Rounding out a week of special release bourbons from some of the most famous American distilleries here is my review of the 2012 release in Heaven Hill’s Parker’s Heritage series (so named for their now-retired master distiller, Parker Beam). The real story here, of course, is the unusually presentable sample label from Sku.

This is only my second outing with Parker’s Heritage. I loved the 2013 release (the “Promise of Hope“) and after tasting the sample I reviewed I went out and purchased a bottle—it was still on shelves in Minnesota in early 2014. But by the end of the year the annual release hype included the not very cult-friendly Heaven Hill as well and it goes without saying that I didn’t even catch a glimpse of the 2014 edition.

This I’m told is a blend of 11 yo barrels of bourbon with rye in the mashbill that usually goes into Elijah Craig and Evan Williams and 11 yo barrels of bourbon made with wheat in place of rye in the mashbill that usually goes into Old Fitzgerald. I’ve never actually had any Old Fitzgerald but that’s neither here nor there. (Here is Sku’s review, by the way—this is from his more voluble period.)
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