this bottle, I had experienced Henry McKenna bourbon (as well as plenty of Heaven Hill liquid) and was expecting a solid, well-balanced bourbon with relatively good quality for the money. Reviewed: Barrel #6219 (barreled on 2/2/2009). Voted 2021's best single barrel bourbon at the San Francisco World Spirits Awards, Henry McKenna's 10 year old bottled-in-bond single barrel is one of the finest Kentucky whiskeys available today, having been awarded this prestigious honor 3 times in the last 4 years (2021, 2019 and 2018). How Long Does Baileys (And Other Cream Liqueurs) Last? Barrel: 6386 P-7th floor. shipping/pickup. I had a surprisingly hard time with finding a comparable bourbon to Henry McKenna. Its nose is sweet oak and honey. Heaven Hill Distillery has been perfecting the craft of distilling, aging, and selecting award-winning whiskeys for decades. What a whiskey. Sweet and oaky. (12/2008), One of the few remaining age-stated bourbons. While the 2011 expression is still bursting with spice aromas, the 2019 feels almost dead by comparison. Theres a little bit of wood, something bitter from the wood, and grass. Im not going to say Im disappointed, since in my house theres always a need for Old Fashioned fodder, but its not the bourbon I expected from the label. EYE Dark Caramel. Our inventory on McKenna is inconsistent and spotty so we tend to load up when it becomes available again. Beating out every other whisky of any type this under the radar stalwart shot into the stratosphere of Bourbon circles everywhere. Stir in a highball glass half filled with ice. Finish: Medium-short in length. Then a friend pointed out your blog to me and I must say I am absolutely blown away by the level of understanding you demonstrated on the subject. I usually try to pick two (or three) bottles that share similar characteristics and see which one is superior. Born from a whiskey-loving Irishman who brought his distilling prowess to Kentucky, this Bourbon merges the best of both worlds.It is one of the longest aged Bottled-in-Bond whiskeys available today, resting in the barrel through 40 Kentucky seas It feels hot and toasty, the focus clearly on the barrel over the spice notes, though some sweet raisin and brown sugar character manages to squeeze through on the back end. Henry McKenna Single Barrel 10 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey $83.99 Rating: 3.8 Earn up to 5% back on this product with Caskers Rewards. Its a hard line, and younger ready enough bourbon cannot simply be substituted to increase production, presumably compromising quality or desired flavor profile as corporate pressures compete with the skillful selection of barrels in the rickhouse. 81 people are viewing this and 5 recently purchased it. Whats all the fuss about? Its not great but its not bad either. When Im almost finished with the glass, I smell a little more grass, but thats about it. The alcohol unfortunately still overpowers much of the flavor its inescapable. Drink Wisely. Business, Economics, and Finance. Theyre not. In addition, single barrel bourbons are generally considered to be drawn from the honey barrels as they must be taken as is; distillers do not have the option to blend them into other barrels to achieve the desired end result. Even when I was able to overcome the alcohol, Henry McKenna Single Barrel didnt have much else there to enjoy. Press the space key then arrow keys to make a selection. It used to have a screw top for crying out loud. Vanilla and seasoned oak take the forefront, but are quickly balanced by a good dose of rye spice, a pop of burnt brown sugar, and a dollop of caramel. Palate:Sweet and savory salted caramel along with some musty peanuts. Additionally, our shopping cart looks at real time inventory so when you add an item to you cart we will do an immediate check of available inventory and alert you if there are any issues. Yet, again they stole the spotlight by being named the world's best bourbon at the 2019 San Francisco . Henry McKenna | Bottled In Bond 10 Year $99.99 $89.99 Shipping calculated at checkout. Henry McKenna 10 Year Old Bottled in Bond Bourbon used to be an easily found $30 to $35 bottle of bourbon. For a detailed explanation. . I was hoping that the alcohol was mainly contained in the scents, but it permeates every part of Henry McKenna 10 Year bourbon. We're proud of the spirits we've crafted right here in the heart of Bourbon country. Additionally, the BiB label must clearly identify the distillery where it was distilled and where it was bottled, if different.Henry McKenna Single Barrel shares the same mashbill as many other Heaven Hill brands (75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley). The Whiskey: A throwback Bourbon made by Heaven Hill (the home of Elijah Craig, Evan Williams, Rittenhouse Rye, and many other great brands) that's all from a single barrel, bottled-in-bond at 100 proof, and well-priced to boot. Under $10 Under $20 . Thats simply not true. Deep chocolate in color the intensity of 10 years in new American oak stands out even before you pull the stopper. But remember, how you drink your whiskey is your decision. Henry McKenna Single Barrel 10 Year Old Bourbon Whiskey Kentucky, USA Avg Price (ex-tax) $ 80 / 750ml 4 from 114 User Ratings 90 / 100 from 7 Critic Reviews Critic tasting note: "One of the few remaining age-stated bourbons. Henry McKenna Single Barrel can be described as traditional; a quintessential bourbon flavor profile with the potential for subtle hints of magic if you happen to find a special barrel. Today, Heaven Hill offers Henry McKenna Single Barrel which is aged for 10 years and satisfies the Bottled in Bond (BiB) requirements. Henry McKenna is one of the longest aged Bottled-in-Bond whiskeys available today, resting in the barrel through 40 Kentucky seasons. I dont think I would go much higher for that either. Too inexpensivenot "cool" enough yet? This smells like moonshine, but without the sweet and slightly sour smell of mashed corn. This is an expression from Heaven Hill that has received a ton of hype over the last few years, and with that has come an increase in price and a shift to the allocated section at many liquor stores across the country. While not of the same caliber, my strong affinity for Parkers Promise of Hope makes me admittedly partial to McKennas flavor profile as they share the same traditional, quintessential no gimmicks characteristics.Ive sampled from three different McKenna barrels and while Ive found them all to be in within the same range, I will say one was a little better than the other two. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Finish:Notes of burnt toffee and coffee grounds showcase the sweet and tannic side of this dram while black pepper, cardamom and dry roasted peanuts add lasting spice and oiliness. Fortunately for K&L fans our excellent relationship with Heaven Hill has afforded a sizable allocation this holiday season and we've got it on an email offer for the first time in many many years. This single barrel release (Barrel 8141) was filled on 12/31/2009 and was bottled at 10 years of age and the requisite 50% ABV. Woody and sweet. This is, of course, analogous to single barrel releases of Single Malt Scotch, which can also be wildly variable in both quality and flavor profile.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'scotchnoob_com-banner-1','ezslot_6',135,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-scotchnoob_com-banner-1-0'); Im still able to get this without paying a premium. Press the space key then arrow keys to make a selection. With age statements dropping in waves from everyday bourbons, including the recent loss ofElijah Craig Small Batchs12 year age statement, McKennas front and center 10 year age statement sitting amongst other $30 bourbons now seems to stand out like never before. 1 | Disgusting | Drain pour (Example: Jeffers Creek), 3 | Bad | Flawed (AD Laws 4 Grain BiB, Clyde Mays anything), 4 | Sub-par | Many things Id rather have (Tincup 10 year), 5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary (Larceny, Sazerac Rye), 6 | Very Good | Better than average (Buffalo Trace, OGD BiB), 7 | Great | Well above average (Old Ezra Barrel Proof, Old Weller Antique), 8 | Excellent | Exceptional (Michters Barrel Proof Rye, Four Roses Barrel Strength), 9 | Incredible | Extraordinary (GTS, 13 Year MGP or Canadian Rye), 10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close (William Larue Weller), Posted on Published: October 30, 2020- Last updated: February 23, 2021, Four Roses Small Batch Limited Edition 2020 Review. Its just stuck being a hot and not particularly flavorful mess. Sorry! This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. A hint of leather creeps in but doesnt overpower the oak and vanilla which dominate here as in the palate. Its rye mashbill is given away with a strong sensation of cooling menthol moments later. This item is available for Gift Wrap. Its drinkable and not terribly unpleasant, but this should be so much more. Discover their quintessential American success story. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Critics agree that this is perfectly balanced Bourbon. You've heard of Evan, Elijah, and Larceny. This is the. Flavors of charred oak, sweet corn, and spice nicely offset the spirity foundation. Get Drinkhacker's top stories, exclusive goodies, and more! This is my first time buying a bottle (bottle 4772, barreled 12/27/07), and its been a while since I had drinking Henry McKenna 10 Year, so I have high expectations. Henry McKenna Single Barrel Classification: Straight Bourbon Company: Heaven Hill Distillery: Heaven Hill Released: Ongoing Proof: 100 Age: 10 Years Mashbill: 78% Corn, 12% Malted Barley, and 10% Rye Color: Amber MSRP: $30 (2017) Official Website Buy Henry McKenna Single Barrel at Frootbat Critics agree that this is perfectly balanced Bourbon. Choose Brand. If you're not old enough to drink, then you're not old enough to read Breaking Bourbon. LEARN MORE. There's not much of a reputation for it out west, so it tends to go rather unnoticed, but the quality is highly-regarded by those in the know. Learn how your comment data is processed. After logging in you can close it and return to this page. . if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'scotchnoob_com-box-4','ezslot_4',134,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-scotchnoob_com-box-4-0'); Overall: A conundrum. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. I feel like I'm stealing when I can still get 10yr BIB bourbon at less than $30. Then, a layer of dark red summer fruits and the tiniest hint of peach pokes through. The only positive thing I can say is that its drinkable and that it didnt kill me. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Henry McKenna is one of the longest aged Bottled-in-Bond whiskeys available today, resting in the barrel through 40 Kentucky seasons. The caramel comes through perfectly and brings with in the herbal richness for a wonderful combination. Barrel #6101 couldve easily fooled me for an EHT Single Barrel or Small Batch because it was sweeter and fruitier. Henry McKenna (10 year) Bottled in Bond Single Barrel, 750ml bottle, K&L Wines, Redwood City, CA $45, prior 10 year-old Single Barrel bottled for K&L, Dickel is accomplishing in the Bottled-in-Bond arena, Cocktails: Part One. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Henry Mckenna 10 Year Bottled-In-Bond. And then in 2019 it won Best Whiskey of the Year at the San Francisco International Spirits Competition. Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. In case you didnt bother to click on the links above, the short version is that the brand is Heaven Hill bourbon using the same mashbill as Elijah Craig and Evan Williams (75% corn, 13% rye, 12% barley). Kim Kardashian Doja Cat Iggy Azalea Anya Taylor-Joy Jamie Lee Curtis Natalie Portman Henry Cavill Millie Bobby Brown Tom Hiddleston Keanu Reeves. Caramel and vanilla, with roasted pine nuts and spice, and a slight hint of strawberry lead to a long and savory finish. Henry McKenna is the longest matured Bottled-in-Bond accessible today, resting in the barrel through 40 Kentucky seasons. Something went wrong. McKenna is one of those under-appreciated gems of the booze industry. Drinking this makes me feel like Im inBizzaro World where younger whiskeys taste mature, (such as Old Lines Cask Strength American Single Malt), and the older ones taste new and raw. NOSE Dark fruit leather and a rich warm wood flood the olfactory. Just west of downtown Louisville sits Heaven Hills Bernheim Distillerythe only heritage distillery to produce every major style and type of American Whiskey, with five signature mashbills. Look, McKenna bottled-in-bond is not at all a bad whiskey, but its less complex than it was 8 years prior or at least this barrel is. Fine by me, this is a steal for people who care more about what's in the bottle and enjoying a good drink rather than those seeking only collectibles. Benchmark. Now discover our entire American Whiskey portfolio. Mashbill:78% Corn, 12% Malted Barley, and 10% Rye. Henry McKenna Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Bottled-In-Bond Aged 10 Years Taste 5 Heaven Hill. 2021 Null Media LLC All Rights Reserved. In fact, after the victory, these bottles sold so quickly that it seems as if Heaven Hill cranked up the output even more to meet demand. I expect more from a $45 bourbon, especially in light of what competitor Dickel is accomplishing in the Bottled-in-Bond arena. The Mckenna was one of those sleeper bourbons that we all hoped nobody finds out about. Today I am looking at Barrel #4933 and Barrel #6101. Im proudly Asian American and can speak Cantonese, Mandarin, and some Japanese. McKenna quickly disappeared from shelves, but its slowly made its way back and is widely available once again, though the price can easily stretch up to $100 or more. California Residents: Proposition 65 Warning. Bardstown, KY 2023, Featured Henry McKenna Single Barrel Bourbon Recipe. [2022] - [The Whiskey Shelf] | All rights reserved. By t8ke; Our in house critic rates spirits on a scale of 0-10 (10 best) and is aggregated the same as external sources SOCIAL. Pour Bourbon, and then add water. Discover the brands that have been Lifting Spirits since 1935. Yikes, this particular barrel of Henry McKenna 10 Year Single Barrel Bourbon smells pretty bad. So what's up? 10 year-old bourbon isn't nearly as easy to find these days, alas, and those McKenna 10-year single barrel bottlings are now fetching $80 to $100 after one of the single barrels was .