Two bourbons from Heaven Hill in Bardstown, Kentucky, built on opposite approaches to the same question of how to get consistency and character out of a warehouse full of barrels. Henry McKenna Single Barrel answers it with one cask at a time. Every bottle is drawn from a single barrel, aged a full ten years and bottled in bond, meaning it is the product of one distillery and one distilling season, aged at least four years in a federally bonded warehouse and bottled at exactly 100 proof. The front label records the barrel number and the date the barrel was filled, so each bottle carries its own history. It is the only extra aged, bottled in bond single barrel bourbon on the market, and it took Best in Show Whiskey at the 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, which is when it stopped being easy to find. Expect a rich nose of caramel, vanilla and toasted oak with dried fruit, then a full bodied palate of brown sugar, cinnamon, leather and cocoa over firm oak, closing long and dry. Elijah Craig Small Batch takes the other route, marrying a relatively small number of barrels to build a consistent profile. Named for the Baptist minister long credited with charring the oak barrel, it is bottled at 94 proof and runs warmer and rounder, with vanilla, caramel and toasted oak leading into sweet spice, dark fruit and a long, gently smoky finish. Side by side the two show what single barrel variation and careful batching each bring to the table, and both are genuinely well regarded bottles rather than novelties. A strong gift for a bourbon drinker and an instructive pairing for anyone learning the category.
ABV / Proof
| Henry McKenna ABV |
50% |
| Henry McKenna Proof |
100 |
| Henry McKenna Age |
10 Years |
| Elijah Craig ABV |
47% |
| Elijah Craig Proof |
94 |
| Size |
2 x 750ml |
| Country |
United States |
| Region |
Kentucky |
| Type |
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey |
| Distillery |
Heaven Hill Distillery, Bardstown, Kentucky |
| Henry McKenna Style |
Single barrel, bottled in bond |
| Elijah Craig Style |
Small batch |
Tasting Notes
Henry McKenna 10 Year: Caramel, vanilla and toasted oak with dried fruit, then brown sugar, cinnamon, leather and cocoa over firm oak, finishing long and dry.
Elijah Craig Small Batch: Vanilla, caramel and toasted oak, then sweet spice and dark fruit with a long, gently smoky finish.
FAQ
What is included in this bundle?
One 750ml bottle of Henry McKenna Single Barrel 10 Year Bottled in Bond at 100 proof and one 750ml bottle of Elijah Craig Small Batch at 94 proof.
Are both from the same distillery?
Yes. Both are produced at Heaven Hill Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky.
Will my Henry McKenna match the photo exactly?
Each bottle comes from a single barrel, so the barrel number and barreling date printed on the label vary. The proof remains 100 and the age remains 10 years across all of them.
What does bottled in bond mean?
The whiskey comes from one distillery and one distilling season, was aged at least four years in a federally bonded warehouse, and was bottled at exactly 100 proof.
What is the difference between single barrel and small batch?
Single barrel comes from one individual cask, so each bottling differs. Small batch marries a relatively small number of barrels to build a consistent profile.
Where can I buy this Heaven Hill bundle online?
Available here at Liquor On Broadway while stock lasts, with fast insured shipping nationwide.
