After a (personally) underwhelming first release last year, Heaven Hill went further down the LE path and release a second version of the Grain-to-Glass series aged in Chinquapin oak. Let’s see if this helps at all. 

Heaven Hill GTG Wheated Bourbon, Chinqupin Oak
Age: 7 years
Proof: 105°
Mash bill: 52c / 35w / 13 mb

Nose: baking spice, toasted pecans, touch of coffee and cherry syrup, little to no ethanol - 3/5, Decent

Palate: first sip is a little oaky up front that gives way to a chocolatey crème brûlée thing. Following sips give more of the expected Old Fitz/Larceny wheatiness, reminding me of honey wheat bread - 3/5, Decent

Finish: finish lingers for awhile and it’s mostly sweet. More of that cherry and vanilla hangout, almost like a slice of honey wheat toast with whipped cream and a fruit drizzle. Nothing special, but it’s pleasant and not too bitter or tannic - 3/5, Decent

I’m not really upset by this pour. It’s pleasant and easy to drink, offering some complexity in flavor if you really wanted to think about it and dig deep. Am I gonna dish out $130+tax for a bottle? Absolutely not. This is a slightly more elevated and complex version of the Old Fitz 7yr BiB for almost 2.5x the price (I rated the OF7 a 2.65/5 on my personal scale), with the choice of oak definitely having a flavor impact. I think the GTG is really cool concept and it’s interesting to see heritage/legacy distillers take it up, but it’s not really justifiable price wise for the consumer, in my opinion.

Review #5 - Heaven Hill, Grain to Glass, Wheated Bourbon in Chinquapin Oak