Everyone loves comeback stories, right? In 1996, lightning struck the Old Heaven Hill Springs Distillery and destroyed it in a fire. Driven by wind, the 1935 distillery burned to the ground. The inferno destroyed around 100,000 aging barrels. To honor this event, Heaven Hill is releasing Heaven Hill Phoenix, a limited-edition, one-time 18-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.
Heaven Hill Phoenix
As a Phoenix rises from the ashes, Heaven Hill recovered, and a new distillery was built. For the 30th anniversary of this event, the award-winning distillery is releasing this limited-edition bourbon. It begins with an 18-year-old Kentucky bourbon distilled in March 2007 and matured in heavy-char American oak casks. The brand added 30-year-old whiskey distilled at Old Heaven Hill Springs Distillery to connect it to the event.
According to the brand, the result is a complex 107-proof whiskey that opens with aromas of charred oak, cinnamon candy, nutmeg, and caramel. Sipping it reveals notes of butterscotch, toffee, cinnamon, baked apples, and oak. The finish is long and warm, ending with apple pie and cracked black pepper.
“The fire brought tremendous loss, but it also showed the resolve of the people who chose to move forward together,” Max L. Shapira, Executive Chairman and second-generation family owner of Heaven Hill Distillery, says.
“That same spirit of adaptability and shared purpose continues to guide Heaven Hill today. Phoenix honors the employees, community members and industry partners who refused to let a single night define generations of craftsmanship.”
Conor O’Driscoll, Master Distiller at Heaven Hill Distillery, adds, “Heaven Hill Phoenix balances the mature oak and length of its 30-year-old component with the structure of 18-year-old Bourbon aged in heavy-char oak. The determination that carried us through the fire lives on in Phoenix, bridging that pivotal moment in our past with our ongoing commitment to producing exceptional, ultra-aged whiskeys.”
Where can I buy it?
Heaven Hill Phoenix will be available online beginning this month for the suggested retail price of $325 for a 750ml bottle. You can also buy it at the Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience in Bardstown, Kentucky, if you’re up for a road trip to the Bluegrass State.
