The 10 Best Heaven Hill Whiskeys, Ranked by Spirits Critics

(Photo: Lane Southard/Bottle Raiders)

In the world of bourbon, few distilleries carry more gravitas than Heaven Hill. Run by the Shapira family, this storied producer is the largest family-owned, independent distillery in America.

We’ve ranked the 10 best Heaven Hill whiskeys in the brand’s massive portfolio, and we’re sure you’ll recognize some of these names. But before we give up the goods, let’s get into a little history behind the brand.

The History of Heaven Hill — One of the Biggest Names in Bourbon

Heaven Hill is the distillery behind big brands in bourbon, like Old Fitzgerald, Evan Williams and Elijah Craig. Yet, Heaven Hill faced a setback one fateful November that could have ended everything for the distillery.

In November 1996, Heaven Hill’s facilities caught fire during a severe thunderstorm. The fire was catastrophic, and those near the distillery saw a river of flaming whiskey flowing down the hill — talk about terrifying.

The 70-mph winds made the fire even worse, and late in the evening Heaven Hill’s distillery and seven rickhouses were reduced to ash. Though nobody died during the event, the results were financially catastrophic for the brand and could have been the end of Heaven Hill. Yet the world of bourbon is a small one, and other families in Kentucky, like The Beams, helped the brand get back on its feet.

We’d venture to say Heaven Hill’s story has a happy ending, as some of these releases have knocked the critics out of the park.

Our Ranking System Explained

The Bottle Raiders model aggregates reviews from some of the top spirits critics from the internet. We take all of these reviews and determine one final Raided Score®, which determines the 10 best Heaven Hill whiskeys of all time according to trusted critics.

To qualify for this list, each bottle must have been reviewed by at least three critics. This way, we ensure each bottle is considered truly that good, as opposed to having a score swung dramatically in its favor due to one knockout review. The whiskeys on the list within Heaven Hill’s portfolio will be sorted from great to the very best based on these Raided Scores®.

If there’s ever a Raided Score® tie, the tiebreaker will go to the whiskey with more aggregated reviews, as we believe the score means more if it’s been reviewed positively by more critics. If the number of reviews is also the same, we’ll go based on our house review score — it is our list, after all. If all of those factors are tied, we’ll simply sort alphabetically and list it as a tie.

One last important note: We aren’t including multiple releases from the same series. Otherwise, the list would be packed with various batches of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, Parker’s Heritage Collection and Larcey Barrel Proof. Instead, this list is about the diverse expressions Heaven Hill produces, so we’re just including the best one from each — let’s get into it!

The 10 Best Heaven Hill Whiskeys of All Time, Ranked

10. Henry McKenna 10 Year Old Single Barrel Bottled in Bond

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Henry McKenna takes its name from an Irish immigrant and whiskey maker who tweaked his family’s recipe to use Kentucky grain. Heaven Hill claims this whiskey is one of the longest-aged Bottled-in-Bond whiskeys in the market, and this particular liquid matured in barrel through 40 Kentucky seasons.

Once upon a time, this bottle was easy to find on shelves for a reasonable price. That changed when the bourbon won Best in Show at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition. After that award, Henry McKenna exploded in popularity and has become tougher to find near its suggested price.

Clocking in at 100 proof per Bottled in Bond regulations, Henry McKenna has a suggested retail price of $40. With a nose full of peanuts, brown sugar and a woody sweetness, Henry McKenna is perfect for fans of bourbon’s sweet oaky goodness.

The palate continues to be pure dessert-driven oak, coupled with peanut brittle and caramel. It segues into a lingering finish that tastes like a caramel ice cream sundae. A delicious caramel peanut-driven dreamy pour with a solid price point.

9. Pikesville Rye 110 Proof

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If you want a whiskey with history, look no further than Pikesville Rye. This whiskey brand dates back to the 1890s and was initially made in Maryland. Unfortunately, Prohibition nearly spelled the demise of Pikesville — until it was revived by Heaven Hill.

Pikesville Rye clocks in at 110 proof and features a 6-year age statement. This whiskey sells for an average price of $56, according to Wine-Searcher.

This rye features brown sugar, clove, cream and mild spice. The palate is sweet and again mildly spicy with plenty of molasses, sugar, cream and clove. The finish is medium in length and leans hot. It balances sweetness and spiciness well, leaning toward the latter

8. Rittenhouse Straight Rye Bottled in Bond

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With a suggested retail price of $25, few whiskeys are a better value within Heaven Hill’s portfolio than Rittenhouse Straight Rye Bottled in Bond. This rye whiskey was distilled from a low-rye mashbill of 51% rye, 37% corn and 12% malted barley.

Drinkhacker describes Rittenhouse Rye’s nose as “racy,” with crushed red pepper, orange peel and dark chocolate. The palate is full of spices like gingerbread and aromatic wood oils, which lead to a sweet conclusion.

Rittenhouse Rye clocks in at 100 proof, per Bottled in Bond regulations. With a suggested retail price of $25, this is a classic old reliable and cocktail favorite.

7. Evan Williams Single Barrel

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With a 7-year age statement and an ABV of 43.3%, Evan Williams Single Barrel is described by Whisky Cast as “One of the most underrated single barrel Bourbons on the market.”

Evan Williams Single Barrel boasts a light nose with toffee, oak and musty tobacco. The palate is full of rich brown sugar, honey and a kiss of fruit, like raspberry. This whiskey finishes with raspberry and cocoa, coupled with vanilla and toffee.

Evan Williams Single Barrel is yet another affordably priced Heaven Hill product and can usually be found for between $30 and $50.

6. Bernheim Barrel Proof Wheat Whiskey Batch A224

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Whiskey enthusiasts were ecstatic in February 2023, when Heaven Hill at long last announced it would be releasing a barrel-strength version of its beloved Bernheim Wheat Whiskey. Distilled from a mashbill of 51% wheat, 37% corn and 12% malted barley, this whiskey is aged between seven and nine years.

This batch was released in February 2024, and it’s pure dessert from the first whiff. With decadent syrup, brown butter and waffle cone aplenty, Bernheim Barrel Proof Wheat is a great whiskey to enjoy after a luxurious dinner.

The palate is rich and opulent, with tobacco, waffle cone, and spice and it caters to anybody’s sweet tooth. The finish lingers on and on, with candied ginger, cinnamon and oak. Bernheim Barrel Proof hosts a suggested retail price of $64.99.

5. Larceny Barrel Proof Batch B523

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Larceny Barrel Proof is a barrel-proof bottling of Heaven Hill’s core wheated bourbon, Larceny. Batch B523 was the second release of 2023, it clocks in as the best Larceny Barrel Proof bottling ever, with a Raided Score® of 92. Bottled at 124.4 proof, this wheater lives up to the Larceny legacy with a nose of fresh-baked pancakes, coupled with caramel drizzle and honey. The palate is rich and viscous, with caramel candies and a nice kick of heat. Larceny finishes beautifully with maple, pepper and Werther’s caramels.

With a suggested retail price of $70, Larceny Barrel Proof is one of our favorites, and it’s a beautiful barrel-proof bourbon that’s worth hunting for.

4. Heaven Hill Grain to Glass Rye

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Heaven Hill’s Grain To Glass series debuted in June with a bourbon, wheated bourbon and rye whiskey. This series was several years in the making, and honestly? It’s off to a great start.

Heaven Hill’s Grain to Glass Rye clocks in at a potent 123.2 proof and has a mashbill that consists of 63% rye, 24% corn and 13% malted barley. The whiskey has a suggested retail price of $99.

Vinepair’s David Thomas Tao was a fan of this unusual rye whiskey, with its aromas of stroopwafel and dill coupled with lavender. The palate is pure dessert, with honeysuckle and rose simple syrup. This rye finishes beautifully with dark chocolate and toasted oak.

If you’re looking for a rye whiskey that’s distinctive and has its own personality, look no further than this offering from Heaven Hill’s Grain to Glass series.

3. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Batch B520

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With a 12-year age statement and an ABV of 63.6%, Batch B520 earned its status as the best Elijah Craig Barrel Proof bottling ever with a Raided Score® of 93.

Elijah Craig’s Barrel Proof offering is distilled from a mashbill of 78% corn, 12% malted barley and 10% rye. It’ll be tough to find this particular batch four and a half years after its release, but if you can find any ECBP bottling for around its suggested retail price ($65), you shouldn’t hesitate to buy it.

Breaking Bourbon reports a caramel and graham cracker nose with a surprisingly aromatic profile, given this bourbon’s heavy proof. The palate is full of toasted marshmallow s’mores dreams with brown sugar and char. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Batch B520 finishes with spice and leather, leaving an impression that you won’t easily forget any time soon.

2. Old Fitzgerald 14 Year Old Bottled in Bond Fall 2020 Edition

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The Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond line has produced myriad incredible whiskeys throughout the years, but the Fall 2020 release takes the crown with a Raided Score® of 93 based on reviews from 11 critics.

This stunner from Old Fitzgerald was distilled in the Fall of 2005 and bottled in 2020. It possesses a 14-year age statement and ticks off all the Bottled in Bond regulations. Clocking in at 100 proof per Bottled in Bond regulations, this Old Fitzgerald release has a nose chock full of brown butter, vanilla bean and toffee aromas with just a whisper of cherry.

The palate is elegant and rich and is an opulent parade of dessert, berries and oak. It finishes beautifully with brown butter and cherries covered in caramel.

1. Parker’s Heritage Collection Release 7 Promise of Hope 10 Year Single Barrel Bourbon

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The No. 1 spot on the Best Heaven Hill Whiskeys of All Time list goes to Parker’s Heritage Collection Release 7: Promise of Hope 10 Year Single Barrel Bourbon. Each release in the Parker’s Heritage Series honors Master Distiller Parker Beam, who worked at Heaven Hill for 56 years until 2010, when he was diagnosed with ALS. He lived with the disease until his death in 2017.

Proceeds from the brand’s Parker’s Heritage Collection releases go to funding for ALS research and patient care. Promise of Hope is one of the most dynamic releases within the collection and captivates immediately at first whiff.

The nose is chock full of wafts of vanilla and cream, coupled with herbs like mint and dill interlaced with strawberry banana goodness. On the palate, picture apple, custard, strawberry and fudge. The finish lasts an age, with a kick of heat and molasses.

This offering has an ABV of 48%, and Wine-Searcher reports an average price of an eye-watering $2,189, making this whiskey truly a collector’s item.