Heaven Hill releases details on 15th version of its awarding-winning annual whiskey
Heaven Hill announced details this week on its popular annual ultra-premium release, the Parker’s Heritage Collection, created to help battle the disease that claimed a former master distiller.
Parker’s Heritage was launched 15 years ago to raise money to fight ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, after master distiller Parker Beam was diagnosed with the illness in 2010. Previous editions have raised more than a million dollars for research and patient care. Parker Beam died in 2017.
The 2021 version, which will contribute a portion of the proceeds to the ALS Association, will be released nationally in September.
This year’s limited edition, Parker’s Heritage Collection 11-Year-Old Heavy Char Wheat Whiskey, will have a suggested retail price of $139.99.
It’s a wheat whiskey aged 11 years on the sixth floor of Rickhouse Y in Bardstown in 75 heavily charred barrels. According to the news release, the heavy char intensified the sweetness, filling the whiskey will hints of molasses and butterscotch.
This is the only the second time that Heaven Hill’s wheat whiskey mashbill has been used for the Parker’s Heritage. The first time was in 2014 as an Original Batch Cask Strength, according to the news release.
This is the third time that heavy char has been used for the Parker’s Heritage whiskey. The previous editions -- a traditional bourbon and a rye mashbill -- both won awards in major spirits competitions.
To preserve the flavors, this version is bottled at 122 proof and non-chill filtered.
“The Parker’s Heritage Collection is a testament to the distilling legacy at Heaven Hill Distillery and the detailed attention each step of the process receives,” said Susan Wahl, Vice President, American Whiskies at Heaven Hill, in a statement. “We are excited to release the third mashbill in this heavy char series, showcasing the consistency of quality throughout our innovation pipeline. It is in tribute to Parker and his legacy that we continue to support ALS research and patient care with this collection.”
