Heaven Hill Distillery tells BourbonBlog.com their 2019 limited edition release of Parker’s Heritage Collection Heavy Char Rye Whiskey, the first Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey of the series.
At 8 years old and bottled at 105 proof (52.5% abv) and non-chill filtered to preserve all the flavor compounds, the 13th edition will ship nationally beginning in September at an SRP of $149.99.
Heaven Hills says that this edition of Parker’s Heritage Collection showcases Heaven Hill’s traditional Rye Whiskey mash bill.
They say that this edition differentiates itself through its aging process. Instead of aging in Level 3 charred barrels, as is customary for most Heaven Hill products, this Rye Whiskey was aged in Level 5 charred barrels for 8 years and nine months on the seventh floor of Rickhouse Y. Level 5 charred barrels are charred 50 seconds longer than the Level 3 barrels.
This more intense char allows the liquid to penetrate deeper into each barrel stave, interacting further with the oak and extracting deep notes of spice and wood on the resulting flavor.
The late Heaven Hill Master Distiller Parker Beam,(pictured here with BourbonBlog’s Tom Fischer) for whom the acclaimed series is named, was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (also called ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease) in 2010.
The past six editions from 2013-2018, including the “Promise of Hope” Bourbon, the “Original Batch” Straight Wheat Whiskey, the Kentucky Straight Malt Whiskey, the 24-Year-Old Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon, the 11-Year-Old Single Barrel, and Orange Curaçao-finished Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, respectively, have raised over one million dollars toward ALS research and patient care through contributions made by Heaven Hill for each bottle purchased.
With the 2019 Heavy Char Rye Whiskey edition, Heaven Hill will again contribute a portion of the proceeds from each bottle sold to the ALS Association.