Heaven Hill Grain-to-Glass 2025 Specialty Cask: Chinquapin Oak Bourbon Whiskey

This Grain-to-Glass 2025 Chinquapin Oak release is a bold, expressive bourbon that showcases Heaven Hill’s mastery of wood influence. Richly textured, warm, and layered with spice, it highlights how a unique oak species can transform classic bourbon character into something deeper, more aromatic, and beautifully structured. A standout limited edition for collectors and wood-focused bourbon enthusiasts.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Heaven Hill’s Grain-to-Glass Series celebrates true whiskey provenance — from carefully selected grain to final cask maturation — emphasizing full transparency and craftsmanship.

For the 2025 Specialty Cask: Chinquapin Oak release:

• Mashbill: Traditional Heaven Hill bourbon mashbill, built on corn sweetness, balanced rye spice, and malted barley.

• Distillation: Produced at Heaven Hill’s own distilleries, ensuring complete production control.

• Barrel Innovation: Matured or finished in air-dried, toasted, and charred Chinquapin Oak (Quercus muehlenbergii) — a highly aromatic American white oak variant prized for its ability to impart baking spice, sweet wood, caramelized sugars, and a slightly smoky edge.

• Aging Style: Chinquapin oak staves are typically dried longer, resulting in enhanced vanilla compounds, rich tannin structure, and warm spice expression.

• Limited Release: Bottled at a robust proof to preserve depth, texture, and the unique influence of this specialty wood.

The result is a bourbon that blends Heaven Hill’s classic profile with a distinctive oak-driven twist.

Critics Reviews

Professional reviewers responding to Heaven Hill’s specialty oak series consistently highlight:

• The “remarkable complexity” brought by Chinquapin oak, often adding cinnamon, nutmeg, toffee, and warm wood spice.

• Impressive balance between sweetness and structure, with the oak enhancing—not overwhelming—the underlying bourbon character.

• A satisfying, long finish that emphasizes warm spice, toasted sugars, and oak richness.

• Praise for Heaven Hill’s transparency and willingness to explore wood innovation in a thoughtful, well-executed way.

Many critics consider Chinquapin oak finishes among the most expressive and intriguing of alternative-oak American bourbon releases.

Tasting Profile

Nose:
Warm baking spice, cinnamon bark, toasted vanilla bean, caramelized sugar, and rich oak layers. Subtle notes of orange peel, toasted nuts, maple, and a hint of smoky sweetness.

Palate:
Full-bodied and structured. Toffee, brown sugar, and caramel lead into deeper flavors of spiced oak, roasted pecan, molasses, nutmeg, and charred vanilla. The Chinquapin oak imparts a warm, lifted spice profile with excellent depth and texture.

Finish:
Long, warming, and pleasantly spiced. Lingering notes of toasted oak, cinnamon, vanilla cream, and caramelized sugars fade slowly, leaving a rich, wood-driven warmth that defines the final impression.

Quick Overview