Appearance

This particular bottle of Parker’s Heritage Collection 11 Year Single Barrel out of Heaven Hill Springs Distillery is barrel #4769087. Peering through the Glencairn, the color is of a nice darker copper tone.

Aroma

The aroma is very aggressive with a big hit of ethanol. I find myself needing to back away from the glass to find a bigger range of aromas. When doing so, I’m getting raw oak, fortified wine, raisins and cigar tobacco.

Flavor

Just like the nosing, this is also a very aggressive bourbon on the palate. Major heat with flavors of raw oak, cigar tobacco and baking spices. The sweeter and creamier notes are essentially non-existent.

Balance

Surprisingly, even with all the heat, flavors do pull through.

Finish

The finish is a mixture of lingering raw oak and an associated oak bitterness.

Overall

I haven’t had the luxury of trying many Parker’s Heritage Collection whiskies (just this, Promise of Hope, Barrel Finished), but the Parker’s Heritage Collection 11 Year Single Barrel is unfortunately a miss for me. The combination of heat and especially the bitter finish creates a lackluster experience. For $130 and Parker Beam’s name behind it, I was honestly expecting more (a lot more).

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

5.33

Cost/Point

$24.37

Scoring System

Personal Spirit Review: Parker’s Heritage Collection 11 Year Single Barrel