Parker’s Heritage Collection is Heaven Hill’s annual limited release honoring the late Master Distiller Emeritus Parker Beam. Parker was diagnosed with ALS in 2010, and a portion of every bottle sold goes to the ALS Association. Heaven Hill has donated more than $1.4 million through the partnership so far. For the 20th edition, they went with something Parker championed for decades: rye backset, a technique that recycles liquid from rye whiskey distillation into the bourbon’s fermentation.
The Specs
Distillery: Heaven Hill Distillery, Bardstown, Kentucky
Mash bill: 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley (Heaven Hill’s traditional bourbon mash bill), fermented with rye backset
Proof / ABV: 118 proof / 59% ABV (barrel proof, non-chill filtered)
Age: 14 years (distilled October 2011 to January 2012)
Price / where to find it: $199.99 MSRP. Limited national release since September 2026, only 100 barrels. Expect markups well above MSRP at many stores.
The Nose
Deep and oak-forward, as you’d expect at 14 years. Dark caramel, toasted oak and leather come first, then the rye backset shows up as baking spice, clove and a little black pepper. With some time in the glass, dried cherry and vanilla bean round it out.
The Taste
The front is rich and thick, with brown sugar and caramel holding up the 118 proof surprisingly well. The middle turns spicier and drier, with cinnamon, cocoa and plenty of seasoned oak. The finish is long and warm, with leather, spice and a lingering tannic dryness. A few drops of water soften the heat and bring out more fruit.
The Verdict: TRY
At $199.99, Parker’s 20th is a fair price for a 14-year, barrel-proof, 100-barrel bourbon, and a portion of every bottle goes to ALS research. It’s built for people who love old, oak-heavy, high-proof bourbon. If you’re more of a sweet-and-easy drinker, try a pour at a good whiskey bar before you buy a bottle. And don’t pay $300 or more just because it’s on a top shelf.
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Please drink responsibly.