Heaven Hill Distillery has introduced the inaugural release of the Grain to Glass Specialty Barrel Series, a new extension to its already acclaimed portfolio of Kentucky whiskeys.

The series now includes three six-year expressions aged in Chinquapin Oak barrels: A bourbon, a wheated bourbon and a rye whiskey.

Each expression has been aged for six years and bottled at barrel proof after being matured in the hand-selected barrels, crafted by Independent Stave Company.

Unlike the standard #3 char white oak barrels used in past releases, the brand noted that this whiskey has a much higher vanillin content owing to the Chinquapin, delivering complex flavors including but not limited to crème brûlée, butterscotch, toasted nut, chocolate, and coffee.

For this year's release, Heaven Hill's Grain to Glass program selected the Beck's 6225 corn varietal—a single type grown specifically for the whiskeys it creates. This corn was cultivated by Peterson Farms in Nelson County, Kentucky, through a collaboration with Beck's Hybrids.

• Kentucky Straight Wheated Bourbon Whiskey: 105 proof. 52% corn, 35% wheat, 13% malted barley

• Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey: 107 proof. 63% rye, 24% corn, 13% malted barley

The labels on each bottle also provides specific information, detailing the corn varietal, mashbill, distillation, and release year. 

Other key packaging details include: jewel-toned labels (one for each mashbill), a gold-coin cork insert, and an embossed bottle reading "Family Owned Since 1935." Custom illustrations also pay tribute to the Bernheim Distillery and Kentucky's farming heritage.

The 2025 Grain to Glass Specialty Barrel Series will be released in the U.S. nationwide in November in limited quantities at an MSRP of USD$129.99 per 700-milliliter bottle.

Kanpai!

88 Bamboo Editorial Team