Henry McKenna Bourbon pays homage to Henry McKenna, an Irishman who came to America in 1837 and settled in Kentucky, where he set out to create a better bourbon using his family’s recipe. Today, Heaven Hill offers Henry McKenna Single Barrel, which is aged for 10 years and satisfies the bottled in bond requirements.

‍‍To be labeled bottled in bond, the whiskey must be the product of one distillation season and one distiller at a single distillery, aged in a federally bonded warehouse under U.S. government supervision for at least four years, and it must be bottled at exactly 100 proof. Additionally, the bottled in bond label must clearly identify the distillery where it was distilled and where it was bottled, if different.

‍‍The bottle in review is barrel number 16219 and was barreled on 12/11/2013.

‍‍This is an updated review of Henry McKenna 10 Year Single Barrel Bourbon, which we originally reviewed in 2017.

The aroma is really nice, with caramel and vanilla against seasoned aged oak. A splash of cinnamon on the backend adds a bit of pep to the mix. It’s light to medium in intensity, and while it is straightforward, it comes across as refined and pleasant.

The bourbon opens up on the palate, with a perfect intensity and balance of flavor. Caramel, vanilla, and just the right amount of oak make up the base. Caramelized sugar and graham cracker add depth, but the flavor is never pushed too far towards the sweet side. Rye spice emerges on the backend and builds slowly through the mid to tail end of the sip. It’s finely tuned, impeccably balanced, and touches what could be described as what “bourbon” should taste like. In a word, excellent.

The building rye spice from the palate tapers evenly, revealing layers of brown sugar, honey, and tobacco. Accents of leather and oak layer in. Everything works in sync, making for a balanced and even-tempered finish that perfectly caps off the sip.

A staple brand from Heaven Hill, Henry McKenna Single Barrel has ricocheted from being a fly on the wall to the bourbon at center stage over the many years it has been on the market. At one point in time, its 10 year age statement was 2 years shy of Heaven Hill’s Elijah Craig 12 Year, which was available for less than $30. While Elijah Craig’s proof is a little lower and it isn’t bottled in bond or a single barrel, its brand recognition was a lot stronger than Henry McKenna’s. Despite Elijah Craig losing its 12 year age statement and being rebranded Small Batch, it remains a stronger brand in Heaven Hill’s portfolio today. Other closely related Heaven Hill brands include Evan Williams Single Barrel, Evan Williams Bottled in Bond, and Heaven Hill Bottled in Bond, which all share the same mashbill, an equal or similar proof, and correlate to its single barrel or bottled in bond designation.

To add some history and additional context, Heaven Hill released a 10 year old single barrel in 2013 as part of their Parker’s Heritage Collection, Parker’s Heritage Promise of Hope. The late Parker Beam, former Heaven Hill master distiller who suffered from ALS, “painstakingly sampled and selected bourbon barrels that met his own personal ‘wish list’ criteria.” The release totaled approximately 100 barrels of 10 year old bourbon “from one of his favorite warehouses, the tiered 80-year-old Rickhouse EE in Deatsville, where they sat in high storage for 40 seasons.” It was bottled at 96 proof.

That’s a lot of information, but the intent is to highlight the cross section of Heaven Hill bourbons and how they intersect with Henry McKenna in some way. With the exception of Parker’s Heritage Promise of Hope, the other brands are generally more accessible, and more consistent in terms of overall quality. Henry McKenna has a dated label design, the bourbon's branding is technically focused, and it probably isn’t drawing many new consumers based on this (despite showcasing the details more seasoned bourbon consumers want to see). But what it does offer is a higher ceiling with more risk. Though it was proofed 4 points lower, Parker’s Heritage Promise of Hope was also a 10 year old single barrel, which makes it essentially the same bourbon as Henry McKenna. It’s also one of the few whiskeys we rated 5 barrels, and it was as close to a perfect bourbon as bourbon can get.

Henry McKenna barrels are consistently above average, but overall balance varies from barrel to barrel resulting in an upside that approaches Parker’s Heritage Promise of Hope level quality, though I’ve never had one that matched it. This makes it a more dynamic bourbon than many of Heaven Hill’s similar offerings as a result, but the magic Henry McKenna is capable of delivering - sometimes - isn’t about a unique tasting pour in the sense of tasting different. It’s about striking a perfect balance on the straight line of quintessential Kentucky bourbon flavor that Heaven Hill is capable of, and that Henry McKenna is the ongoing brand they are most likely to bottle it in.

Henry Mckenna Single Barrel varies in availability and price depending on the market. It comes in around $55, and while it isn’t rare per se, given the relatively limited supply, it’s not a bourbon you see on every liquor store shelf. Retailer pricing seems to range from about $55 to $100 when you do find it. And frankly, its being an ongoing 10 year bottled in bond from Kentucky remains impressive.

Compared to the other Heaven Hill bourbons mentioned above, McKenna is generally a better pour and clearly has more potential if you’re lucky enough to land one of the better barrels. So the $55 checks out, making McKenna worth the splurge on that front.

But like all bourbons it competes with many others, and in this case the number of bourbons within a similar proof range, labeled bottled in bond, single barrel, or a few of those measures originating from Kentucky majors is a tough crowd. Many are striving to have that quintessential Kentucky bourbon flavor profile, and each and every one of them is competing for mindshare. Many bourbons could be listed here, but Blanton’s Single Barrel (no age statement, 93 proof, $65), Eagle Rare 10 Year Single Barrel (10 years old, 90 proof, $50), Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel (no age statement, 110 proof, $60), Four Roses Single Barrel (no age statement, 100 proof, $50), E.H. Taylor, Jr. Single Barrel Bottled in Bond (no age statement, 100 proof, $70), Knob Creek Small Batch (9 years old, 100 proof, $35), and Old Grand-Dad Bonded (4 years old, 100 proof, $25) are just a few that come to mind.

Those familiar with these bottles know finding Blanton’s and E.H. Taylor at the suggested price is unlikely, but the others are readily available and there are plenty of others. Most of them are staple, must-try bourbons, and many reading this probably have already established a clear favorite or two. My point is, Henry McKenna falls within a crowded marketplace of bourbons released by Kentucky majors that attempt to zero in on a quintessential Kentucky bourbon flavor profile at a proof that isn't too low, but isn't too high either.

So which consumers is Henry McKenna 10 Year Single Barrel Bottled in Bond for? It’s for consumers who have everything and want to seek out a gem. Most bottles will be fine, and every once in a while, one will be excellent. It’s hard to pinpoint a clear case for value given the variation, but all things considered, the risk averages out to money well spent.

Henry McKenna 10 Year Single Barrel Bottled in Bond is a lot more dynamic than it appears on the surface. It’s a legacy brand that sports a label design that feels outdated, focuses on technical details, and runs the gamut of above average to excellent. It sits among a ton of competing brands within Heaven Hill’s portfolio, and when the net is cast a little wider to encompass other bottled in bond, single barrels, and/or 10 year old bourbons that offer a moderate proof point and strive for that quintessential Kentucky bourbon flavor profile,  that competition increases dramatically.

Both its gift and its curse, Henry McKenna’s high point of quality is hitting the mark of just being a pure, straightforward Kentucky bourbon that strikes an impeccable balance. That’s not a quality that’s valued as much in the marketplace nowadays, and higher proof, bold finishes, and doing something different are all qualities that have demanded a lion’s share of the spotlight. But taking a step back, if you’re looking for a quintessential Kentucky bourbon with the possibility of finding an especially amazing barrel, Henry McKenna strives to reach that high point. That’s what makes this bourbon shine, and why it still holds a place as one of my favorite everyday pours.