Hillrock Solera Bourbon World's First Solera Aged Bourbon Distiller Note - 'Solera' - a stack of barrels where a small portion of whiskey is removed periodically and new whiskey is added. No barrel is ever fully emptied, and age and complexity gradually increase over time. Hillrock marries small barrel-aged Hillrock Estate Bourbon with mature seed bourbon before finishing in 20 year old Oloroso Sherry casks to balance flavors and add layers of complexity. The resulting spirit offers a pronounced nose of caramel, dried fruit, vanilla, oak and spice, accented by an elegant floral note. The full-bodied palate opens with rich notes of brown sugar, molasses and toffee, followed by roasted corn, clove, cinnamon and a touch of spicy rye. Oloroso sherry notes of walnut, fig and candied fruit merge with caramel and butterscotch on the long, balanced finish. Current average age of the Hillrock Solera Bourbon is over 6 years and the rye content is approximately 37%.
A New York single malt whiskey, no age statement. Very malty/cereal-focused on the nose, with hints of smoke. There seems to be some fruit in there, but it’s buried under an avalanche of toasted Cheerios. The body offers racy and savory spices, pepper and some cloves, with a growing wood influence racing up behind it. The grain character remains the strongest, however, with lots of well-fired barley rounding out a very youthful but expressive spirit. 86 proof.