Heaven Hill Heritage Collection 17 Year Old Barrel Proof Bourbon

The first edition of Heaven Hill's Heritage Collection — a new annual limited series released each spring. 17 years. Barrel proof. Aged oak, cigar box, leather, caramel. A companion to the fall Parker's Heritage Collection, now Heaven Hill has two major annual prestige bourbon events.

Heaven Hill Distillery is the second-largest American-owned bourbon producer in the United States and home to some of the industry's most storied annual releases. The Parker's Heritage Collection — a fall annual tribute to the late Master Distiller Parker Beam — has been one of the most anticipated events in bourbon collecting since its inception. The Heritage Collection adds a spring counterpart: a different expression each year, released at barrel proof, aged longer than standard Heaven Hill production, and focused on a specific whiskey concept.

The first edition establishes the Heritage Collection's identity: 17 years at barrel proof, unfiltered, with the bold and complex profile that nearly two decades in Heaven Hill's rickhouses produces. The tasting profile — cigar box, tobacco, leather, and aged oak on the nose; bold spice, caramel, and chewy texture on the palate; concentrated brown sugar and molasses cookie on the finish — reflects Heaven Hill's high-rye mashbill at its most mature expression.

Tasting Notes

• Nose: Aged oak, leather, baking spices, allspice, rye spice, toffee, dark cherries, and caramel.
• Palate: Bold spice upfront — aged oak, cigar box, tobacco, and leather harmoniously integrated with caramel. Chewy texture with ample potency.
• Finish: Long and spice-forward — concentrated brown sugar, molasses cookie, and caramel emerging as the spice dissipates.

Specs

• Distillery: Heaven Hill Bernheim Distillery, Louisville, Kentucky
• Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Age: 17 years
• Bottling: Barrel proof
• Release: First Edition — Heritage Collection (annual spring series)
• Size: 750ml

Explore all bourbon at Wooden Cork.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How does the Heritage Collection differ from Parker's Heritage Collection? Parker's Heritage Collection is released each fall and has been the flagship of Heaven Hill's annual prestige program since its inception as a tribute to Master Distiller Parker Beam. The Heritage Collection is a new spring companion series — a different expression each year at barrel proof. Together they give Heaven Hill two major annual bourbon release events.
• Why is the first edition particularly significant? The first edition of any major bourbon series establishes the standard against which future editions are measured. As the inaugural Heritage Collection, the 17 Year First Edition is the founding expression of a new annual series that collectors will track for years to come.
• What does barrel proof mean for a 17-year bourbon? At 17 years, bourbon loses significant volume to evaporation but the natural proof can vary considerably by barrel. Barrel proof means no water was added before bottling — the whiskey is delivered at whatever proof the barrel achieved after 17 years of Kentucky aging.
• Is the first edition Heritage Collection still available? In limited quantities. Annual Heaven Hill special releases sell quickly and are not restocked.