Undisclosed
Heaven's Door
57%
18 Years
2023's entry in Heaven's Door's annual Bootleg Series is Volume V, an 18-year-old bourbon finished in Spanish vermouth casks.
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A combination you rarely see on paper, let alone a glass, this whiskey blends together old, old bourbon and the spritely fun of Vermouth nicely. The nose hits first with heavy oak, sweet vanilla bean, toffee, caramel and cherry cordial candies. Light wine character that reminds me of a Manhattan on the nose. There's a nice oak presence; this is certainly not over-oaked.
Rich on the palate with a touch dryness from the oak and tannin. Tons of sweet cream, honey, caramel and espresso with a hint of Luxardo cherry, balsamic, apple and spiced pear and a touch of pepper. Really impressive complexity here. The Vermouth is content to mingle as a secondary flavor, which works nicely.
Moderate finish, a touch heavy on the oak. The vermouth supplements heavy oak, espresso and a cola note with light, fruity sweetness, some ango bitter character and a dash of sweet pear once more.
This is an unusual release in so many ways, but it’s a daring combination that reminds me of early Amaro-finished Barrell Craft Spirits releases. With a heavy oak character integrated here, the balance is easily found. If you’re into an old, bold and hefty whiskey with a flair for the artistic, this pour’s for you.
88
Disclosure: The producer provided this sample to review free of charge, and without expectation of review or rating.
