In the world of bourbon and whiskey, it often only takes one great review for a bottle to double in cost overnight. In 2021, the bottle I am reviewing today won the San Francisco World Spirits Competition Best Single Barrel Bourbon, and it did just this by literally doubling, and in some markets tripling, in cost overnight. Coming from the Heaven Hill Distillery, today I am reviewing Henry McKenna Single Barrel 10-Year-Old Bottled-in-Bond.

From the Heaven Hill Distillery website: Henry McKenna Single Barrel is the only extra aged Bottled-in-Bond single barrel Bourbon. Born from a whiskey-loving Irishman who brought his distilling prowess to Kentucky, this Bourbon merges the best of both worlds. This high proof, Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon was named for Henry McKenna, the Irish immigrant who adapted his family’s whiskey recipe to work with the grains he found in Kentucky. Henry McKenna is one of the longest aged Bottled-in-Bond whiskeys available today, resting in the barrel through 40 Kentucky seasons. Critics agree that this is perfectly balanced Bourbon.

When I finally decided to see what all the hype was about this bottle of bourbon, I definitely did not think it would take nearly six (6) months to find it. Nonetheless, I was determined, and as with many bourbons that balloon overnight, Henry McKenna eventually became available in NoCo again; yet it carried a hefty price tag of nearly double MSRP. Being persistent, and as supplies increased, we were eventually able to track down this bottle at $59 from one of our local stores.

Overall, I believe I might have purchased a less-than-stellar single-barrel bottle of Henry McKenna. After finishing my tasting notes for this bottle, I started to read and watch other reviews as I had heard such great things about this bourbon. As it turns out, many other reviewers had the same experience as I, with their first bottle being just okay and then a second bottle being out of this world. As an FYI and for those you might not know, this is, unfortunately, the chance you take when purchasing a single barrel bottle of bourbon; as taste, profiles can drastically change from barrel to barrel. With that said, let’s get our taste on!

• Nose: Vanilla, Brown Sugar, Burnt Caramel, Oak, and Very Ethanol Forward
• Palate: Simplistic Notes of Oak, Baking Spice, and Vanilla
• Finish: Medium to Long with Notes of Sweet Vanilla, Leather, Baking Spices, and Dry Oak (The Best Part of this Bottle)
• 2022 MSRP: $42
• 2022 National Average: $77
• My Rating: Mix It! (An alright bourbon, but in my opinion, nothing to write home about at an inflated price)

Please remember, drinking bourbon is a personal adventure, so do not be afraid to drink it neat, with ice, or add some water. It’s your bourbon, you bought it, and you should enjoy it how you want to enjoy it!

Cheers! Prost! Sláinte!

Bourbon Bossman