Review by: zSolaris

Distillery: Bernheim/Heaven Hill

Bottler: Diageo

Region: Kentucky

ABV: 45.5%

Age: 25 year.

Mash bill: 86% corn, 8% malted barley, 6% rye

Color: 1.5, Auburn/Polished Mahogany.

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Nose: (according to me) Much like the 24 year old, there was a metallic note that dominated this far too much for me. I asked the wife to sub in for me because I couldn’t get past it. (according to the wife) It seems of grapes, raisins, and ginger. Mostly grapes though.

Palate: Palate is noticeably very thin, even thinner than the 24 year. There’s just the smallest hint of cherry here and there. Very bland on the whole with a bunch of oak.

Finish: Medium in length. Just some oak tannins and that’s about it.

Conclusion: Yesterday I reviewed the 24 year edition of this whisky released by Diageo. I thought that one was a bit of a miss and wasn’t holding my breath for this. This one is an even bigger miss in my opinion. It’s thin and super bland. I was heavily reminded of another Diageo Bourbon, the non-age stated I.W. Harper. In all honesty, this one had less flavor than the I.W. Harper and was over oaked by quite a bit to boot. I’ll have to see if I can find a younger edition of this series as I’ve likely gotten to try them after they were past their prime.

Final Score: 67.

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Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
• 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
• 50-59: Save it for mixing.
• 0-49: Blech.