Heroes and Heretics Stateside Bourbon Review and Tasting Notes

Today I’m reviewing a single cask bourbon from new indie bottler Heroes and Heretics. It’s an 11 year old Heaven Hill American straight bourbon whiskey. It was distilled on 31/05/2009 and aged in a first fill bourbon barrel (cask number 152732). The cask yielded 314 bottles at 51% ABV when it was bottled on 18/02/2021. Heroes and Heretics have bottled the whiskey under their label 'Stateside Bourbon'.

Heaven Hill Distilleries is a private, American family-owned distillery. Founded in 1935 in Bardstown, it has produced the Heaven Hill brand of Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey since. As with all bourbon, Heaven Hill use virgin American oak. American oak is dense and contains a lot of monogalloyl glucose. This gives the whiskey a mellow, smooth vanilla flavour profile.

Stateside Bourbon Tasting Notes

• Colour: Natural colour; coats my copita with a thick gloss. Prominent legs quickly slide down the side of the glass.
• Nose: Corn bread soaked in golden syrup. Ginger nut biscuits dipped in tea. The skin of red apples during Autumn. Oak, wood spice, and vanilla as the cask makes an appearance. The alcohol is well integrated with no burn.
• Palate: Full mouthfeel. Warm buttered corn bread. Jamaican ginger cake and custard. Milk chocolate covered nuts. A menthol characteristic adds a touch of mint. Again, alcohol is well integrated, lending body without heat.
• Finish: Medium to long finish. Starts gentle, and then builds through layers of warmth to a spicy conclusion.

Stateside Bourbon Review

I’m a big fan of single cask bourbons, and this release by Heroes and Heretics hits all the classic notes I look for. It’s a most enjoyable dram, at a fair price point for a well aged single cask bourbon. Whether you’re a bourbon fan, or your looking to explore beyond scotch, this is well worth checking out.

If you enjoyed this article you may like my review of Heroes and Heretics Classic Series Speyside.

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