Henry McKenna: 10 yr Bottled in Bond

Type:Bourbon

Brand:Henry McKenna

Year/Specialty:10 year Bottled In Bond

Cost:$23.00 - $33.00 U.S.

A little History:

Henry McKenna immigrated to the US in 1837 and within 15 years had perfected his whiskey recipe from Ireland and utilized it to make bourbon. Little more is known about the man himself, other than he settled down in Fairfield, Kentucky and his distillery was family owned until 1941.It has changed hands since then, but luckily it was to a well-established spirit business, and a rock’s throw down the road from their distillery, this owner is no other than Heavenly Hill.

A little Geography:

Fairfield Kentucky is not a temperate place. It has sweltering hot summers and bone chilling winters. There are truly four seasons in this state and there for sees a lot of flux in the absorption of the wood within these bourbons. Also, being next to a limestone hotspot makes the ability to find clear water an added plus to the already great bourbon aging conditions.

A little Science:

As with all bourbons, Henry McKenna’s is made with corn (at least 51% of mash bill), aged in new charred oak barrels, is made in the US, cannot be above 160 proof (80% ABV) at fermentation, and is barreled at or less than 125 proof (62.5% ABV).What makes this whiskey “bottle in bond” or just “bonded” is the legal stature that comes from giving up your whiskey to the government. That is right, to become a bonded bourbon you must give your whiskey up to a government bonded warehouse, where it must be aged for at least 4 years before it can be touched. It must also be distilled in a single season, by the original distiller, and must be bottled at 100 proof (50% ABV).When bottling, there are distinct markings so that you, the customer, can know exactly who distilled it, where it was distilled, and (if different from the distiller) where it was bottled. There are a lot of “single barrel” expressions out there these days, yet very few of them can call themselves bottled in bond. The question begs to be asked though, at what age does such a tenacious bourbon start to take on too much wood characteristic? This distiller has decided that at 10 years, a single barrel will have the characteristic profile that is unique and distinctive enough for their bourbon.

Let’s take a drink:

Ok, I must admit that at a feisty 50% ABV, I watered it down to around 40% to get a better taste and less burn. On the smell, you get that sweet corn aroma that is characteristic of bourbon, and a hint of spice. As it washes over the tip of the tongue, the burn starts but it is nowhere as strong as that slightly sweet bourbon flavor. Moving to the palate and the back of the mouth, a mild oak taste becomes apparent, leaving the mouth lightly dry with a medium length aftertaste. For the price and taste, this is what I would consider a great bourbon.

Who may like this drink:

You enjoy your corn whiskey old fashioned (strong) but you are not too man (or woman!) enough to water it down to get more taste for your buck.

Who may not like this drink:

When you think sweet, you think liqueur, and that is the way you like it.

If you want to see the original review, or read more on my spirit reviews, check out: www.thespiritednovice.com

References:

Bardstown Whiskey Society (2016). Henry McKenna Single Barrel. Retrieved from http://www.bardstownwhiskeysociety.com/brands/henr...

Heavenly Hill Brands (2016).Henry McKenna Single Barrel. Retrieved fromhttp://www.heavenhill.com/brand/20

Whiskey Professor (2012). Bottled in Bond. Retrieved from http://www.whiskeyprof.com/bottled-in-bond