Red berries | Cherry tarts | Brownie batter | Aged leather | Oak | Rye bread | White peppercorn | Hints of vanilla bean | Nicely balanced

Burst of juicy red berries | Dried cherries | Charred oak | Peppercorn spice mix | Light rye grain | Tobacco leaf | Earthy

Dried oak | Dry leather | Faint berries and cream | Light rye spice | Short & dry

Established in 2020, World Whiskey Society is a non-distiller producer that sources whiskeys from all over the world, often packaging them into highly unique bottles. The company often details the mashbill of the whiskey on the bottle’s label and stands out in the crowd with its elaborate bottles. In this case, not only does the elaborate bottle stand out on the shelf, but the source of the whiskey is also eye-catching, with the bottle clearly stating that it is sourced from Heaven Hill Distillery. Seeing a sourced Heaven Hill bourbon is a rarity, and seeing it then finished in oloroso sherry casks is even more eyebrow-raising. This is a follow-up release to the brand’s similar yet different World Whiskey Society 12 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Finished in Armagnac Barrels.

The whiskey opens with scents that showcase its oloroso sherry cask finish. Notes of red berries and cherry tarts dance out of the glass and are joined with a subtle brownie batter note along with more traditional notes of oak, vanilla bean, and peppercorn. The midpoint of the sip starts with a burst of red berries before transitioning to drier notes, which helps temper the sweetness. The sip ends highlighting the time the bourbon spent in oak and focuses on drier notes of oak and leather. Intermingled are faint berries and cream and a light rye spice. It’s a fine ending but doesn’t rise to the same level as compared to the nose and palate. Overall this is a finished bourbon that is nicely balanced, never veering too far into its sweet and dry notes, instead presenting a well-balanced sip. This is a fun bottle to pick up if you like a centerpiece for your bar or if you’re curious about what a company can do with sourced Heaven Hill bourbon. While there’s no denying this bourbon comes across as flamboyant both in price and in bottle design, the whiskey inside is well-balanced and nicely influenced by its finishing barrel.

The whiskey in review comes from Edition No. 3 and is bottle number 069/580.