Hillrock Estate Distillery is a farm distillery with roots dating back to 1806. The distillery is located in Ancram, New York, which is part of New York’s Hudson Valley and approximately two hours north of New York City. Hillrock was founded by Jeffrey Baker and Cathy Franklin, who collaborated with the late Master Distiller Dave Pickerell on their distillation and production processes. Hillrock Estate Distillery pioneered Solera aged bourbon, becoming the first company to offer Solera aged bourbon beginning in October 2012. Hillrock Estate Distillery was one of the first Field-To-Glass® whiskey producers in the world, and was the first distillery in the United States to floor malt grain since Prohibition. Going forward, Hillrock Estate Distillery plans to release this bourbon with individual field designations.

‍‍Double Cask Bourbon - Bottled in Bond was introduced in October 2024 as a permanent line extension to Hillrock Estate Distillery’s portfolio. It is the first bourbon the distillery has released that has not been aged in their Solera. Unlike their Solera aged bourbon, which blends in-house distillate with older distillate that was sourced years ago to begin the Solera process, Double Cask Bourbon - Bottled in Bond is distilled entirely by Hillrock Estate Distillery in order to meet the bottled in bond requirements. The bourbon is aged first in new #3 char and then #4 char American oak casks before bottling.

‍‍To be labelled 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.

‍‍Hillrock Estate Bottled in Bond is a single barrel bourbon. The bottle in review is from Barrel No. 2.

Layers of oak upfront reveal dense seasoned oak, tannins, and peppery oak. The oak is complemented by a combination of raisin and dark fruits, adding a degree of sweetness that enhances but doesn’t overpower the layers of oak. There is a rich, grain-forward presence to it that persists throughout the aroma, which results in a unique introduction right from the start.

The grain-forward aroma of the whiskey reveals itself further on the palate, which is incredibly rich and full-flavored but markedly also grain-forward. Sweeter flavors of dark cherry and raisin complement dense layers of oak, with seasoned oak most prominent alongside peppery oak and a lighter charred oak note. There’s an unexpected hint of orange peel on the backend of what is otherwise a full-bodied sip.

A moderate wave of spice pushes through, with light black pepper and seasoned oak characteristics, but doesn’t overpower the rich underlying base of flavors that maintain presence from the midpoint. Hints of toasted marshmallow and graham cracker emerge on the backend of the finish. Overall, it’s a gripping flavor profile that makes for an immediately memorable sip.

Hillrock Estate Distillery focuses on showcasing the region with their whiskeys. Grains are grown both onsite and locally within the Hudson Valley. This is evident with their Double Cask Rye, which they have been making for over a decade. Similar to Double Cask Rye, Double Cask Bourbon has a rich flavor profile that affirms Hillrock Estate Distillery’s style of whiskey making which is far from being a carbon copy of what someone would expect from a well-established Kentucky bourbon. Instead, it’s an incredibly rich, dense, full-flavored bourbon that doubles down on grain and oak. Compared to Hillrock Estate Distillery’s Solera Aged Bourbon, which is built on a base of sourced bourbon with Hillrock Estate Distillery distilled bourbon layered into the Solera over time, Double Cask Bourbon - Bottled in Bond delivers a totally different drinking experience.

The focus on oak, presumably from the double barreling, results in a flavor profile that shares an oak-influenced likeness to a number of bourbons that originate from Texas, as well as Kings County Distillery, which has historically used smaller barrels to great success, though the oak influence is driven by double-barreling as opposed to using smaller barrels for Hillrock’s bourbon. Effectively, the examples are bourbons that highlight similar peppery oak flavor characteristics delivered with rich, flavorful intensity.

While the oak influence is evident throughout this whiskey, the grain-forward nature of Double Cask Bourbon is what really defines it. This is a significant divergence from typical bourbon produced by the Kentucky majors, which tend to offer heavier caramel and vanilla notes at the baseline, and then tend to build off of that. Instead, it’s a style that’s more similar to what we have seen from Leopold Bros., where the more forward-facing influence from the grain is specifically highlighted as opposed to being aged out.  

Released as single barrels, Double Cask Bourbon will vary from barrel to barrel, which is a good thing compared to Hillrock’s generally consistent Solera aged bourbon’s flavor profile, though I still would expect the baseline of flavors to remain constant. The grain/oak driven nature of it may take some people by surprise, but those familiar with Hillrock Estate Distillery and other distilleries that have the ability to be deliberate in creating a whiskey with this intention will enjoy what they have to offer.

Hillrock Estate Distillery’s whiskeys fall on the premium side, which is evident when you pick up their highly detailed custom designed bottle, which also showcases a lot of history for the brand. Their flagship product, Solera Aged Bourbon, clocks in at $99 and was the distillery’s lowest cost offering prior to the release of Double Cask Bourbon - Bottled in Bond. Double Cask Rye is the next closest at $110. It’s evident that a more consumer-friendly offering from a price perspective was needed to help introduce more consumers to the brand, and Double Cask Bourbon - Bottled in Bond was introduced to fit that bill.

Similar to other small scale craft distilleries, Hillrock Estate Distillery’s process is very hands-on from start to finish. Taking it a step further, Hillrock adds in unique factors such as growing grain onsite and floor malting grains onsite, factors that very few other distilleries do. Expected price points for baseline craft distillery products from around the United States have hovered in the $50-$75 range for quite some time, and Hillrock appears to have wanted to get an offering in that territory to meet the expectations of consumers, many of whom buy on-premise. Knowing what is involved in the production process as well as what their Double Cask Rye retails for, Hillrock is most likely making a concession on where price probably should be in order to get the bottle into this particular price point. To that end, the value is good here, as it gives consumers a chance to explore 100% in-house distilled Hillrock Estate Distillery bourbon for an accessible price point.

It’s hard to reference what a Hillrock Estate Distillery whiskey tastes like without experience with their products, as their whiskeys have unique and memorable flavor profiles. Predominantly grain-forward, the flavor profile won’t be for everyone and certainly is not the same as what someone would expect from a typical well-established Kentucky bourbon, instead having unique qualities we see from distilleries such as Frey Ranch, Iron Root Republic, and Hidden Barn, to list a few comparisons. But for those who appreciate the distillery’s attention to detail in every step of the process and the intentional focus on grain, Hillrock Estate Distillery’s whiskeys will likely become some of your favorites.

At a more accessible price point of $75 when compared to Hillrock’s other products, Double Cask Bourbon - Bottled in Bond gives consumers a chance to try their whiskey at a more consumer-friendly price point. Choosing to label it bottled in bond means it conforms to the industry’s highest standards, and sends a positive signal to the broader consumer base which is to confirm that it was distilled entirely in-house. Overall, Double Cask Bourbon - Bottled in Bond is an enjoyable, unique, and memorable pour.