Brown sugar | Citrus rind | Cinnamon bark | Light orange chocolate | Aged oak | Light spice | Intricate & inviting

Sweet syrup | Summer fruits | Rye spice | Leather | White peppercorn | Oak | Viscous mouthfeel

Aged dry oak | Dry leather | Candied orange | Honey | Rye spice | A dab of sweet mixed in with dry bold spice

The Bootleg Series is an annual release by Heaven’s Door Spirits. For Volume 3, which was released late in 2021, the company chose to finish a 13 year Kentucky bourbon in used Vino De Naranja Casks. The company states, “Native to Southern Spain, these casks are used to age an exclusive type of white wine utilizing a fully natural process that creates a unique hue of orange in the finished wine.” Each of the 3,949 bottles is adorned with Bob Dylan’s painting, Sunday Afternoon.

This is one of the pricier limited edition bourbons currently available. While $500 (and up) releases are starting to appear more frequently in the marketplace, this is still a hefty price tag to swallow. So what does a bourbon this expensive taste like? Well it turns out that Heaven’s Door nailed it with this year's release. The aged bourbon pairs perfectly with the Vino De Naranja Casks and results in just the right amount of spice, sweet, and dry notes being highlighted throughout the sip. While the finish is a tad drier than I would like it to be, the overall sip hits in all the right spots. Say what you will about the price tag, but once again, Heaven’s Door delivers another standout bourbon with this year’s Bootleg Volume 3.