Heaven Hill’s New Trio of Whiskeys Explores Chinquapin Oak

(Photo: Heaven Hill)

On Tuesday, Heaven Hill Distillery announced the first release of its Grain to Glass Specialty Barrel Series, a new extension of the producer’s award-winning line of Kentucky whiskeys. The 2025 release includes three six-year expressions aged in Chinquapin Oak barrels, marking the distillery’s latest exploration of wood influence in maturation.

The series features a bourbon, wheated bourbon and rye whiskey. Each is aged six years and bottled at barrel proof after being matured in hand-selected Chinquapin Oak barrels crafted by Independent Stave Company.

“Selecting Chinquapin Oak for the first Specialty Barrel Series was an exciting opportunity to deepen our exploration of wood and whiskey,” Heaven Hill Master Distiller Conor O’Driscoll said in a news release. “These barrels highlight the interplay between grain and oak in a way that elevates the mashbills, allowing each whiskey’s character to shine at barrel proof.”

The Chinquapin Oak barrels differ from the standard #3 char white oak used in previous Grain to Glass releases. Known for its higher vanillin content, Chinquapin Oak imparts butterscotch, crème brûlée, toasted nut, chocolate and coffee notes, according to Heaven Hill.

Heaven Hill’s Grain to Glass program begins by selecting a single corn varietal grown specifically for its whiskeys. For 2025, the distillery worked with Beck’s Hybrids to select the Beck’s 6225 varietal, cultivated by Peterson Farms in Nelson County, Kentucky.

“Since the founding of Heaven Hill, our family has remained committed to looking at the long term, building products and partnerships meant to endure,” said Max Shapira, Heaven Hill executive chairman. “The Specialty Barrel Series reflects both innovation and transparency, extending our Grain to Glass vision while honoring the legacy that defines our distillery.”

The 2025 Specialty Barrel Series Lineup

Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey: 105 proof, mashbill of 52% corn, 35% rye, 13% malted barley

Kentucky Straight Wheated Bourbon Whiskey: 105 proof, mashbill of 52% corn, 35% wheat, 13% malted barley

Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey: 107 proof, mashbill of 63% rye, 24% corn, 13% malted barley

Each was barreled at 107 proof, reflecting the historic entry proof used by Heaven Hill’s founders. All are non-chill filtered to preserve texture and flavor.

Availability and Packaging

The 2025 Grain to Glass Specialty Barrel Series will be released nationally in November in limited quantities at a suggested retail price of $129.99 per 700-milliliter bottle. Packaging includes jewel-toned labels for each mashbill, a gold-coin cork insert and an embossed bottle that reads “Family Owned Since 1935.”

Each label details the corn varietal, mashbill and distillation and release year. Custom illustrations nod to Bernheim Distillery and Kentucky’s farming heritage.

Continuing a Legacy of Recognition

Heaven Hill’s Grain to Glass line has received several recent honors, including a Double Gold at the 2024 SIP Awards and a Best American Rye title at the 2025 World Whiskies Awards. Whisky Advocate ranked the Grain to Glass Bourbon fifth on its Top 20 Whiskies of 2024 with a score of 94.

Heaven Hill Distillery, founded in 1935 by the Shapira family, produces more than 2 million barrels of aging whiskey across 70 warehouses. Its portfolio includes Elijah Craig, Evan Williams, and Parker’s Heritage Collection.